“It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, ‘Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’ So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, ‘I am pregnant.’” [1]
“You shall not commit adultery” [EXODUS 20:14]. The sixth commandment is quite precise and emphatic, leaving no room for equivocation. Driven by personal desire, people may attempt to find wiggle room, an escape clause, but the commandment as delivered is immediately understood. Most of us are not favourably impressed with the spouse who is unfaithful. Oh, she may be pretty enough—and men will excuse her perfidy. He may be truly handsome—and women will find a way to justify His infidelity. Human nature attempts to minimize sin; and in our day and in this culture, we have become almost blasé about adultery. True enough, we don’t want to be on the receiving end of a cheating spouse, but it happens all the time.
Frequently we will hear adulterers say they couldn’t help themselves. It was the fault of the situation, the fault of the other with whom they entered into the adulterous relationship, the fault of a spouse who didn’t meet the needs of the adulterer—we’re pretty good at justifying our actions. At other times we will hear the adulterer say they really love their spouse, but they are so confused. And yet, God didn’t leave any room for confusion in the matter when He instructed Moses to write that sixth commandment.
I’ve been serving in pastoral ministry for almost five decades now. During that time, I’ve encountered a surprising number of individuals who imagined that God would make an exception in their case. Their situation was unique, and they could not understand why I would respond to that plea by agreeing that every situation was unique. The principle doesn’t change, however. It is important to understand the will of the Lord and then make that divine will authoritative for your own conduct.
He was certain that I would see “reason.” He showed up at the church office and insisted that I go with him for a canoe ride on an area lake. It was supposed to be a day off for me, so it wasn’t all that difficult to convince me to take some time with him. Lynda was busy at the dental office, and I hadn’t taken time off for some weeks. He had the canoe on the roof rack and some food items in a hamper, so I closed up shop and away we went.
We unloaded the boat and carried it down a path to a mountain tarn, packed up and paddled out to an island. He unpacked his hamper, and the primary “foodstuff” was a magnum of wine and two flutes. There was some cheese and summer sausage with crusty bread. But clearly, the wine was important for this trip.
I informed him that I didn’t drink. He was astonished at my refusal, and made several attempts to convince me that I was wrong. It was apparent that the wine was central to his plan—a plan that appeared to be unravelling rather quickly. Finally, he put away the wine and got to the point of asking me to go canoeing.
A husband and wife in our church were passing through some rough waters in their marriage. She was a lovely woman and he was a handsome man. Both had spoken to me, and I had sent them for counselling. The gentleman who now sought to ply me with a little wine and a canoe trip had decided that the aforementioned wife was ripe for the picking. All that was lacking in the estimate of my canoeist friend was my blessing to allow him to swoop in and rescue this woman from her matrimonial chains. When I didn’t immediately agree with his view, he was angry enough that I thought I would have to swim in order to return to the far shore. And it would be a rather long walk back into town. Nevertheless, I held my ground and after numerous attempts to get me to change my mind, we loaded his canoe in silence and drove back into town.
I had pointed out to this man that he was asking me to approve of adultery. I assured him that I held the conviction that marriage was designed to be permanent. Though there may be reasons why the marriage relationship can be destroyed and the union dissolved, no man should ever imagine that he can either precipitate or hasten that destructive process. I don’t know that love is blind, but I’m reasonably certain that lust is blinding. That gentleman never again came to the services of the church, though I did see him about town from time-to-time. I don’t believe he ever again spoke to me, though he did glare at me whenever our paths happened to cross. I was informed by others that he did attempt to pursue the lady in question without success.
I relate the story, not merely as incidental, but as demonstration of a common perception that has intruded even into the Faith. People believe that they have a right to be happy. The happiness of the individual takes precedence over the holiness of the individual. God calls us to be holy, though He never promises that we will be happy. We will have joy when we obey Him and when we seek His will, but God has never promised happiness. There is a difference between joy and happiness. Joy is settled, touching every facet of our being and giving us confidence in God’s love for us. Happiness is ephemeral, transient, subject to the circumstances of the moment. Thus, happiness can never give us confidence.
SUSCEPTIBLE — “It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful” [2 SAMUEL 11:2]. David didn’t intend to invade the sacred privacy of the marriage of another man. David had a wife—in fact, he had several wives. If sexual dalliance was on his mind, he could have retreated to the privacy of his bedroom with any of several wives.
