Have you ever seen the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentleman? If not, perhaps you know the story of Dorian Gray. In the movie we are introduced to a cast of characters who are rather unique. Sean Connery plays Allan Quatermain, a big game hunter introduced in King Solomon’s Mine. Others were Tom Sawyer; Dr.Jekyll/Mr. Hyde; Captain Nemo; Skinner, who stole the formula from the Invisible Man; Mina Harker (a vampire); and Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray is a fictional character created in The Picture of Dorian Gray, the only novel penned by Oscar Wilde. Gray basically sells his soul so that he never grows old, but his picture does. The portrait mirrored his own troubled soul, and became more hideous with each sin he committed. In the movie Mina tricks him into looking at his portrait. His youthful appearance simply masked a corrupt heart.
As I have been studying and preaching on the life of David, the adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and murder of her husband, Uriah, cannot be avoided. Because he was king he never suffered the death penalty that usually accompanies that act. However, one of the realities that I have mentioned often in my sermons, and also here, is this:
THERE. IS. FALLOUT. FOR. SIN………NOW. OR. LATER.
We see it in our churches. We see it in our families. We see it in our corporations. We see it in our workplace. Hosea was right when he said, “For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” (8:7a) King David is no exception. Even though he repented of his sin (Psalm 51), he had to face the consequences. It is sort of like a teenager/adult who gets pregnant and is overcome with their sin and they repent. That is all well and good, but the pregnancy doesn’t just disappear into thin air. David’s life is proof of that. Here take a gander:
Newborn son dies
Amnon rapes Tamar (incest)
Absalom hates Amnon (brothers)
Absalom murders Amnon
Absalom rebels and runs away
Absalom leads a conspiracy against David (his father)
Absalom violates David’s wives (in broad daylight)
Joab murders Absalom
WHEW! For all who thought/think it is/was unfair that David seemed to “get away with murder,” there is your answer. God has established some good laws and they are there for our good. Not to take away our freedom and joy. Imagine if David had listened to God’s Law against adultery. Imagine how different his life would have been.
Please keep this in mind though: Becoming a Christ-follower is not synonymous with becoming a model of perfection. Both the Christ-follower needs to remember that (he will fall and fail); and the non-believer needs to remember that as well, stop expecting it, and taking cheap shots when we do.
Any thoughts you care to add? I know I would appreciate your prayers. I would also appreciate hearing your thoughts. Have a great weekend.
Bill, do you think we try to mask our failures causing unbelievers ro have unrealistic expectations of us?
In many cases I do believe we do. Good point Larry. We sometimes don’t want to be seen as “human.”
I think that is one of the biggest problems we have as believers. The idea of “If you are a Christian, your life is perfect, there are no problems, and you better behave perfectly good too or else…” dug its roots deep into the understanding of what Christianity is and as a result, many struggle with their faith because life doesn’t become perfect.
Hi Bill,
These are my thoughts about sin and sinning for a believer.
We understand that God is gracious and compassionate and he knows that we are flesh, however, he has also offered the solution to this situation. Prayer, reading the Bible, asking God for cleansing, the Holy Spirit, other believers to encourage, teaching, preaching, the ministry of gifts given to men, and so forth.
Really, there is no excuse for believers who are not growing and not making gains in godliness, righteousness, holiness.
This does not mean perfection, but neither does this mean ‘relax believer you’re going to fall and fail. This to me is like saying to a young teenager. “You’re going to have sex out of marriage, it’s expected in our culture”.
This is setting the person up to sin and think lightly of it. “My mom and dad told me this was going to happen. They can’t be mad at me or punish me”.
This is just my thoughts. If we read the NT there is every expectation that believers will put off sin and gain righteouness and holiness. All the way to filling up the righteousness of Christ, the head.
Sorry, but this idea of believers having to sin bugs me to no end. We’re not perfect, but we are well able to resist sin with the help of the Holy Spirit. If a believer is powerless against sin then they need to ask God for the Holy Spirit and His power for him/her to cease from sin.
