From Foulest Sinners to Finest Saints

Along the east coast of the US, some people say, “No one wants to see the Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore.” Why? Because he covers the big storms. His presence means the oncoming hurricane will do much damage. His presence also represents care. Care for the well-being of those in the pathway of the storm!

“Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said to him...” [1]

David had sinned. He had a valiant and noble soldier named Uriah put to death after he committed adultery with his wife. After that sin, four of his sons died prematurely. His sin gave great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. His sin displeased the Lord. [2]

The Lord sent His servant Nathan to hold David accountable for his sin and to prophesy to him what was going to transpire as a result of his sin. Sin yields curses. What is true in this regard for individuals is also true for nations. [3]

Thankfully, David responded well to God’s prophet. David said to Nathan, “’I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.’” [4]

Nathan prophesied to David that he would pay four times over for his sin. He had one man’s son, namely Uriah, put to death. David lost the baby of Bathsheba, Ammon, Adonijah and Absalom – four sons. Those losses were extremely painful for David.

But in wrath God remembered mercy. Bathsheba bore David a second son. The Lord gave His prophet Nathan a name for Bathsheba’s second son. It was Jedidiah, meaning, “Beloved of the Lord.” Also, God gave David’s army a victory over the Ammonites that yielded a beautiful gold crown with jewels for him, and spoils in abundance for his nation. [5]

Praise God for His mercy! If we are honest, we will admit that we too have sinned in many ways. It is easy to identify the failures of others, but the truth is, we have all failed God and others.

God also sends goods news to us through His prophetic writers. His servant Paul wrote, “When we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” [6]

I have heard some say, “I will wait until I get right with God and then, I will go to church.” To me, that’s like saying, “I will wait until I get well and then, I will go to the doctor.” No, run to the Lord the moment His Spirit is convicting you of sin and ask His forgiveness. With His forgiveness comes His Holy Spirit who transforms us and helps us to be more like Jesus.

The Lord says that as Adam’s sin defiled the human race, the grace of Christ purifies us.

“For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.” “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” [7]

God has more grace than we have sin but we must believe in His Son to receive from God.

“Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” [8]

Sin separates. God’s grace Christ Jesus brings us together.

Thank God for sending His prophets to convict us of sin. Thank God for sending His prophets to remind us of His grace, forgiveness and love. The Bible is a story of human failures but of God’s great love for us. By His grace in Christ Jesus, God transforms the world’s foulest sinners into His finest saints.

[1] 2 Samuel 12:1
[2] 2 Samuel 12:6, 9, 11, 14; 11:27
[3] Jeremiah 18:7-10
[4] 2 Samuel 12:13
[5] 2 Samuel 12:24-31
[6] Romans 5:6-10
[7] Romans 5:15, 17
[8] Romans 5:20-21