And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. (2 Sam. 12:7-10)
David pronounced that the man who had taken the lamb would pay fourfold, and when Nathan declared, “you’re the man,” he crumbled in the face of God’s judgement, knowing that indeed he was guilty. David had indeed been without pity, in murdering Uriah, in taking Bathsheba who was another man’s wife. David also broke most, if not all, of God’s Commandments in the whole sordid affair. God made him king of Israel, gave everything he needed, and more, and in this instance, David wanted more. He lingered in the palace when the army went to war, he looked over ‘his’ city, looked again at Bathsheba and took her unto himself, and then tried to cover it up, even to the death of Uriah under his murderous orders. David, a man after God’s own heart, had turned from the Lord and sinned egregiously and judgment was now upon him. He could be forgiven but the consequences of his sin would never leave his house.
God hates sin and promises that the wages of sin is death. While Christians cannot expect lost people to behave like Christians for they do not know the LORD nor have the forgiveness which God gives to those who repent of their sin and put their faith and trust in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, we are called to live holy lives unto the LORD. Only through the saving grace of God do we have the power and victory God gives over sin to those who are His and who love Him. However, Christains can and do all too often, slip into sin from time to time. For those who are truly born again, we are not to remain in sin, to wallow in it like a badge of honor, or to continue to sin that grace may abound. God is gracious, but we will not escape the consequences of our sin, just as David did not even though the LORD forgave him. God will bring judgment for sin, especially upon those who claim His Name, and He will chastise His own. Sin is sIn and all are guilty before God and worthy of death, God has proclaimed judgment upon all who have sinned, and all are awaiting that day that all will stand before God, either in their sin which will receive eternal damnation, or in Christ who will grant eternal joy, not by our works or anything we have done, but by His mercy and grace. But as David learned, God’s grace, mercy, and love toward us is not a license to sin, but liberty to live in Christ the life we were meant to live, and to love others as we reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach His Word in obedience to Him who has called us out of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.
While we are here, God has sent those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet