When to Teach the Transgressor

Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your loving kindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2)

I’m hesitant to declare that Psalm 51 is my favorite Psalm, but it is right up there near the top. It speaks to the time when King David came before the Lord and confessed his wickedness regarding Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah and [David’s] subsequent redemption.  It also speaks directly to gratitude.

Today, as I poured through the Song once again, I selahed at verse 13:

Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. 

I found myself asking the question, “What will it take for us to teach the LORD’s ways to the transgressor?  The following inquiry was gleaned (and personalized) from the text preceding that thirteenth verse:

1. Have you acknowledged your transgressions?
2. Have you been purged with hyssop?
3. Are you now clean, washed, and whiter than snow?
4. Are your sins now hidden and your iniquities blotted out?
5. Has He created in you a clean heart? 
6. Has He renewed a steadfast spirit within you?
7. Are you welcome in His presence? 
8. Has He given you His Holy Spirit?
9. Do you possess the joy of salvation?
10. Are you upheld by His generosity? 

Hopefully you responded in the affirmative to each of those queries. If you have, then guess what? It’s time for you to make known the riches of this glorious mystery: Christ in you, the hope of glory. And remember, a lion is the happiest when it is let out of the cage.

“His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.”  (Jeremiah 20:9b)

If you do not know Jesus Christ as both God and Savior, then click HERE. And please know, God is not interested in making converts, He desires that we would willingly follow Him, not because He is needy, but because we are.

These articles may or may not be related:

• Flee as a Bird (sabbathsermons.com)
• Lord, Have Mercy (ising4god.com)
• Text for Last Sunday’s Message, August 12, 2012 (midwaycommunitychurch.typepad.com)
• Psalm 51 (leadmeintheeverlastingway.com)
• Psalm 51 (rfbcstudents.com)
• Woman of the Bible series/Bathsheba (simpleme2.wordpress.com)
• Psalm 51 – The Way Back To God (thisbrokenangel.wordpress.com)
• Ezekiel, sword, Psalm (formerheathen.wordpress.com)
• Beware the Peril that Lurks in Success (pjcockrell.wordpress.com)
• The Zeal to Reveal (compassiondave.wordpress.com)

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Who is Your Judge?

Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight– That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. Psalm 51:4

This is one of those verses that I always use to struggle with. The Psalm was written by David concerning the incident he had with Bathsheba, her husband Uriah, and the confrontation afterwards with Nathan the prophet. As a result of the incident, Bathsheba became pregnant and Uriah was murdered. So when we read David’s declaration to God, “Against You, You only, have I sinned,” some folks wonder, “What in the world is going on; what about Bathsheba and poor Uriah?”

It’s here that some pastors teach that Bathsheba was partially at fault for bathing nakedly on the roof, the implication being that she knew exactly what she was doing. I might agree with that, but we must keep in mind that the text doesn’t say that’s what she did. Frankly, it’s unfair to place any guilt on Bathsheba’s head [regarding what happened that day], because the Bible does not provide us with that information. Her guilt [if any] is speculation on our part.

And what about Uriah? What part did he play; can anyone say he is partially at fault for his own murder? You would probably agree that it would be a stretch to make that accusation.

Or Would It?

The truth of the matter is that while we don’t have any evidence to link Bathsheba and Uriah to the crime, [thus making them the clear victims], they are not innocent. What do I mean by that? I mean that while they did nothing (apparently) to bring about David’s sin, they themselves are still sinners. Fact is, we’re all sinners from the moment we are conceived. Later on in this same Psalm, David points that out.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.. Psalm 51:5

So what is David actually saying when he boldly declares to the Father, “Against You, You only, have I sinned.”

David is acknowledging three things. First, that crimes are committed against the innocent. Second, that nobody is completely innocent except for God. And finally, only the innocent (in this case God) can declare judgment.

There is none righteous, no, not one …They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one. Romans 3:10

But wait you say, “That’s not true. I went to court and was judged for an offense and that judge (according to what the Bible says) was not innocent!”

True, but the ruling of that judge was not to condemnation. In other words, that judge (no judge) can say, “Bailiff, take that man directly to Hell!” Read the verse again.

Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight– That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. Psalm 51:4

The key point David is making is not that his sins are against God alone, but rather that because of God’s perfect innocence; His perfect blamelessness, He alone is just to speak and impose punishment. Bathsheba, Uriah, Nathan, or anyone else for that matter ~ because of their sinful condition ~ cannot judge another unto condemnation. Let’s face the reality of Uriah’s death—because he was born a sinner, he deserved to die.

There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? James 4:12

WHAT?!

