You Can’t Go Back,

2Samuel 11-12, 1 Chron 20 But…you can move forward

The Apostle John wrote much about the price of sin and the cost Jesus paid for our forgiveness. While John writes to help us, the accuser of the brethren, Satan, waits for us to sin, and then he begins his dastardly work. First, he watches, and then he enters God’s throne room to accuse us of what we have done. And, like King David, we are slow to learn that there is no returning to our former state of bliss once we have sinned. Just as Nathan rehearsed God’s Words in David’s hearing, we too come to realize that we “have shown contempt for the Lord’s decrees.” [2Sam 12:9] It is then that the Spirit begins his work to “convict [us] concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” [Jn 16:8] so that we might repent.

Yet, Satan will rehearse our sin because he wants us to think we are unworthy to be called a child of God. But remember this truth, Jesus was revealed to take away our sin and remove our guilt and remove the Scarlet Letter over our heart.  [1Jn 3] And just as Nathan said to David, the Spirit reminds us that “the Lord has forgiven your sin.” [2Sam 12:13]

Know this truth: God’s grace is greater than the accusations of Satan and our sin. Although we cannot go back, we can move forward and tell the accuser: I am forgiven because of God’s great mercy.