For starters, David had married Michal, daughter of Saul, and Abigail, who was formerly married to Nabal. In addition to his wives, David had concubines, multiple women kept solely for his sexual pleasure. We are told that he had at least ten concubines [see 2 SAMUEL 15:16]. We know that one of David’s concubines was Abishag [see 1 KINGS 2:13-25]. I’m not justifying the practise of men using women exclusively for sexual pleasure, I’m merely observing the reality of the situation. David had no reason to be longing for any woman who was married to another man.
Martin Luther reportedly said, “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” [2] Luther was correct in this assessment. If I focus on entertainment that exalts sexual pleasure, I will soon justify the belief that my sexual gratification is the greatest good for life. If I watch pornography, it is certain that I will not truly respect women (or men) as created in the image of God. If I allow my mind to constantly think of embracing another individual who is not my spouse, or if I allow myself to imagine that I’d be happier in the company of someone who is married to another, I’ll find it far easier to justify thoughts that are less than worthy of the purity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isn’t it amazing how easily ruminations of lazing in the arms of someone who is not your spouse can shove all thoughts of worship of the Living God from your mind?
The Word of God warns each of us to watch ourselves in the realm of sexual purity. Youth need to be taught that sexual gratification is not the greatest good, despite the incessant emphasis contemporary educators appear to invest in instructing the vulnerable in how they can attain sexual gratification. Solomon provides a needed contrast between righteousness and surrendering to personal desire. Listen as he instructs a youth, presumably his son.
“My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
discretion will watch over you,
understanding will guard you,
delivering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech,
who forsake the paths of uprightness
to walk in the ways of darkness,
who rejoice in doing evil
and delight in the perverseness of evil,
men whose paths are crooked,
and who are devious in their ways.
“So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman,
from the adulteress with her smooth words,
who forsakes the companion of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God;
for her house sinks down to death,
and her paths to the departed;
none who go to her come back,
nor do they regain the paths of life.”
[PROVERBS 2:1-19]
Soon after this, the Wise King provides this straight talk to young men.
“Drink water from your own cistern,
flowing water from your own well.
Should your springs be scattered abroad,
streams of water in the streets?
Let them be for yourself alone,
and not for strangers with you.
Let your fountain be blessed,
and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;
be intoxicated always in her love.
Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman
and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD,
and he ponders all his paths.
The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
He dies for lack of discipline,
and because of his great folly he is led astray.”
[PROVERBS 5:15-23]
Wow! And I thought the Bible was prudish! I had no idea the Word of God could be so forthright about such a sensitive issue! The experts of this fallen world seem to have concluded that the Bible avoids poignancy, precision, or passion when speaking of sexual themes! The truth is that our world has so perverted sex that when we witness the positive view and the anticipation of joy that God gave to mankind through the gift of sex, we are astonished. We find it hard to believe what we read when Scripture teaches, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous” [HEBREWS 13:4].
How could anyone read the Canticles and not conclude that God seeks what will give His people their greatest pleasure? Listen to Solomon as he describes the love of a husband for his wife.
“How beautiful you are! How lovely,
O love, with your delights!
Your stature is like a palm tree,
and your breasts are like clusters of grapes.
I want to climb the palm tree,
and take hold of its fruit stalks.
May your breasts be like the clusters of grapes,
and may the fragrance of your breath be like apricots!
May your mouth be like the best wine,
flowing smoothly for my beloved,
gliding gently over our lips as we sleep together.”
[SONG OF SOLOMON 7:6-9]
Solomon was undoubtedly correct when he wrote,
“‘Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’”
However the corollary to that Proverb must be acknowledged.
“But he does not know that the dead are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”
[PROVERBS 9:17-18]
How titillating for any of us to imagine the satisfaction of illicit pleasure—the stolen kiss, the tender caress from one who is married to another, the ecstasy of that brief moment alone in the quietness of the night. But there are consequences that demand that you pay a price that is far greater than you could ever imagine.
SLIPPIN’ AND SLIDIN’ — “David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, ‘Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite’” [2 SAMUEL 11:3]? The king asked what appeared to be an innocuous question: “Who is that woman?” Hidden within that seemingly innocuous query were the seeds of destruction, however. David’s question attempted to hide his perfidy that would end with the devastating ruin of the marriage of a loyal soldier and with surrender of the king to sin which is ever present. David would ultimately see his own family destroyed and his favoured children killed. Above all else, David’s sin would be exposed before the whole world.
