ADDENDUM TO FORGIVENESS

If God has truly forgiven me when I confess my sins, why do I still suffer wrong?

That is a valid question. Some clarification and an example from God’s word will clear up the confusion. In I John 1:9 it reads, “If we confess our sins, he [The Lord] is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. The apostle John was writing to Christians, not to the unsaved. Although our souls are saved, our flesh is not yet. Sin and it’s contaminating effects still operate in our flesh and we often do to the dictates to it’s sinful desires. When we as believers confess post salvation, God forgives us. However, there are mortal consequences for that sin. Our sins judicially have been cleansed forever by the shed blood of Jesus – this happened at the moment we were saved and baptized into the family of God. As a result, we will never be judged guilty and sentenced to a burning hell for our sins.

This does not mean that our Father God will not chasten us for that sin. God does this out of love for his children so that we do not continue in sin. Whom the Lord loves, he chastens, (Proverbs 19:18; Hebrews 12:6; Revelation 3:19).

A stark illustration of this is the account of David and his sin with Bathsheba. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and she became pregnant (II Samuel 11:4-5). To make matters worse, David had Bathsheba’s husband Uriah, the Hittite killed in battle so he could marry her (II Samuel 12:16). The prophet Nathan confronted David regarding these gross acts and he was immediately contrite in his heart admitting his sin (II Samuel 12:13). Under normal circumstances, the acts of adultery and murder were punishable by death under the law (Exodus 20:12,13; Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5:18). God took away David’s sin (II Samuel 12:13) in an act of utter forgiveness and mercy. The punishment in my opinion paled in comparison to the crimes David committed against another man’s [Uriah] family, but the consequences were horrific and fair.

The repercussions on David were as follows:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->David’s sin caused not only personal disgrace, but provided occasion for the Lord’s enemies to blaspheme (Proverbs 6:33; II Samuel 12:14)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->The child born to David and Bathsheba died (II Samuel 12:19)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->David’s son Ammon raped his half sister Tamar (II Samuel 13:1-14)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->David’s other son Absalom killed his brother Ammon for raping Tamar (II Samuel 13:28,29)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Absalom with others conspired to usurp his father’s kingdom (II Samuel 15:1-13)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Absalom had sexual relations with his father’s concubines in broad daylight (II Samuel 16:22)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Absalom sought to kill David through the advise of Ahithophel to obtain the throne (II Samuel 17:1-4)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Joab killed Absalom which caused David unbearable grief (II Samuel 18:32-19:1-4)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->David’s eldest living son Adonijah assumes the throne in David’s old age although Solomon was anointed king elect to succeed David (I Kings 1:5:38-40)

These repercussions were the fulfillment of the prophet Nathan’s prophecy against David for his sin with Bathsheba. But once again I digress to say that David’s life was spared and he became the ancestor of Jesus Christ according to the flesh (Matthew 1:1).

David was a saved man. David is the only man that God called a man after my own heart (I Samuel 13:14). An extraordinary distinction for God to bestow upon a mere man especially after the heinous things David did.

So once again when we sin as a child of God and we confess our sins, the Lord forgives our sins. However, there is divine reciprocity from a loving, but displeased heavenly father. Listen to the wisdom in these passages of scripture:

Psalm 119:71 – It’s good that I’ve been afflicted that I might learn thy judgments.

Proverbs 3:11-12 – My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of correction. For whom the Lord loves, he corrects. Even as a father the son in whom he delights.

Proverbs 19:18 – Chasten thy son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction.

Proverbs 13:24 – He that spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves his son chastens him early.

Proverbs 23:13-14 – Do not withhold correction from a child for if you beat him with a rod he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod and deliver his soul from hell.

Hebrews 12:5-11 – My son do not despise the chastening of the Lord nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him. For whom the Lord loves he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom God chastens not? But if you be without chastisement whereof all are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence [respect] - shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he [The Father] for our profit that we might partake of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Revelation 3:19 – Jesus through the apostle John writing to the church at Laodecia, “As many as I love I chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”

The aforementioned references provide plenty of evidence why the Lord chastens us although we confess our sins. It’s clear because he loves and delights in us and desires for us to be righteous and holy. Divine chastening is a clear indicator that we belong to the Lord. Not to receive any discipline or training is a clear indicator that we do not belong to him.

**David’s confession of his sin with Bathsheba is recorded in Psalm 51**