The Moment of Owning Sin
Daily Old Testament Reading: Psalm 51, 86, 122
Daily Focus Passage: Psalm 51
In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan confronts David over his sin with Bathsheba. The confrontation prompted David to recognize the sin in his life and to take ownership of the sin to seek genuine forgiveness from the Lord. Psalm 51 provides the crying out of David’s heart as he seeks reconciliation and forgiveness. The first five verses of Psalm 51 demonstrate the importance of owning our sin in seeking forgiveness.
SIN HAS DEEPS ROOTS IN THE FLESH
Each of us is born into the flesh that is fall in nature. Thus, we enter this world as sinners who constantly rebel against the Lord. This nature occurs because we come from the seed of Adam that passes down this sinful nature from generation to generation (Romans 5:12). Paul clarified that death came to all individuals because everyone has sinned. This truth is how the Psalmist can declare that we live estranged from the Lord and come from the womb declaring and telling lies (Psalm 58:3). Thus, sin has deep roots in our flesh that extend from the seed of Adam passed on to every generation.
SIN DEMANDS PUNISHMENT
Since sin is a rebellion against the Lord, sinners desire punishment from the Lord. This punishment comes as the death sentence that sin requires. We become more aware of this truth when we stand in the presence of the Lord and recognize his holiness. In the presence of the Lord, his holiness is known, and our unholy nature becomes evident. The prophet Isaiah recognized his filthy nature before the Lord when he stood in the Lord’s presence (Isaiah 6:5). David likewise recognizes the death he deserves because he is filthy and a rebel before the Lord. This recognition fuels the ability to own our sins and to identify our genuine deep needs.
WE MUST OWN OUR SINS COMPLETELY
David desired to address and own each of his sins. He used three main terms to identify various forms and dynamics of sin. He took responsibility for his transgressions. Transgression is an act of rebellion and disobedience before the Lord. He owned his sin. Sin occurs when we go astray from the Lord and miss the mark. He held his iniquity. Iniquity is the intentional and deliberate act of misconduct. Owning his sin demonstrated the opposite response to sin than Adam and Eve in the garden as they played the blame shift game. Thus, David modeled the importance of owning and taking responsibility for our sins.
WE MUST SEEK AND DESIRE MERCY AND GRACE
David realized he could not overcome the deserved punishment for his sin. He knew that he needed forgiveness that comes from the Lord alone. As a result, David’s recognition and ownership of his sin propelled him to seek forgiveness and trust in the mercy and grace of the Lord. When we desire mercy, we seek the Lord to remove the punishment we deserve because we have disobeyed and disrespected the Lord. When we seek grace, that extends freely to us the forgiveness we do not deserve. Thus, ownership of our sin condition propels us to seek forgiveness from the Lord that comes only through grace and mercy.
