"Be sure your sin will find you out. "
Numbers 32:23
TRUE REPENTANCE
Read It: Psalm 32:1-7; 51:1-3
The result of David's moral sin was loss of life, the devastation of his own family, and the division of the kingdom of Israel. A one-night stand? Hardly. It was a lifetime wipeout. In Psalm 32 we read about the effects of his sin on David. During that year, his life was empty. He felt guilt and shame and even physical symptoms toms because he wouldn't come clean with God. Well, the good news is that this is not the end of the story. We're talking ing about spiritual rebounding, and David is about to start his journey back. As we saw yesterday, when he was confronted by Nathan the prophet, David did finally admit his sin. After a year of trying to hide sin, David came to his senses and sought God in repentance and brokenness of spirit. His prayer of confession is recorded in Psalm 51, documenting his rebound from devastating sin. It's of interest that the man who tried to cover up his sin (2 Samuel 12:12) had it recorded for some thirty centuries worth of people to read. Millions know David's story, underscoring the truth of today's verse. When Nathan came to David, David turned to God.
Read verses 1-2 of Psalm 51, and you will see the heart attitude God accepts from one who has committed moral sin. It's called repentance. Many people don't know what repentance means. They offer a little prayer something like, "Lord, I'm sorry for the sins I did today. Forgive me in Jesus' name. Amen." That is not repentance. It begins with confession, which means to agree with. True repentance means agreeing with God that what you did was wrong and needs to be cleansed. True repentance is coming to grips with your rebellion against God so that you see you have been sinful and need to be cleansed. True repentance makes no excuses. It says, "This is my problem and my sin. I didn't have to yield, but I did. I can't blame it on anyone else." Do you need to rebound from moral failure, or are you dealing with anyone who does? This is where it starts. Think About It The only way to bounce back from moral sin is to change your mind about your sin and confess it before a holy God.
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