Sin, Consequences, and Forgiveness

Sin’s Consequences and Forgiveness:
2 Samuel 11-15
“Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.  However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the Child also that is born to you shall surely die.”
We minimize the severity of sin and seek to justify it.  When there seems to be no immediate consequence, we take it as God’s approval.  But sin, no matter how insignificant to us,  is always destructive and always has long-term consequences even when God forgives us.  
David’s sin with Bathsheba is well-known.  As we read the story, there are many subtle hints that David was becoming more concerned about his pleasure and comfort than he was about leading the nation.  The text begins with a hint: In a time when kings led their armies into battle, David stayed behind on his balcony.  Instead of leading the troops in battle, as was the king's responsibility, David left the dirty work to Joab. Rather than being in the field with his troops, David stayed in his palace's comfort and safety.  As a result, he saw Bathsheba, and his lust turned to sin.  As the events unfold, we are left with several unanswered questions: “What was Bathsheba’s role in the adulterous affair?  Why did she not protest?”  These questions remain unanswered as the focus is upon David and his actions, as he brought Bathsheba to the palace.  However, sin is never satisfied, and one sin leads to another.  A moment of passion leads to murder as David attempts to cover up his sin.  
The same is true for us. One sin leads to another, and once we allow sin to get a foothold in our lives, it seeks to gain dominance in our souls. Sin always has consequences, and it always brings destruction. Like David, we often think that we can ignore its presence and overlook its guilt. However, once sin enters the heart, it gains control of our lives and distorts our perspective.  
The sin of David would eventually have long-term consequences for him and his family.  In 12:10, we read that because of David’s actions, “The sword shall never depart from your house.”  This is not a statement of judgment but the result of sin.  David’s murderous sin would set the example for others to follow.  It is not by coincidence that in chapters 13-15, we find David’s sons follow his example by committing adultery and murder.  The pattern had been set, and so they followed David’s example. What we do and how we act and live positively and negatively influence others.  If we walk in obedience to God, our example can lead people to also follow God.  However, when we sin, it can also influence others to follow in our footsteps.  How we live is essential, and it does affect others.
Yet there is hope.  Even though there were temporary consequences for David’s sin of adultery and murder, there was also eternal forgiveness.  What distinguished David from Saul was not that David was more righteous than Saul, but that David, when confronted with his sin, confessed his sin while seeking to excuse and justify his sins (1 Samuel 15:20-21).  No matter how grievous our sin, there is still forgiveness available. The most important lesson is not that we must not sin (for we are all sinners), but how we will respond to our sin when confronted with it.  Are we going to repent of our sin, or justify it?  Will we continue sinning, or will we pursue God and his grace?  The Bible states that “David was a man after God’s Heart”(1 Sam. 13:14), not because he was perfect, but because he was repentant.
No matter how grievous our sin, forgiveness is available if we are willing to confess and acknowledge our sin and seek God’s unconditional grace and forgiveness.  We are all sinners.  The question that remains is, how are we going to respond when we are confronted with sin’s guilt?  Are we going to justify our actions, or repent and turn from our actions?