"Sin Ignored, Will Be Revealed"

“Sin Ignored, Will Be Revealed!” (Can We Be Restored?)

2 Sam 12:1-14 (Saul-1Sam 13:8-14; 15:1-23)

Faith Baptist Church/8 Feb 04/am-First Baptist Church of Westminster/28 June 09/am – FBCW 1 Feb 2015/am-FBCW/7 Nov 2021/am

INTRO: Sin is not merely the pet name of the city (Las Vegas), and that city’s sins, though ignored by many are revealed, to men and by God. Today, the sins we see on TV and the world around us are sins that were at one time hidden and ignored and now revealed. Unfortunately, Sin revealed today seems to be sin ignored and even accepted. Man may not see sin as sin anymore, but God does and always will. You can ignore sin, you can hide it, and you can deny it, but sin will be revealed for what it is and God must and will respond. In our text, we see the account of the often recounted fall of King David, a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), that ignored his sin and found out that sin ignored is revealed to God and will also be by others, in this case the prophet Nathan. There are many lessons here and they begin with:

I. Sin is never done in secret. VS12 Sin practiced in Las Vegas or anywhere, though done in secret or away from people we may know, will eventually come home to roost.

A. David tried to hide it yet it was known by at least some others.

1. David did his sin secretly, but Joab knew (he secretly sent notice back to David the deed was done), and a few others knew as well, we can’t hide our sin completely. Even if we/others can keep a secret:

2. Somebody will always know or find out, look at the news media on TV and the internet. In some cases they will dig until they find something. In other cases, in time no secret stays secret, someone knows and word gets out.

3. If we can know, if we can find out, what about God.

B. It was known by God and displeased him. 2Sam 11:27

1. God knows everything, even the hearts of men.

a. God ponders/weighs the heart (if in balance or not), Prov 21:2, and he searches the heart. Rom 8:27

2. We can’t hide our sin from him and no matter how small or large it is, God knows and is displeased by our sin.

C. It was known by David, but he tried to justify/dismiss it in his own mind. David ignored his sin, but was ready to punish the offender of the parable spoken by Nathan. It was so far from his mind, that on it’s own he had forgotten or dismissed it, that without the convicting of God, it would not have been recalled.

1. David went back to his thrown and continued on like nothing happened. He was in denial/well hid until Nathan spoke to him.

2. Then Nathan the prophet told him a story Vs 1-6, and said it was him.

a. Sin ignored and forgotten will sometimes lead to hypocrisy. David demanded justice for the poor man of the parable, yet not for himself. Is that not what we often see, in others and if honest in ourselves. We demand justice, except of ourselves.

b. This is what the H.S. does in us today, like Nathan the prophet, he convicts us of our sin. Jn 16:8 (work of H.S.)

c. The sin revealed by God is manifested by conviction of the H.S. of God to the believer and even the lost.

3. David then admitted his sin and confessed it and repented of it to the Lord. Then: Much like the prodigal son Lk 15, who confessed to his father/God and was forgiven and restored to fellowship.

4. God restored him to fellowship, but he still had to suffer the consequences of his sin and God’s rebuke. Our sins aren’t done in secret. And God is a merciful and gracious God, always ready to forgive, yet not negating that:

II. Sin has far reaching consequences. Vs 10

A. To the sinner. David:

1. He was out of fellowship w/Lord until he got right. His life had become a life like world and worldly kings.

2. He wouldn’t have been at home, to be tempted with Bathsheba had he even done like other pagan kings, who went to war in the spring. David ignored his sin because he was above it all and took his eyes off the Lord.

B. Sin’s consequences affected others. Uriah and the nation. It will almost always affect others and often the ones we care most about.

1. David suffered consequences for his sins, all of them, and most often, other people suffer the consequences of our sin, or us by theirs.

2. Uriah, was a good man, faithful and loyal. He won’t go home to his wife while his men were still in battle. Yet God allowed David’s sin to have him killed

3. Other men were killed as a consequence of David’s plot to kill Uriah, it wasn’t just Uriah that was sent to the front lines, other men were sent with him and they died also. What did they do wrong?

C. Even after he was forgiven, the consequences of his sin went with him for the rest of his life.

1. (1st) His newborn baby died.

a. David wept and prayed and fasted for him while breath was still in it.

b. But, when the baby died, David cleaned up and went on, he didn’t complain, because he knew he was being judged by God for his sin.

c. The consequences of his sin reached into the life of his child and wife. It touched him personally and affected others.

2. (2nd) His wives would be taken away.

a. Because of David’s sin, God said there would be evil in his house and his wives would be taken by his neighbors.

b. At the time of Absolom’s rebellion, David’s own son, went into David’s ten concubines, an insult/sin to the king. 2Sam 15:16; 16:10, 21-22

c. The prophecy was fulfilled but, David never complained. He knew it was the consequences of his sin.

