The Consequences of Forgiven Sin

After committing both adultery and murder, King David was confronted and confessed to the prophet Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord," (2 Samuel 12:13) to which the prophet immediately replied, "The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die." (2 Samuel 12:13)

Now perhaps you might think this was too easy; that the Lord was treating David's sin too lightly, that he was too quick to forgive. But we must understand that immediate forgiveness was necessary to prepare David to face his future. David needed to know that the Lord was not holding his sin against him, for although David was forgiven there would still be consequences--terrible consequences. Through his sinful actions, David had compromised his moral authority. What was right was still right and David was still on the side of right--but that meant he had to condemn his own actions. Therefore, when his children began to take liberties with their own moral choices, he found it difficult, if not impossible, to reprimand them; for each reprimand was a potential reminder that he had no right to lecture others about moral restraint.

Thus, when his son Amnon raped and then shamed his beautiful half-sister Tamar, David did not respond. And when Tamar's brother, Absalom, in revenge murdered Amnon, and fled to another country for refuge, David did not rebuke him. When Absalom finally returned from exile, only to lead an insurrection against his father, as David fled the city he confessed that he saw this as yet another consequence of his sin, as God's rebuke. (2 Samuel 16:5-12)

Yes, David's life is rightly cited as a tremendous example of God's mercy and forgiveness! However, because of this, we often miss the other great example illustrated in David's life: that is, the serious consequences of sin. For although God will forgive, his forgiveness does not necessarily cancel out the consequences of our sin--and there are often serious consequences. So be encouraged. Just because we have to suffer consequences, arising from our sin, does not indicate that God has not forgiven us--but, in the same way, remember that just because God has forgiven us does not mean that we won't have to suffer serious consequences from our sin.