Repentance and forgiveness are truly subjects that should be more deliberately
understood. Without a proper understanding, our lives may become as messy as the
situation that brought on the need for both repentance and forgiveness. To name a few
problems that can come from an ignorant view, we might find discontentedness, anger,
disappointment, confusion, and even hatred for others or ourselves. It encompasses
the heart, mind, and soul which will all spill over to our demeanor and actions (Matthew
15:18). Have you ever heard someone say, “It’s written all over their face” or even,
“You say that, but your body language is reading otherwise”? Forgiveness or the
inability to forgive will be known, or eventually known, by others (Matthew 7:20).
“I don’t need forgiveness, I just need to hide!”
In Genesis 3:7, when Adam and Eve partook of the fruit from the tree that God
had forbidden, the Bible says, “The eyes of both were opened...” They immediately
understood the wrong but instead of being willing to admit their wrong, upon hearing
God, they hid. When God pointedly asked how they knew they were now naked they
still wanted out of trouble and began blaming someone else for their individual actions.
Eventually, Adam and Eve must have been sorry for their actions even though we do
not have record of their repentance. They were twice given an opportunity to implore
God and beg His mercy and forgiveness.
“I don’t need forgiveness. What are you talking about?”
While the son doesn’t bear the iniquity of the father (Ezekiel 18:20), he certainly
does learn from him and has to decide if he will follow in his footsteps. Adam and Eve
had a son who chose not to learn from their mistakes and fell right in line with them. In
Genesis chapter four we read of Cain murdering his innocent brother but when God
asked where Abel was, his brother, Cain, showed no repentance. He actually used the
opportunity to skirt around the question by asking God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Cain could have cried out to God after the atrocity was committed and when God
came to Him he could have admitted wrong and begged undeserved mercy and
forgiveness. When God gave Cain His punishment for the murder, Cain argued that it
was too severe. He said it was more than he could bear. I believe God extended the
punishment by creating a rule that no one could harm him, or they would be harmed seven
fold. This would ensure that Cain would live a long, miserable, and lonely life.
Having been a child myself and now that I am an adult raising children of my
own, I have found these same tactics. To believe one could hide a wrong or use fancy
footwork to get away from punishment because there is no remorse for the actions, but
simply using ways to try looking out for number one. How many children have argued
a punishment only for the punishment to increase? God understood that in order for
some to ever reach a state of remorse, something must be done to get their attention. Sadly, some will never come to a belief that they are in need of forgiveness because of
pride or just plain selfishness.
“I need forgiveness, and not just because I was caught!”
King David seemingly forgot to keep in mind that he was king only because God
chose him and had him anointed as such. In second Samuel chapter eleven, we find
David choosing to turn toward his lustful thoughts and away from his Creator. He is
found to be taking advantage of his position of authority. James 1:14 explains that
temptation is an enticement to draw us away. From what was David being drawn
away? From the good standings with which he stood with God. David had plenty of
time to stop and keep this situation from going any further. Instead, when he saw her,
he chose not to look away. He then took the time to acknowledge her beauty and sent
her to have someone figure out who she was. He was told she was the wife of a man.
Who the man was should not have mattered because once he was told she was united
in marriage to someone he should have turned away. But knowing her husband was
away at war, he sent for her and he committed adultery with her. Had David done like
Joseph and ran from sexual temptation he would not have wound up in this sinful state
(Genesis 39:12). It is most likely only a few weeks later when David finds out that his
one night of “secret sin” would no longer be hidden. This is where David could have
begun crying out to God and asking forgiveness. He could have acknowledged the
situation he was in and begged the Lord’s mercy. Instead, much like Adam, Eve, and
Cain, he begins to enact a cover-up. He begins by trying to allow Uriah to be deceived
by bringing him home to be with his wife, but twice he refuses this order. David chose
then to see to it that he died in war. The Lord God then sent the prophet Nathan to
David to tell, by way of parable, what he had done. When Nathan finished telling David
about a rich man who stole a poor man's only lamb, he was infuriated! He demanded
the rich man repay fourfold what he had stolen. Once Nathan explained that David
was indeed guilty, David then acknowledged his sin.
Given the severity of the situation because of the many things David did wrong
(Even including his continuing to try and hide his sin), one might be tempted to say,
“David, you are only sorry you got caught! You just don’t want to be punished!” With
our limited understanding of someone’s heart we may feel it right to say this: however,
God knows the heart of every man (1 Samuel 16:7). God is able to immediately know if
our repentance is sincere or self-preservation while we, as humans, must wait to see
the fruits of repentance to truly know (Matthew 3:8). For that reason, when someone
asks for forgiveness we are commanded to forgive (Matthew 18:22). Shame on them if
it's insincere, but, if we refuse forgiveness because we have misjudged sincerity for
insincerity, our Father will not forgive us when we ask in sincerity (Matthew 6:14).
He did not argue the punishment but he did fast and beg mercy for the life of
his son who was to die because of David’s sin. When his son finally passed, David
accepted this reality and moved forward. Though, even after his forgiveness by God,
David lamented the sin committed.
David, remorsefully reliving the situation in the thirty-second Psalm, writes in
verses 3-4 about how much of a burden his sin was felt. He knew he had sinned against God, but still did not come to Him in repentance. Again, he writes of his sincere
sadness in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit
within me.” David had been brought up to love Jehovah and his conscience was not
going to let him live with ease. When Nathan revealed the sin, David says in verse 5
that he confessed his transgressions and no longer tried to hide. Though punishment
for our actions may come because of sin, the lifted burden when we repent is a
welcomed exchange.
Conclusion:
When temptation moves forward to sin, what is our reaction? Do we
automatically feel a sense of guilt and look for restitution or do we run and hide? When
confronted, do we defer blame like Adam and Eve, are we able to cunningly skirt the
issue like Cain or do we admit fault and beg forgiveness like David? Jesus says, for
the Christian, the same blood that washed away sin at baptism will continue to be the
same blood that cleanses any repented sin. Yes, even after the garment of our soul
has been cleaned white and pure by the blood of Jesus, He is standing ready to let that
same cleansing blood clean our retentive soul again when we stumble. We can not
hide our sins from the Lord (Isaiah 29:15). This should be both terrifying to the offender
and a comfort to the righteous.
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