3. Absalom one of his favored sons rebelled against David and was eventually killed.

a. Absalom killed his half brother for raping his sister and king David didn’t do anything. Absalom ran away and eventually tried to steal the thrown. 13:22-29 David did not chastise his son nor did he show his son love. Being a good parent is important even for a king.

b. Absalom hated his father because he wouldn’t see his son and forgive him, even though David loved him, Vs 14:1 probably even more then his other sons. His pride and being a poor parent has far reaching consequences.

c. Absalom was a real problem in David’s life that he left his kingdom and dwelt in caves again, running from his son, until battle had to occur and Absalom was killed even though David gave instructions not to kill him.

d. David’s sins had far reaching consequences. The entire kingdom was in turmoil. It became divided!

4. David’s sin of multiple wives continued to cause problems. God may allow us to sin, but He doesn’t approve/condone it. (just because polygamy, murder, homosexuality, etc is in the Bible does not mean God condones it, even by Godly men, it goes to prove even the most godly are just sinners, like the rest of us)

a. Because of the sin of multiple wives, Absalom was born and was a problem in his life and the nation of Israel.

b. We see how that in David’s life his wives often were indirectly and directly the problem in his life.

c. This has happened in other men of God’s lives, Isacc (Esau & Jacob), and many others and there were always problems in their lives because of it. Solomon’s wives and concubines.

d. The consequences of these men’s sins are still with us today, the turmoil in Israel which effects the whole world.

e. Even in our own lives. In our own families, w/our friends and in our churches, our sins have far reaching consequences.

f. There are eternal consequences to sin.

1. Separate us from God. Isa 59:2; Psa 5:4-5

2. The wages of sin is death… Rom 6:23

But, Praise God, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ:

III. Sin can be forgiven and we can be restored.

A. When there is confession and repentance of our sin.

1. Rom 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

2. When Nathan the prophet told David the story and David recognized his sin, he confessed his sin and repented of it. God restored him and kept his promise to David. Jesus come through the family of David.

3. We must confess our sin then repent of it to be restored. Acts 20:21 “…repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

a. Our sins can be forgiven by God through Jesus and we are to forgive one another like Jesus did for us. Mat 6:15

4. Repentance and forgiveness are required of us by God. Lk 17:3 “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”

a. We have an obligation to each other, to forgive is one offends us, but if they don’t we have the obligation to rebuke them. (in love with a right heart for their own good)

b. We have an obligation for ourselves. 1Jn 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.”

B. Once we are forgiven (have been restored), we can and must move on.

1. David prayed, fasted and wept while son was alive. Vs 18-29

2. When his son died, he cleaned up and moved on. Vs 20-23

3. God restored David and Bethsheba and gave them another son, who eventually became king, the last of the whole nation.

a. Who had greater peace, wealth, and wisdom than any man before or since.

4. When God forgives, it is complete, we are returned to full fellowship.

5. 1Jn 1:7 “the shed blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

a. When Jesus shed his blood and died on the cross for us, we who believe on him are forgiven and clean/pure in God’s eye

C. Once we move on, when we let go of our guilt in Jesus, God can/will use us.

1. David went back into the field of battle where he should have been to start with, and defeated his enemy.

2. David got right w/Lord and served him again and God blessed him and the nation of Israel. He had a heart for the Lord even when he failed.

3. God didn’t kill David and didn’t stop using him.

a. But David still had to deal w/consequences of sin.

b. David accepted it and continued on for the Lord.

4. David was restored by God and lived to an old age,

a. Where his son Solomon was given the promise of David (2Sam 12-13) the seed of Christ will come from him,

b. The kingdom was the greatest in the land and finally lived in peace, at least for awhile.

D. Restoration is not just in the O.T. We are told in Gal 6:1 that spiritual people will restore their brethren.

1. We are not cast them out.

a. Though we are to separate ourselves from them in fellowship, but still to restore them. 2Thes 3:6, 14-15

b. In this throw away age, if we are spiritual, we must keep each other, even when they seem damaged. Forgive and forsake.

2. Nor are we to think ourselves better. Gal 6:1

a. We are no better, watch out about bragging, lest we fall.

b. Each of us is already on the verge of falling from temptation.

3. But humbly and lovingly restore those with a fault to fellowship.

a. In the spirit of meekness/humility is the only way we can restore others.

b. If we are too good for them or better them, we will not restore them.

c. It takes a humble heart, like David, who humbled himself before the Lord and his people. He was restored by his people and by God in spite of his transgressions.

d. We too can be restored by the grace and mercy of God, through Jesus Christ.

CLOSING: The world may not be willing to restore us when we fall, but God is. David was restored in spite of his sin (large and small), because he confessed and repented of it. His faith may have failed at moments, but he had an unfailing faith, a heart for God. God restored him and continued to use him. David understood that there were consequences to his sin and that it effected others, but that didn’t stop him moving on for the Lord. He lived his life as a man dealing with the circumstances not blaming God but trusting him. That is how he finished his life and we are to live and finish our lives. We can’t hide our sin from others let alone God. Confess and repent of it to God, then move on. Restore one another in Christian love even if their fault may have hurt you. How often have we hurt the Lord and He still loves and forgives us. In answer to our opening question, yes, we can be restored to fellowship with the Lord. Will you restore a brother?