Listening to Chuck Swindoll on one occasion, I heard him tell of an event that occurred while on a ministry trip to Toronto. As Pastor Swindoll got on an elevator, two women also got on with him. Each of these women were attractive, he said; they were dressed fashionably, their hair perfectly coifed and their makeup applied expertly. They looked as if they were models who had just stepped off the pages of Vogue.
When the elevator doors closed, the women turned and spoke with Pastor Swindoll, making an offer that many men would have found difficult, if not impossible, to resist. They revealed themselves to be high-end “working girls” who were offering to fill his evening with pleasures they were prepared to offer a discriminating gentleman. No one would ever know what happened in the privacy of that hotel room except for Pastor Swindoll and the two women. His church would be none the wiser; and there are experts willing even to argue that such a dalliance could even spice up his marriage.
I appreciated Swindoll’s recitation of that story, especially as he revealed his thought processes when the salacious offer was made. His response in that message from long ago has served to guide me on numerous occasions since the time I heard him speak. Pastor Swindoll said he didn’t think of his lovely wife at that moment; he did not think of how any revelation that he had accepted the tantalizing offer would devastate her and ruin his marriage. He didn’t think about his children and how if he succumbed to the alluring offer of these attractive women he would be ever after degraded in their eyes. He didn’t think about how multiplied Christians, the deacons and the elders with whom he worked, would be devastated if they learned of his infidelity. At that moment, Church Swindoll thought of how surrendering to the desires of his flesh would dishonour Christ and destroy his service to the people of God. His concern was that he might dishonour Christ the Master. Anyone who loves Christ would think this way!
Perhaps Pastor Swindoll thought of the response Joseph delivered when the wife of Potiphar, the man who had purchased him as a slave, sought to engage him in a licentious liaison. When Potiphar’s wife pleaded with Joseph to lie with her, the young slave refused, saying, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God” [GENESIS 39:8-9]?
I could wish that every young man, every young woman, every person who bears the Name of Christ the Lord, would memorize the response of Joseph, the godly teenager: “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” How, indeed!
I’ve thought of the incident as Chuck Swindoll related it and his response, just as I’ve thought of the response delivered by Joseph on several occasions during my own days. I have a lovely wife, and I could never have imagined the joy of a long marriage when Lynda and I were younger. I choose to focus on the joy I have received from being the father of three wonderful children. However, far greater than the pleasures of being married to my gracious wife and far more wonderful than the joy of being the father of children is the privilege of serving Christ as His servant among the churches.
There is incredible pressure on young men and women to engage in premarital sex in this day. Believe it or not, I was once young, and I realise that every young man believes that he invented sex! The young man imagines that no one ever experienced what he is experiencing when some young woman succumbs to his advances. I grew to manhood in the sixties. There is precious little that is done today that did not have roots in those halcyon days of the sixties. Despite the emphasis on self-gratification in those days, I recalled the training I had received in my home. I was taught to respect young women, and that meant that I was not even to treat a young woman as less than worthy of my highest devotion. I was responsible to esteem her enough to avoid doing anything that would degrade her either in her own eyes or in the eyes of others.
It is sometimes said that the largest sex organ is the brain. There is considerable truth in that assertion as becomes evident as we read of what the king did when he watched Bathsheba. David saw a woman bathing. He took note that she was beautiful. I suppose that had he stopped at that point, there would have been no sin. We noted that Martin Luther is said to have asserted, “I cannot stop the birds from flying over my head; but I can stop them from nesting in my hair.” I can’t stop temptation seizing my attention through what I happen to see; but I am responsible for where I allow my gaze to linger.
It is obvious that David did not merely note that a beautiful woman was bathing, he ruminated on the woman he had seen. This was not a mere glance—David feasted his eyes on the nude woman bathing on her rooftop. In this, David was not unlike any man in this day who feasts his eyes on pornography. As far as that goes, he was not unlike the woman who feeds her mind on a mental image formed while reading a salacious novel or the image of what could be that is formed in her mind while watching a cinematic production. David allowed his mind to draw him back to the woman again and again. He permitted himself to imagine the pleasure he could experience if only he could hold her, stroke her breasts, and then lie with her in his arms. Though he had multiple wives and numerous concubines, David could not stop thinking about this woman. Not content with his lurid dreaming about this woman, the king took the next step—he sent and inquired about the woman. Who was she? What could he learn of her?
