David--KING David--called by God Himself, "a man after my own heart." Yet here he is having been laid out by his faithful friend and prophet Nathan who boldly sets a verbal trap for the king. Using what Trent and Smalley, "The Language of Love" call an emotional word picture, Nathan side steps the expected self-justification, denial, mind your own business, "Do you know who I am" kinds of responses that everyone tends to run to when hammered point blank with a failing. David's lust compelled him to steal another man's wife--Bathsheba--and then trying to cover it up, arranges for her husband-- Uriah--to be killed in battle. It doesn't get much worse.
Instead of the wise prophet laying out the facts and pronouncing judgement on the king, he tells him a story about a nasty man who ruthlessly takes a poor man's pet lamb and has it slaughtered for dinner. Mind you the nasty man was himself, rich and had his choice of flocks of livestock.
Nathan asks the king, "What should be done to this man?" Hearing the grave injustice, David is livid exclaiming the rich man deserves death! Nathan says, "YOU are that man..." Without defense, David humbly repents. Psalm 51 is David's written confession and adoration for the grace God extends to him.
"Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge." (Psalms 51:1-4)
Don't be confused when reading the inspired Word of David's confession. "Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight." Of course David sinned against Uriah and Bathsheba but ultimately every offense of mankind is against the Creator first and foremost. When the prodigal son returns home (Luke 15) having reaped the consequences of his self-absorbed life, he says to his father, "I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son." (Luke 15:21)
Every sin is first and foremost against Heaven. The cross was and is the only hope for any of us regardless how major or minor the sin may be. But what seems unimportant to us in the casual ways in which we sin against our spouse, children, employer, friends and even our enemies, is an offense against the Creator who suffered the cross absorbing the consequences of even the least of our sins. "He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor 5:21)
Many people of faith have a fair grasp on the idea of a gracious Savior dying for our BIG sins. But it is a different matter when it comes to the day by day, minute by minute(?) sins we take for granted. This is why all of humanity is in the same boat. "The wages of sin is death..." Paul writes the church at Rome and the Psalmist writes, ""Every one has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one." (Psalms 53:3)
Remember Jesus' words, "Whatever you have done to least of these you have done it unto me." Perhaps remembering BEFORE you blow that gasket, or cheat the clerk who undercharged you, the Christ follower is covered by His blood for sure, and thus forgiven. But your offense is no less offensive to the very One who bled, died and rose again. For by grace you have been saved... And it is the kindness of the Lord that leads one to repentance, not for the purpose of living another day to sin more but to sin less, to the glory and praise of His name.
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