Greater Grace
And you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 23:49b
Our God, the One True God, is a God of grace. We often hear grace defined as “ God’s granting of what we do not deserve.” This is true. God’s grace is evidenced in His forgiveness of sin, His provision of many things we don’t “need” but that make our lives easier and more enjoyable. Grace is also seen in the relationships we have on earth. It is a gracious thing when God offers us people who will bear our burdens and share our joys.
Grace is even greater than those things. Yesterday I was teaching about Nathan’s confrontation of David after his sin of taking Bathsheba and killing her husband, Uriah. 2 Samuel 12:1 starts the account like this: “And the LORD sent Nathan to David.” Nathan then confronted David very tactfully about his sin by using a story. David convicted himself by seeing the sin of the man in Nathan’s tale.
What we cannot miss about God’s grace is that He is the One who sent Nathan to David. God cared so much about His relationship with David that He could not allow David to remain at peace about his sin. He brought the conviction of sin so that the relationship between David and God could be restored.
Isaiah 59:2 warns us that our sin will separate us from God, “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” David, though he saw the sin once Nathan pointed them out, had not acknowledged or repented of those sins. He was acting like nothing was wrong when there was a lot wrong between himself and God.
After Nathan speaks to David and he is convicted of his sin, he does repent. 2 Samuel 12:13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” David makes no excuses and does not try to blame anyone else. “I” have sinned against the Lord! And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.”
The Lord does tell him what the consequences will be and they will not be easy. His life has been spared but the “sword will not depart from his house.” His family will suffer because of his sin.
Even with such consequences David has been extended great grace by God. His baby by Bathsheba, the one conceived in sin, dies as an infant as part of this judgment, but God gives them another son, Solomon. Nathan calls this baby Jedidiah, “beloved of the Lord”. When God extends His grace we are blessed. The conviction of sin is a blessing. When we respond in repentance God adds grace to grace and blesses us more!
We can read this account of David’s sins against Bathsheba and Uriah and think we are pretty safe. Most of us have not committed rape or murder. We have not sinned against God – like that! The Bible is clear that none of us is free from sin. In fact the Bible talks about pride and gossip as seriously as it does about murder. Which one of us is not guilty of pride or gossip? The facts are that there is no lack of sin among God’s people.
Praise the Lord there is no lack of His grace either! Even when God disciplines us and sends consequences for sin there is a gracious purpose in those consequences. He told the people of Israel who had been serving other gods and practicing idolatry, “And you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.” (emphasis mine) Ezekiel 23:49b. God sends consequences to restore our relationship with Him. In His love for us He does not like the separation any more than we should. His grace is designed to draw us back into close fellowship with HIM.
That, sisters, is grace greater than all our sin! We are all in need of this grace. We must, like David, repent, taking responsibility for our sin before God – and He will extend grace upon grace, restoring sweet fellowship with Him. What greater need do we have than fellowship with our Heavenly Father?