David was the king, and nothing was kept from the king. Perhaps this was intelligence that was critical for the affairs of state, and so those who provided the intelligence likely acted in innocence. Would you withhold information if the Prime Minister demanded it of you? Would you refuse to inform the President should he ask you concerning a neighbour? Those who provided the information to David could not have known what was in his mind, but David’s mind had already entered into a dark place before he asked who the woman might be. With this step of inquiring about the woman, David had taken a dangerous step that would lead him into grievous sin, culminating in death for many people and threaten even the kingdom.
It is true that “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” [JAMES 1:14-15]. Sin is never a one-off affair. Like yeast working through dough, sin permeates every facet of life. And though it may require years before the final cost of your sin is exacted, know that ultimately sin leads to death.
As I read the account of David’s slide into sin, I find myself wishing that he had heard the words of the Master when He spoke in the Sermon on the Mount. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell” [MATTHEW 5:27-30].
But you have heard the Master’s warning! Perhaps there is a young person who is listening to this message and that young man or young woman has flirted with the sin that can stain life. Don’t do it! Don’t succumb to the temptation to surrender to your own base desire. That sin leads to death. Jesus held that the sin of surrender to temptation to violate the marriage relation is so serious that extreme measures are called for.
Perhaps one listens who is married, and that one has allowed her or his mind to play over the possibility of a brief affair. As you have savoured the prospect of what you assume will be a secret affair, you have practically tingled with expectation. Dreaming of what may be, you have felt fear mixed with excitement of tasting the forbidden fruit. You have been enticed by the dulcimer voice of evil that assures you that a dalliance with another who is not your spouse can spice up your marriage, it can make you a better lover, it promises so much that you don’t have now. Don’t believe the siren voice, for that voice leads only to death. Turn to the Saviour, confess your sin and run for your life.
SUCCUMBED — “David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her” [2 SAMUEL 11:4a]. In our day, we imagine that we can justify surrender to our fallen desires because such surrender doesn’t appear to be a great evil in our eyes. We have convinced ourselves that we can enter into marriage casually; and with just such casual disregard of our vows, we can leave the marriage whenever it suits us. However, reviewing the vast sweep of human history and the full scope of diverse cultures that have existed on the earth, acting on one’s own desire rather than accepting the social compact is the exception and not the rule. Surrendering to one’s own sexual desires has always invited retribution in almost every culture. Violating the marriage compact invites anger all around. Societies intuitively recognize that violating the marriage compact destroys relationships and invites retribution from the offended party.
But what if you’ve already slipped into this sin of adultery at an earlier time? What if you violated your covenant with your spouse at some earlier time? What if you have already sullied your life through choices you made even before you were married? Is your life irreparably ruined by your sin? I have good news that each of us must hear. Have you not heard the promise of God: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” [1 JOHN 1:9]. Our God is prepared to cleanse us, making us suited for life in His Kingdom.
I will venture into territory that will challenge some, without a doubt. Our marriages are built on trust. There can be no lies in our marriage if we wish to maintain a strong marriage, a vibrant marriage, and a marriage that honours the Lord who blesses us. Though it may be painful to endure, if you sinned thus against your spouse at some point in the past, I would urge you to confess your sin and ask your beloved spouse to forgive you. I’m not necessarily speaking of sin committed before you made a vow of fidelity before an altar of the Lord. In such a case, you need to confess your sin to the Lord and seek His guidance. He will not lead you into error. You may need to speak to the one with whom you sinned, asking her or him to forgive you for what you did. But at that time you were not sinning against your spouse; you were sinning against your own body.
The other side of this matter arises from the situation if your spouse should confess to you her unfaithfulness or his unfaithfulness at some point in the past. Should such happen to you, I urge you to forgive when they confess and seek your forgiveness. Jesus has taught us, “Forgive, and you will be forgiven” [LUKE 6:37b]. Because you pledged your love to your spouse, this means that your reaction to such a revelation must be to forgive your spouse. I’m not saying that forgiveness is easy, nor am I implying that such a situation will not present complications in your relationship—I am simply pointing to the remedy that is given in Scripture. Forgive those who have wronged you. This is especially true in any situation involving your spouse.