Am I saying that David had the right to murder Uriah? Not at all. I’m saying that we’re all sinners and we all deserve to die. Thankfully, and graciously, Jesus stepped in and paid the price for our sin and died in our place. All anyone must do is believe in Jesus and what He did on the cross.

For the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Lawgiver, The Lord is our King; He will save us Isaiah 33:22

There is only One who has both the power and authority to judge and the power and authority to save. David recognized this, pleaded for mercy before the Judge, and received it. What about you—do you recognize Jesus as the only One who can both judge and save?

What are your thoughts?

 

These ramblings are typically (but not always) a byproduct inspired by God through my personal Bible study at SearchLight with Pastor Jon Courson and with my pastor at my home church, Calvary Chapel Coastlands

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The Sin Behind Excessiveness

And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. 1 Chronicles 20:3 King James Version

King James vs. New King James

I need to digress a bit before we start. I typically study from both the King James and the New King James versions of the Bible simultaneously. I do this because on occasion the two texts disagree on the translations of the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. While I have yet to find an instance where one contradicts the other on critical doctrine, reading them together does serve to gain an improved comprehension of God’s message. I raise the issue now because today’s versions clash ever-so-slightly.

You have the KJV above. In it where it is recorded that King David ‘cut’ the enemy, the NKJV cites that he ‘put them to work.’ I’m not going to be (overly) dogmatic about it, but I believe the Hebrew translation jives more with these people being done-in rather then put to work, which is good because that position lends itself well to the rest of today’s devotion. : )

Excessive Cruelty

The killing of people by saw, pick, and ax is a cruel overreaction on King David’s part and it prompts us to ask, “Why so cruel Dave?” It would help us to recall that David did this deed right after he committed adultery with Bathsheba (and murdered her husband Uriah) and before he confessed those sins to the Lord. The realty is that these un-confessed sins caused David to react excessively. In other words, his secret transgressions facilitated brutality that exceeded that which was deemed appropriate for mortal combat.

How Can We Make Such a Claim?

We can take David’s own actions to make our case. Do you remember when Nathan the prophet confronted David with the tale (an allegory actually) regarding a man who stole another man’s lamb? What was David’s reaction?

So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.” 2 Samuel 12:5-7

“Um, David, the penalty for ‘lamb-theft’ is not capital punishment.”

Isn’t it ironic that the penalty for David’s sin was death?

The excessive behavior David displayed is the exact same thing we do when we are in sin. Essentially it’s the act of turning the spotlight off of ourselves and onto another for the purpose of gaining an appearance of righteousness and of course for concealing the thing(s) we are guilty of. Nobody ever sees the man behind the spotlight, but the sinner will risk stepping from behind the light to proclaim, “I am the one who identified and dealt judiciously with this scoundrel!” Truly, a light should go on when we witness such behavior.

What’s Our Recourse?

Confession. That’s what David did. It didn’t mean that there weren’t consequences for his actions, but it did mean that God forgave him. If we find ourselves behaving excessively in any manner, it is a good indication that we are concealing a sin. Ask the Lord to help you identify that sin and own up to it. Confess it and you will be forgiven.

The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:9-10

 

These ramblings are typically (but not always) a byproduct inspired by God through my personal Bible study at SearchLight with Pastor Jon Courson and with my pastor at Calvary Chapel Coastlands.

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On the Horns of a Dilemma

And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:23

Here’s the scene: King David is dead and his son Solomon, at age sixteen, is the rookie king. Adonijah, Solomon’s half brother has just been executed by Solomon, and Joab, King David’s formal general is running scared. And he should be. As David lie on his deathbed, Joab had joined forces with Adonijah in his failed coup d’état. But even before his death, David warned Solomon of what a scoundrel Joab was and that a wise man should have him killed.

Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace. 1 Kings 2:5-6

In fear, Joab runs to the Tabernacle.

So Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, and took hold of the horns of the altar. And King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the tabernacle of the Lord; there he is, by the altar.” Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” 1 Kings 2:28-29

Two Things…

The first thing that jumps out of the text is why King David allowed so much insubordination in his general. If Joab was so horrific a general (and he was), why didn’t David just have him executed? The answer is scandalous: Joab had dirt on David. In addition to Nathan the prophet and Bathsheba; Joab was the only one who knew about David’s plot to kill Uriah (Bathsheba’s husband). While it is true David had confessed his sin to the Lord, his dirty little secret from the world had consequences, essentially leading to the deaths of Abner, Amasa, and his own son Absalom. There is a powerful lesson for all believers in that.

