In yesterday's passage we read about David lying to priest Ahimelech in order to protect himself from Saul. Some may try to excuse his lie because of it being a time of war and the duty of a soldier to lie in order to deceive the enemy. But, nowhere is David's lie condoned. In fact, though his small lie seemed harmless, it led to the tragic slaughter of 85 priests. King Saul did not believe Ahimelech and thought there was a conspiracy going on between him and David, and had him along with all the priests (except one who escaped) killed.
Sometimes seemingly small sins can have serious consequences. The truth is that all sin is serious and should never be taken lightly.
Are there different levels of sin? Yes, there are. All sin is equal in the sense that any sin, no matter how small, is enough to separate us from God and deserve His judgment eternally. However, the Bible is also clear that there are harsher punishments for some sins (both here on earth, and in eternity), and more rewards for faithful service to Him.
There is a danger in thinking all sin is the same. This type of thinking is used to justify committing adultery if you've already committed the sin of lust. Clearly, this is faulty thinking.
Though not all sin is the same, we can't ignore the "lesser" sins. We need to be diligent about killing all the sin in our life, because all sin is still sin, and an offense against God that causes a rift in our relationship with Him. We need to be purposeful about pursuing holiness and sanctification.
In our NT passage we see that the law was not given simply as a list of commands for every occasion, but rather to show unbelievers their sin and inability to keep the law, bringing them to God.
Thankfully, no sin is beyond the saving power of Jesus!
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: 1 Samuel 25-26; 1 Timothy 2
2 comments:
Can't imagine what it must have been like to be in cutting distance and not act on the instinct to defend yourself from someone who was trying to kill you.
Good point about the "little" lie that David said and how it affected so many other people.
Also, I would have a hard not retaliating when the opportunity arose. In hockey, that's what you do. Take note of his jersey number and get him back at your earliest opportunity.
Verse 4 stood out for me in our NT reading:
The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
A charge of love, a pure heart, a good conscience, a sincere faith. David is by means perfect, but he exemplified these characteristics in his actions toward Saul. I pray that I can apply this verse to my life.
Post a Comment