One Sin Often Forces Another

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

One Sin Often Forces Another

Today's Text: And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die. 2 Samuel 12:5

The Message:      The Bible has little to say in praise of mortals. Little space is given to recounting the virtues of even the best men and women who have ever lived. This silence is not without purpose; it is not without a lesson. All the good qualities that people possess are the gift of God; their good deeds are performed by the grace of God through Christ....      It was the spirit of self-confidence and self-exaltation that prepared the way for David's fall.... According to the customs prevailing among Eastern rulers, crimes not to be tolerated in subjects were uncondemned in the king; the monarch was not under obligation to exercise the same self-restraint as the subject. All this tended to lessen David's sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin.... As soon as Satan can separate the soul from God, the only Source of strength, he will seek to arouse the unholy desires of humanity's carnal nature....      When in ease and self-security he let go his hold upon God, David yielded to Satan and brought upon his soul the stain of guilt.... Bathsheba, whose fatal beauty had proved a snare to the king, was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David's bravest and most faithful officers.... Every effort that David made to conceal his guilt proved unavailing. He had betrayed himself into the power of Satan.... There appeared but one way of escape, and in his desperation he was hurried on to add murder to adultery....      Nathan the prophet was bidden to bear a message of reproof to David. It was a message terrible in its severity. To few sovereigns could such a reproof be given but at the price of certain death to the reprover.... Appealing to David as the divinely appointed guardian of his people's rights, the prophet repeated a story of wrong and oppression that demanded redress....      Nathan fixed his eyes upon the king; then, lifting his right hand to heaven, he solemnly declared, "Thou art the man." "Wherefore," he continued, "hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight?" The guilty may attempt, as David had done, to conceal their crime...; they may seek to bury the evil deed forever from human sight or knowledge; but "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."...      The prophet's rebuke touched the heart of David; conscience was aroused; his guilt appeared in all its enormity. His soul was bowed in penitence before God. With trembling lips he said, "I have sinned against the Lord."-Patriarchs and Prophets, 717-722.

Commentary: My friend, one sin committed leads the way to another and yet another until the soul is thoroughly corrupted.  But Christ came that He could interrupt this cycle of sin and give us power to overcome sin in the flesh.  The promise that was given in the garden of Eden was "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed;" (Genesis 3:15), and the reality was revealed in the life of Christ.  Thus the promise to us is this "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). Satan well knows that the weakest sinner that trusts in Christ can overcome him, therefore, he seeks to separate us from the one power that can give us victory over him.  He seeks to separate us from Jesus Christ.  Those who he can get to neglect prayer and the searching of the Scriptures will be overcome by him. My friend, we cannot indulge in any sin, no matter how small it may seem in our estimation, and not be affected by its evil influence.  One sin committed leads to another and yet another, until we are in open rebellion against God.  Therefore, the message of the Faithful and True Witness to us is "Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:19, 20). Won't you invite Jesus into your heart today? God bless,

Video of the Week Another Jesus - Imad Awde Most religions have a Jesus. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist and Christians a like believe in a Jesus. And within Christendom, Catholics, Protestants and Jehovah witnesses believe in and honour a Jesus. How do you know you are worshiping the RIGHT Jesus? Join Imad as he explores this topic.