You make it sound Linda as though I am taking a flippant attitude toward sin. In no way should that be seen or taken that way. Sin is serious but to heap guilt on top of guilt because someone has sinned is not God’s way either (IMHO). Even though I am growing in righteousness I will sin. No matter how much I read the Word or yield to the HS, I will sin. We are not powerless-we have the armor of God but even that has to be used and wielded in the right way. As to cease from sin? I believe our theology is different because I don’t believe that will happen until I breathe my last breath.
Hi Bill,
Praying for your message and for God’s people this weekend.
Linda
Thanks. That means much.
Are you suggesting that instead of incarceration without parole (or the more barbaric death sentence) for the crime of murder and instead killing the criminals children and raping their wife is a more just form of punishment according to God’s way of handling crime and justice.
I don’t think I would be up for changing our secular laws to match this idea of God’s form of justice. Seems a bit barbaric to me.
But then there are countries that still stone women to death and mutilate young genitals in order to follow God’s way.
I think the ideas of vicarious atonement and vicarious redemption could stand to be modernized a bit to reflect current understandings of love and justice.
I don’t know many non-believers that expect Christ followers to be perfect. And it is the holier than thou attitude that some project that leads to “cheap shots” when they fall off the pedestal. I think the Haggards and Swaggards, and Falwell’s and Robertsons, and Baker’s and Criminal priests deserve all of the “cheap shots” they have recieved.
I am not suggesting any of what you have stated Jeff. I was simply trying to make the point that there are consequences for our sin. Even when we think we get away with it, or even repent (as David did) there will be payback. David reaped what he sowed.
And God used some very innocent people, as the story goes, to suggest that vicarious atonement is somehow a moral form of punishment. David wasn’t punished nearly as much as the innocents. His crime doesn’t fit their punishments. Something seems a bit out of whack. Seems like a man made story to me rather than a loving God method for dealing with sin.
And what says you about “cheap shots” on the Gentlemen I mentioned in the Jesus business?
Unfortunately, there are some who claim to speak for God and for other Christians whom I prefer would just keep their mouth shut and their business out of the limelight. But they are also classic examples of what I was talking about: many think they are getting away with things when in reality it will come back to bite them. Those guys (and some ladies) do not speak for me. I’m sorry I did not address it earlier. Friday is my day off and if/when I get to the computer it is in spurts. For it to be a true day off I need to stay away completely.
I’ve caught myself placing the men of the Bible on a pedestal. I overlook the fact that none of these people were perfect. The conclusion should be that I can’t be perfect either.
I know this logically but it is a deeply rooted lie that I’m asking God to pull out. I still want to be perfect but I have to trust God to transform me – I can’t transform myself. As hard as I try I can’t do it.
Easy to place them on a pedestal until you see some of their humanness. Abraham. Noah. Jacob. Joseph. etc. Being transformed is the key.
I have read way too many books over the years where Christian authors clearly state that Christians are a wholly different lot because of our relationship with God. Our crap doesn’t stink, we always have minty fresh breath, we ooze joy and peace and contentment from every pore. Well, no says I. That kind of language is meant to sell God to the masses. Christians are just as messed up as everyone else. David was no exception. I am not either.
Putting a pollyanna view on the Christian life is anathema to me Daniel. I despise it. We are messed up, true, but we are also transformed by God’s Spirit. That doesn’t make things smell better, etc. It does give us a different perspective on things and on our lives. BTW: I am not an exception either.
God forgives. In many cases He may mitigate the consequences. If He did not, how could any of us stand?
For the Lord will not
reject for ever.
Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
for he does not willingly afflict
or grieve anyone.
Fact: God forgives. So glad of that Susan. Big heap of trouble over here if not.
Hi Bill,
The NT does not teach that we are not perfect and that we will sin just the same as unbelievers.
The NT and OT definitely separates the believer and the unbeliever in their sins and in their lives.
The apostle Paul wrote many (books) letters in the NT that address matters for the believer. We are new creations. This definitely separates us from the unbeliever. We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Unbelievers don’t. We have a new heart and new mind, unbelievers don’t. We have ONE God, unbelievers have many gods. God is our spiritual father, he is not the spiritual father of unbelievers.
As believers we are going in the opposite direction from unbelievers. I’m not sure how much more different we could get from unbelievers. We are not the same as unbelievers at all , other than our common flesh and human weaknesses.
