The Forgiveness of God

2 Samuel 12:13–14 NASB95

13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. 14 “However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”

Question at Hand

Says God “put away” Davids sin but the baby still dies?

I thought when God forgives us, our sin is put away as far is east from the west

Psalm 103:12

Psalm 103:12 NASB95

12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

What are we to do with these seemingly contradicting verses?

Retributive Justice

The world’s justice system

You pay for your wrongdoings

You go to prison or pay a fine

David understood this and looked to carry it out

2 Samuel 12:5

2 Samuel 12:5 NASB95

5 Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.

Pit Fall of Retributive Justice

But there is a problem with Retributive Justice

It lacks correction or discipline when the wrongdoing is forgiven.

I’ve had traffic tickets dismissed before.

Feels great to have my wrongdoings wiped clean.

And I go on without receiving any form of disciplinary action.

This is what we have become accustomed to.

We think “if God forgives me, must mean He does nothing about my sins.”

Due to this mindset, we end up questioning God’s mercy and forgiveness with His passion to cleanse us from all form of sin.

God’s Justice

God forgives just as He has said in the scriptures. Which is why none of us are going to hell.

However, there is a penalty or disciplinary consequences for sin. And this is absolutely necessary.

What is utterly important to understand is that the purpose of disciplinary consequence is not retributive in nature.

The goal of the consequences for forgiven sin is not to settle the accounts demanded by a just penalty.

Consequences of unforgiven sin is hell.

Reason for Disciplinary Consequences

Demonstrate the exceeding evil of sin.

Without any form of consequences, we have a very difficult time, many times completely oblivious to the absolute evil of sin - regardless of it’s “intensity.”

Demonstrate that God does not take any form of sin lightly even when He lays aside His punishment.

Look at the intensity of the cross

Hands and feet pierced

Tortured and made public laughing-stock

To sanctify

Hebrews 12:10-11

Hebrews 12:10–11 NASB95

10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Love

Hebrews 12:6

Hebrews 12:6 NASB95

6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

He loves us and burns with zeal for us to be holy like Him because that’s what is actually good for us.