◄ Consequences of Sin - Growing In Grace (8) ►

Growing In Grace - STUDY

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
Psalm 32:1-2

If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

Correct Choices

Much pressure is related to the poor choices we make. One key is to learn how to respond to the inevitable problem that saturates our lives. First, we must recognise that sin has consequences. One of the most serious consequences of sin, is loss of fellowship with the Lord. Like it or not, the fault is always with me, and never with the Lord, for if my fellowship with the Lord is broken, it is my responsibility and not God’s. If my fellowship is broken, it is I and not God, that needs to take steps to reinstate it.

Forgiveness Benefits

Many believers recognise David, as a man after God’s own heart. This murdering, adulterer gained this acclaim, because he trusted God. It had nothing to do with his behaviour and everything to do with his belief. He was part of God’s family because of his faith, and God used David to teach us simple yet powerful lessons. Psalm 32 describes the consequences of being out of fellowship with God, due to sin. This passage clearly indicates David’s application of 1John.1:9 – confession of sins. We read: blessed is he whose transgression (sin) is forgiven; blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. Psa.32:1ff

Walk in the Light

This is very descriptive of a Christian that maintains fellowship with the Lord: if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship… 1 John 1:7 and, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.1 John 1:9. This means that fellowship is reinstated. But David had developed a mental attitude of defiance against God. At first, David chose not to maintain fellowship with God, refusing to confess his sins. We read, when I kept silence, my bones grew old through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Psalm 32:3.

Maintaining Fellowship

Think about it – reflect on the consequences on being out of fellowship with God. For as long a David refused to meet God on God’s terms, he remained estranged. In a few verses, David describes the serious consequences of being out of fellowship. He writes of the tremendous debilitation effects of being out of communion with God. David had developed an attitude of rebellion and defiance to God’s word.. he refused to confess, and the consequence was an increase in his suffering. In Psalm 32 he says: Your hand was heavy upon me. And why was God’s ‘hand heavy upon him? Well He tells us that: when I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. Psalm 32:4

David and Example

But this was nothing to do with God. God did not cause the suffering. David, himself, through his attitude of non-repentance caused this effect. However “beloved” of God this man was, God had stipulated how to live. David may be a man after God’s own heart, by faith – but like us, he needed to confess his sins. David had to meet God on God’s terms – not on his own. Then David at last – after many days, months and maybe years – met God on God’s terms: I acknowledged my sin to You, we read, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD. At long last David got it.! Psalm 32:5.

David’s Confession

David simply acknowledged his sin before God and named his transgressions – he confessed. David took responsibility for the suffering he’d gone through.. and recognised the consequences of refusing to meet God on God’s terms. And then we read: You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Once a believer takes responsibility for his actions and attitudes.. once a Christian recognises that sin, in action and attitude is a barrier to God.. once a child of God meets God on God’s terms, fellowship will be restored. But the terms of fellowship can never be dictated by us.

Examine Ourselves

Sin separates and one consequence of sin is that fellowship with the Lord is broken. Let us follow the example of David and search our hearts to identify anything that has grieved our Lord, or quenched His Spirit in our lives, knowing that, if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness – and He will return us into sweet fellowship with Himself, once again.