REPENTANCE, FORGIVENESS, RETRIBUTION

2 SAMUEL 12:1

A. "AND DAVID SAID UNTO NATHAN, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE LORD. AND NATHAN SAID UNTO DAVID, THE LORD ALSO HATH PUT AWAY THY SIN; THOU SHALT NOT DIE. HOWBEIT, BECAUSE BY THIS DEED THOU HAST GIVEN GREAT OCCASION TO THE ENEMIES OF THE LORD TO BLASPHEME, THE CHILD ALSO THAT IS BORN UNTO THEE SHALL SURELY DIE."
  1. David's confession of his sin:
    1. Was sincere and heartfelt - Ps. 32:1-6
    2. It evoked deep sorrow in his heart; he never was the same man after this - Ps. 41:4; 51:4
  2. God, who knows our heart, was ready and willing to forgive David his sin: Mi. 7:18, 19
    1. That is the promise to all who are truly sorry for their sin - Isa. 55:7
    2. The story of the prodigal son is encouraging testimony for the willingness of the Lord to forgive us - Luke 15:11-27
B. LET US NOTE THREE RELATED TRUTHS REVEALED IN OUR OPENING TEXT
  1. Repentance:
    1. Deep, heartfelt contrition is basic to true repentance - 2 Cor. 7:10
    2. An open confession is required - 1 John 1:9; Prov. 28:13; Ps. 32:1-12
    3. Restitution, when possible, must be made - Luke 19:1-8
    4. This was impossible in the case of David -- he could not restore the man that fell in battle, nor could he give his wife back to him.
  2. Forgiveness: "The Lord hath put away thy sin"
    1. The pardon was immediate. One minute David stood guilty and lost, and the next minute he was forgiven.
    2. Not only was the pardon immediate but it was complete - John 8:36
  3. Retribution: "Howbeit . . . the child shall surely die"
    1. Our text makes it crystal clear -
      1. That pardon for sin does not mean impunity altogether.
      2. The effects of sin seem unavoidable.
      3. We cannot recall it. Speak a word and you cannot recall it; think a thought and you cannot change it.
    2. We cannot control its evil influence -
      1. The law of sowing and reaping - Gal. 6:7
      2. The sins in our lives quickly enter into the bloodstream of others.
    3. There are times when the Lord allows us to harvest the results of our own sins, not to punish us, but rather to teach us a soul-saving lesson for the benefit of others.
C. FRIENDS, WE HAVE TAKEN A BRIEF LOOK AT THREE RELATED FACTS WHICH FOLLOW SIN
  1. Repentance: A deep and heartfelt sorrow because of our sin against God, his cause, and our fellow men. If it is sincere, it will bring good and lasting benefits.
  2. Forgiveness: That is God's nature -- mercy, compassion, and pardon. How thankful we ought to be that we have a forgiving Saviour!
  3. Retribution: Sin is a contagion, a malady, a poison, and its effects cannot easily be erased. Look into the history of mankind and see the scars sin has made in the lives of saints and sinners; in the lives of kings and prophets. It is frightening to think of the final wage of sin - Rom. 6:23. There is but one hiding place -- under the blood of Jesus Christ.


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