2 Sam. 10-12
David and Bathsheba. Now here is one case where the Bible explicitly states that “the thing that David had done displeased the LORD” (2 Sam 11:27b). I don’t know if the same would have been said had David merely lain with another man’s wife and stopped short of killing that man in order to take the woman as his own. But we at least know that the overall deed was a stench in God’s nostrils. And we know that David suffered the consequences of his actions. Not only did the son they conceived die, but God also placed a curse on him and his family (this is why Absalom rose up against him later in life).
The curious thing to me, though, is that it is through Solomon, Bathsheba’s second son, that God chose to carry out His plan for the redemption of mankind. Perhaps is it fitting – and by design – that God chose the foreigners, the prostitutes, the unloved, and the mistakes for His great redemption plan. It is just further evidence that it is the work of God and “not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:9). And it’s God’s way of showing us that He can take our mistakes, our insignificance, our failures and our nothingness and can use it for our good and His glory. Praise God, whose ways are not like ours!!
John 3:1-15
In my quick research from yesterday’s reading in John 2, one article pointed out how this story about Nicodemus is likely connected to yesterday’s statement about Jesus’ not entrusting Himself to some who believed in His name. Nicodemus acknowledged that God was with Jesus, but did not go so far as to admit that Jesus was God. And Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again. The article used these facts to support the viewpoint that there is a belief that is not a saving belief. I don’t disagree with that statement in itself. The Bible also says that the demons believe in God, but they clearly are not saved.
What gets me, though, is the statement, “…many believed in His name”. If they merely believed in the signs and wonders He was performing, why use the phrase, “in His name”? I get that there can be different levels of belief, if you will. Like believing that a bridge is a bridge, for instance, but not being convinced that bridge will carry my weight if I attempt to cross it. In that case, I don’t believe in that bridge deeply enough to put my trust in it. And I can even see how this applies in Nicodemus’ story,. But believing “in His name” sounds pretty official. Whatever the case, it is easy to see that believing that Jesus can do great things is not enough. One must believe that Jesus can – and does – save. Beyond that, I guess I remain confused on this issue.