Depart From Me

The other lesson is for the non-believer: in times of trouble evil men cannot cling to a faith they do not have. Even in First Peter 2:16, the writer asserts that believers are not to use their liberties as a cloak for vice. In other words, no one can unrepentive-ly do whatever they like Monday through Saturday and then crawl into the confessional on Sunday and claim sanctuary. For this reason every believer should examine themselves, or more accurately submit themselves to God’s examination, to see if they are truly in the Kingdom of God or merely clinging to the horns of the altar. Joab discovered too late that the church is no sanctuary for the unrepented soul. Let no one make the same mistake.

 

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Dressed to Kill

So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.” 2 Samuel 12:5-6

One Angry Man

As led by the Lord, Nathan shares a story with his close friend David and the appalling account left him (David) radically incensed. As a result, David imposes an exceedingly harsh sentence—the death penalty. According to the law of the day, David was justified in imposing restoration, but a death sentence (ironically) was set aside for those who commit murder or adultery. David knew the law, so why was he being so cruel?

If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. Exodus 22:1

Here’s the reason: David overreacted to somebody else’s perverse behavior because he was guilty of it himself. We can be sure if we witness a person reacting excessively to someone else’s transgression that they are likely struggling with, have struggled with, or are currently caught up into the same exact sin. We need not go any further than our newspapers or television sets to see this played our daily.

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-4

A Good Thing

This is good for two reasons: because it helps us to identify those around us and the sin(s) they likely battle or embrace. Is there somebody you know who is especially harsh or unsympathetic towards a particular kind of sin? You can practically guarantee that the complainant struggles with the very same thing in one way, shape, or form. The other reason is of course that we might discover we are that person.

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” 2 Samuel 12:7

I betcha that David knew ‘he was the man’ before Nathan told him; I suspect the Lord convicted him the moment he (David) declared that the sheep bandit should be put to death. David was in fact condemned by his merciless overreaction. The question that remains is, “Am I?” Are you?

Our Father did not merely give us these accounts as historical records, but so that we might grow spiritually; that we might willingly subject ourselves to His sanctification and refining process. If we cannot see ourselves in these accounts then we are missing the critical point: we are sinners saved by grace, but sinners still and God does not desire to leave us this way.

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Our Sin — His Grace

And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.” So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” Genesis 38:24Spotlighting Sin

Have you ever been on a spot-lighted stage? If you have not, the first thing you will notice is that you cannot see a thing; you are literally blinded by the light, although everyone in the place can see you quite clearly. In contrast, the least distinguishable person in the room is the person standing behind and operating the spotlight. These distinctives are well-known to a sinner and incredibly, despite the fact the spot light has yet to be invented; Judah is also acquainted with the phenomenon. Before diving-in to that, let’s summarize what Judah’s been up to…

A Sordid Tale

Judah gets married and father’s three sons and his first son, Er marries Tamar. Er was evil and God terminated him. In these days it was the custom for the deceased’s brother to marry the widow or at least have relations with her that would result in the birth of an heir. Son number two would fail to ‘submit’ to this practice and as a consequence, God concluded his life as well.

Judah goes into panic-mode not wanting his last son to die and tells Tamar to go home to her father’s house and wait for son number three to grow up. To his disgrace, Judah does not uphold his end of the bargain, which results in Tamar taking matters into her own hands. She dresses [as] the whore and Judah, not knowing who she is, winds up having relations with her. Consequently, Tamar becomes pregnant and Judah’s livid response is recorded in Genesis 38:24.

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Matthew 7:3

It is an ironic thing how we classify our sins as being more dreadful and appalling when we discover somebody else doing them. An outraged Judah spotlights his daughter-in-law’s sinful behavior while likely not even recalling his own, making his reaction both hypocritical and pathological. His performance reminds me of this confrontation between Nathan and King David regarding the Bathsheba incident in 2 Samuel 12.

Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! 2 Samuel 12:1-5

Our capacity to recognize sin [in others] is directly proportionate to what extent that particular sin dwells within us, so much so that the more fervently annoyed a person behaves is indicative as to the degree they likely struggle with the same issue–the more volatile the fury (the brighter the spotlight as it were), the more apparent the sin in that person. When this reality is acknowledged, all parties can profit.

God’s Grace

Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” Genesis 38:27-28

What do you think of when you hear the phrase ‘Amazing Grace’? Has it become so oft used that it is almost cliché? I suggest to you that this Biblical passage puts God’s grace back into it’s proper perspective, for when we recognize what’s happening here we will all assert that God’s grace is uniquely amazing.

God will take this event; i.e. Judah having a sexual relationship with his daughter-in-law Tamar, resulting in the bastard-child Perez and will forever connect them to His Son. It’s true: Judah, Tamar, and Perez are forever linked to Our Lord and Savior through His genealogy recorded in Matthew 1:1-17. If that’s not unmerited and undeserved favor, I do not know what is–amazing grace indeed! Just imagine what our gracious God can do with our mistakes when we submit ourselves to Him.

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