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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An Idiot for Jesus!

And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. Genesis 45:4-5God Can Use Your Biggest Mistake

For the believer and the nonbeliever, everything happens for a reason and nothing comes about by coincidence. Even this morning when I had a mini road-rage episode, God used the event to reveal some residual evil in my heart and to perform a little fine-tuning of my soul. It is in these moments I find myself thanking the Lord for answering my prayers (to make known to me my true heart), showing me what an idiot I still am, and for demonstrating His faithfulness and interest in this my sanctification process.

Joseph (a picture of Christ Jesus) is schooling his brothers in this doctrine. The brothers, led by Judah, had previously expressed their readiness to learn by the confession of their sin and as a result Joseph gives them pardon. The essence of Joseph’s actions were later summed-up in these words by Jesus on the cross.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34

Do we fully understand the implication of Christ’s words? On this day, everyone within earshot of Jesus; every Jew, every soldier, every sinner heard the same exact message that Joseph told his brothers, “do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves…for God sent me before you to preserve life.” Had they confessed they would have received a gracious pardon. For those with breath still in their lungs, the offer remains.

Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Acts 3:17-18

For those presently in Christ the good news is that we can stop beating ourselves silly over the mistakes we make. God has foreknowledge of our corrupt manner and has designed a purpose that will bless both Him and us mutually. The progression continues when we acknowledge our wickedness and confess our sin to Jesus. Christ will never give His approval to our sin, but He will turn it around as a Kingdom-building mechanism that brings honor, glory, and praise to Him.

But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more… Romans 5:20b

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