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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
2 Sam. 11-12
I often wonder about the concept of “intentional sin” in the Bible. No sin is good, but intentional sin sometimes seems unatonable. What exactly is it, though? I mean, David’s sin here seems pretty intentional to me. Maybe not the initial part with Bathsheba, but certainly his effort to cover it up with Uriah’s death. Yet even though David deserved to die for this sin, when David acknowledged it Nathan told him, “And the LORD has taken away your sin; you will not die.” (2 Sam. 12:13b). So I think, maybe, as planned out as David’s actions were, his sin was not what the Bible means by “intentional”.
What I see, then, with David’s situation is a Godly man who got caught up in his own desires, which led him to make some very poor decisions, to say the least. However, when he was confronted with the situation he had his “aha” moment. He told Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Sam. 12:13a). I always wondered about that one, too, because it seems to me that David sinned against Uriah. But that wasn’t the point. The point is that David realized that his desires had temporarily taken over his heart. Thus, he sinned against God by failing to serve Him with a whole heart. Once God brought him back to his senses through Nathan, David humbled his heart and repented.
All of this gave me a thought about what that “intentional sin” might actually be. I think it has to do with someone knowing that they should give their whole heart to God but refusing to do so. I think such a person does not care that they sinned against God and will not repent and turn from their own ways. They very intentionally reject God and choose their own way. And they know exactly what they are doing when they do so.
Ps. 32
This is the joy of one who knew he deserved to die but didn’t. Not only did he not die, but his slate was wiped completely clean. It is the joy that belongs to all of us who openly confess our sin to God and trust in the mercy of His grace through Jesus Christ.
Ps. 51
This Psalm shows why David’s sin, as bad as it was, was not of that “intentional” kind. The distinction is in his response. Whenever we are confronted with our sin, whether internally though the nudging or our own conscience or externally through another servant of God, as was the case for David, our immediate desire should be for restoration with God. David did not desire to break that relationship, so as soon as he realized that he had, he desired to correct it. Of course, only God can mend that relationship, which He graciously does for those who truly desire it. David tells us in this Psalm how that restoration takes place.
First David said, “For I am conscious of my rebellion” (Ps. 51:3a). He acknowledged his sin and his need. Then he said, “You are blameless when you judge.” (Ps. 51:4b). He acknowledged God’s righteousness. Then David asked God to do His saving work. “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Ps. 51:10). He was asking for his heart to be wholly God’s again so his desire would be to follow in God’s ways and not his own. “The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.” (Ps. 51:17). When we come to God broken, His light shines in and clears out the broken pieces of our old self, making us new and whole in Him. Sin forgiven; self removed; relationship restored.