Surely the situation described in Paul’s Letter to the saints in Colossae prevails here. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” [COLOSSIANS 3:12-14]. If we move this admonition out of the sacred precincts of the assembly of the righteous and into the home, then the instruction makes perfect sense.
The Apostle makes a similar plea that, though normally applied more broadly to relationship among Christians, must surely apply in the marriage relationship of one who is following the Master. In the Ephesian Encyclical, Paul has written, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” [EPHESIANS 4:31-32].
As Christians, we have received the word of the Lord delivered in a parable. “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart” [MATTHEW 18:23-35].
I understand that forgiveness is never easy, but it is necessary. I understand that there will be no magic wand to make things go back to the security you once knew. However, I am assured that through your forgiveness, and through persevering through the difficult times, things will get better, and joy can again mark your path together. I am confident that when you are submitted to Christ, as a couple, that He will heal the wounds which our foolish actions have inflicted upon those we love.
We might ask how David handled his adultery. The answer to that question is summed up in one word—“Poorly!” David attempted to hide his sin. His puerile attempt resulted in the murder of one of his most loyal soldiers, compelling devoted subjects to be party to his wicked acts, and ultimately led to a futile effort to lie before the eyes of all who saw the king. Hiding your sin never works out well. If you are not a follower of the Christ, be assured that many others know that you are living a lie. If you are a follower of the Son of God, He will not permit you to continue dishonouring Him by living a lie. God will expose you, if only to ensure that you do not sully His Name. He will expose you so that the world will not imagine that God ignores sin in His own child.
At last, the LORD sent His prophet to confront David. Soon after the events described in this text, we read, “The LORD sent Nathan to David” [2 SAMUEL 12:1a]. Nathan related a parable that stirred David’s righteous indignation. David thought he was pronouncing judgement against an injustice perpetuated by someone within the kingdom. However, when he stated his sentence against the unnamed individual, Nathan responded, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun’” [2 SAMUEL 12:7-12]. The shock as he realised his sin was known must have been incredible for David. It is always a shock when the sin we thought we had hidden is suddenly exposed.
David revealed himself to be a true follower of the Living God in his response when this sin was exposed. When Nathan exposed his sin, David responded, “I have sinned against the LORD” [2 SAMUEL 12:13a]. Casting himself on the mercies of the LORD, David in effect was saying, “God is righteous; I am sinful. Whatever God does, I will accept.”
When a Christian’s sin is exposed by the hand of God, the Christian will respond in godly fashion, confessing that he or she has sinned against the Lord and seeking His mercy. How pitiful is the confession David made when his sin was exposed, and how real is his grief! David knew that He had sinned, and as grievous as was his sin against Uriah, against Bathsheba, against Joab, it was the LORD God Whom David had impugned with his lies. Therefore, David confessed,
“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
“For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.”
[PSALM 51:1-4]
David was not finished with brokenness. He continued in that Psalm, confessing,
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
“Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.”
[PSALM 51:7-15]
"O, God, until You have restored me to fellowship with You, until You have cleansed me, there can be no joy. If I fail to confess my sin, Your Spirit will not work in power in my life, and I shall walk in darkness. I will know nothing but gloom and sorrow until You deliver me from the judgement I deserve. O, God, I cannot teach the lost, I cannot sing the hymns of Zion, I cannot praise You, until You have restored me to Your side." Though David could not have known the words the Apostle of Love would write some millennia later, he realised the reality of what John would write. John would write, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” [1 JOHN 1:9].
There are Christians who are held in thraldom, kept chained in the foul keep of the castle of despondency, because they will not confess their sin or seek the mercies of the Lord. If that describes you, let this message serve as encouragement to confess your sin and come before the God Who loves you and Who always stands ready to welcome you back to His side. Let the sinner forsake her way even now.
May I speak a moment longer to all who hear me this day. If you have no grief over your sin, it may be that you do not know the grace and mercy of God. In that case, I must urge you to look to Christ and be saved. If you have no desire to honour God, it is evident that you have not known God. You must forsake your sin and receive the grace of God through receiving Christ as Saviour. Amen.
[1] Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[2] https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/757798-you-cannot-keep-birds-from-flying-over-your-head-but, accessed 13 August 2020