Any believer who has not experienced this difference has to look seriously at their walk with God. Unbelievers are condemned to perish in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels. Are we believers willing to relate ourselves to this fact as well?
To say that we are no different than unbelievers is an affront to God and an affront to Jesus Christ. He died to separate us from the perishing world. We are God’s children and inheritance, unbelievers are not.
While our destinations are different and therefore our motivation for living, IMHO to say we will not sin is not biblical. Paul’s words in Phil.3 are clear:: “not that I have already attained or already been made perfect.” I respectfully disagree with you on this. I do agree that we are different though. We do have God’s Spirit while the unbeliever does not.
Hi Bill,
The scriptures say in Job 1:1
“In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil”.
The King James Version of scripture says “This man was perfect and upright;”
We know that Job was not perfect in the sense that he never sinned at all even in ‘unknown sins’ that he may have committed. However, he is called perfect because he was upright, feared God, and eschewed or shunned evil.
This is what the current believer in Jesus Christ and his salvation needs to do.
The apostle Paul did exactly this in his life. I don’t think with the human eye and understanding someone could have found much fault with the way Paul conducted himself and lived. He was a righteous and godly man.
I’m very sorry that I did think that you were downplaying sin in your post today. The scriptures do not heap guilt upon guilt to the hearer. Truth sets us free the Bible says.
Conviction by the Holy Spirit needs to happen in our lives. This conviction can come through the scriptures.
The greatest need in our culture is to get free of sin.
Not to mention that Absalom tried to kill his dad.
This is the thing that our society wants to avoid; consequences… They are a normal part of life. If you spit into the wind, you get spit on you… I know that seems overly simple, but it applies through all of life. To think it doesn’t or trying to hide from the truth is lunacy. Of course there is redemption from sin, but it still has consequences to be dealt with.
Man I’m on a ranting roll today! Jay – if you read this you know I still love you brother!
Praying for you and your sermon Bill, God bless.
Forgot to mention that first one Floyd. You are right in that our society does not want consequences. Let me live my life the way I want. Thanks for your prayers.
This is a great post, I’ve been reading about David and the very points you listed. Makes me think. I will be praying for you, as always (and those 4 boys).
Thanks.
I agree, consequences come. I also know God shows grace and mercy. If I received everything I deserved for all of the sin/mistakes I have made I would not be alive. Yes Their is punishment, from God and if we broke a law but their is also God’s love and mercy for us. A understanding of both is important.
So thankful for grace and mercy Dan.
There is so much that we learn from David’s life. And like you said, it is hard to talk about him and not mention his failures. I enjoyed this post very much!
One thing I learned from David’s life is the difference between consequences and punishment.
The bad things that happened in his life were triggered by David being a bad husband and parent. He failed in those areas, and that was the main reason, in my opinion, that brought all those tragedies to his life.
That teaches me that sometimes, bad things happen as consequences of our choices, not because God is punishing us for something we did.
Hi Bill,
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted”.
Cross references: Galatians 6:1 : 1Co 2:15; 3:1 Galatians 6:1 : S Mt 18:15; S 2Co 2:7
I thought of this scripture Bill to show us how careful we need to be as believers when we are around sin. Any suggestion or teaching that believers should jump into the pits of sin to try and save someone is the devil’s advocate.
We have to handle sin with (total) kid gloves or we are in danger of succumbing to it.
This is why separation is taught to God’s people in the Bible. Not going out of the world, but being separate from the world. We have to guard ourselves, we have to be diligent. We believers have to be aware of the power of sin, and leave the presence of sin whenever we are able to do so.
Christian teachings downplay this I think. Teachings say we have nothing to fear. As long as we are walking with God and being obedient to his spirit and his word we don’t. But, to flirt with sin is to flirt with death.
talk to you later.
I find it funny (well, one of those “it’s funny and it’s sad at the same time” things) that even those who know Bible stories well often forget about its heroes’ *full* stories. David was an awesome man and he was a man after God’s own heart… yet he was FAR from perfect. Moses – the man who led Israelites out of the slavery – wasn’t perfect either. Almost any character from the Bible had faults and mistakes and sins – and the Bible doesn’t sugarcoat it – we do, for some reason, when we read the stories.