Tag Archives: immorality

David’s Breaking Bad

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“…but the thing David had done displeased the Lord.”
(2 Sam 11:27)

In my preparation for this Sunday’s sermon on David and Bathsheba (2 Sam 11), I am developing a thought on how in this infamous story David violated all of the Ten Commandments.  I probably won’t have the time in my sermon this week to give you the full details, so I thought I would lay it out for you here.

Here’s a summary of the story: In 2 Samuel 11, we read that in the springtime, when the kings would lead their armies out to war, David sent out the troops, but stayed at home, reclining on his couch in the cool of the day.  While there, he saw Bathsheba bathing on her roof (a rather suspicious place to put a bath tub), and David sent for her, slept with her, and Bathsheba was pregnant.  Immediately, David sent for Bathsheba’s husband to come home from battle, and tried to get him to spend some “quality time” with his wife.  When Uriah refused because of his loyalty to his fellow soldiers, David sent Uriah back to the front with orders that would get him killed in battle. It is a sordid tale, and extremely shocking coming from someone who, up to this point, has always been described as having a heart for God.

So how did David break all 10 Commandments in this one story?  Let’s look at them in reverse order:

Thou Shall Not Covet – This one is easy to see.  David saw Bathsheba bathing, and he wanted what he saw.  He was not satisfied with all that he already had, with all that God had given.  He saw, he desired, and his desire sprang into action.

Thou Shall Not Bear False Witness – Again, this one is clear.  In order to cover up his first sin with Bathsheba, he brings Uriah home under false pretenses.  David tries to get Uriah to break his own code of honor and sleep with his wife while his fellow men are at war.  When that didn’t work, he made Uriah carry the orders that would lead to his own death.  David didn’t even think twice about using deception and lies to cover his sin.

Thou Shall Not Steal – Hello!  He took his neighbor’s wife!

Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery – That is what took place here.  Today, we have a lot of euphemisms to help soften the blow: an “affair,” a “dalliance,” “living together,” a “fling.”  Let’s be clear. Scripture is quite clear that the gift of sexual expression is reserved for man and woman in marriage (Heb 13:4; 1 Cor 7:1-40), and anything outside of the bond of marriage is called sin, either adultery or fornication.  David committed adultery. There is no two ways around it.

Thou Shall Not Kill – Not only did Uriah die in David’s cover up, so did all the other soldiers who stormed the walls in battle. The blood of Uriah and all the soldiers lost that day was on David’s hands.

Honor thy Father and Mother – Now you may be thinking, this is a stretch, but keep in mind, the fifth commandment deals with our relationships with those in authority over us and those who serve under us.  The Westminster Larger Catechism is fantastic in its teaching here:

“It is required of superiors, according to the power they receive from God… to bless their inferiors… protecting and providing for them all things necessary for soul and body; and, by grace, wise, holy, and exemplary carriage, to procure glory to God.”

David pretty much botched that one too.

Remember the Sabbath Day and Keep it Holy – Now the mother and father thing was a stretch, but this is way out there, we are not told it was a Sabbath day. Patience, I don’t think it’s that big of a leap. Remember, keeping the Sabbath means to set the Sabbath day aside as a day of rest, but that also requires that the rest of the week be spent in fruitful labor.  Where was David in this story? On the roof, resting on his couch.  Where was he supposed to be? Leading the nation of Israel in battle. This whole mess started because David neglected his responsibilities.

Thou Shall Not Take the Lord’s Name in Vain – To take God’s name in vain is to make it the name of God meaningless and empty. David was known as God’s anointed, and if this was how God’s anointed was going to act, what does that say of God?

Thou Shall Not Make Any Graven Image – Granted, David did not make a little golden idol to put on his mantle to worship. He didn’t need to. David twisted and contorted the revelation of a holy and just God, a powerful and present God, to be something much more manageable. David’s god that day was a god would couldn’t see, a god who wouldn’t act. Only by forgetting who God really is, only by creating a god of our own choosing, can we go forward boldly into such sin.

Thou Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me – That afternoon, on his roof, that beautiful woman became more to David than the very glory of God Himself. He gave up everything to have her. Is that not worship? Is not adultery, at its heart, an expression of idolatry?

James 2:10 teaches “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” David sinned fantastically, and in one sin, he broke all of God’s commandments.  And he was called a man after God’s own heart.

If we are honest, we must acknowledge that every sin, even our own, is a fantastic and radical rebellion from God’s will. There are, of course, varying degrees of the severity of our sins, but each sin is an affront to the majesty and holiness of God, and the wages of sin is death.

The good news, and there is good news, is that Jesus came to save sinners. This depravity our hearts is not a shock to our Savior, this is why he came. He came to redeem us from captivity to sin, to destroy the power of sin and death in us, to bring the grace and forgiveness of God through His atoning sacrifice.  All those who trust and believe in Christ find forgiveness, and are given His Holy Spirit that we might grow in grace as we walk with the Lord. Remembering the severity of our sins should not drive us to despair. No.  It should drive us to the cross where we find our sins have been forgiven and we are at peace with God.

SDG

Walk Worthy of the Gospel

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“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…”
(Philippians 1:27)

In military service, one of the most serious charges that can be brought against you is Conduct Unbecoming an Officer.  Within the realm of service, there are certain moral attributes common to the ideal officer and the perfect gentleman, a lack of which is indicated by acts of dishonesty, unfair dealing, indecency, indecorum, lawlessness, injustice, or cruelty. Not everyone is or can be expected to meet unrealistically high moral standards, but there is a limit of tolerance based on customs of the service and military necessity below which the personal standards of an officer, cadet, or midshipman cannot fall without seriously compromising the person’s standing as an officer, cadet, or midshipman or the person’s character as a gentleman.

Examples of behavior that can lead to such a charge include: making a false official statement; failure to pay a debt; cheating on an exam; being drunk and disorderly in a public place; public association with known prostitutes; committing or attempting to commit a crime involving moral turpitude; and failing without good cause to support the officer’s family.

Keep in mind, these are the military’s standards of moral behavior for officers.  Officers have been called out, set aside for specific purposes, entrusted with authority and honor to lead others.  Having been called to such a position, officers are also expected to set an example, not just in their service, but also in their manner of living.  A failure to live up to these standards is a failure to lead, a failure to honor the call, a failure to honor the nation you serve.  Those convicted of Conduct Unbecoming face dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of pay, and imprisonment.

It shouldn’t surprise you that all that was said above can also be said for the Christian.

The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.  Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.  For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not become partners with them;  for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),  and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.  Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

There are things that are unbecoming, inconsistent, unfitting in the Christian life.

Sexual immorality and impurity – and let’s be clear about this means: adultery, infidelity, promiscuity, pre-marital or extra-marital sexuality, homosexuality, pornography – immorality is an idolatry of the body, putting the desires of the flesh before the desire of the Spirit.

Covetousness – note that this is listed right alongside the “naughty parts” – a covetousness is an idolatry of the heart for the things of the world, not being satisfied with what God has given, with what you have, always longing for what your neighbor has.

Filthiness nor foolish talk, crude joking – bathroom humor, racy talk around the office, celebrating in foolishness, profane jokes – should these things come out of the same mouth that is supposed to be praising God?

Those who take part in these things, those who encourage these things in the lives of others, exhibit conduct unbecoming a follower of Christ, and have “no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”  These are the things that characterize those who walk in darkness, those sons of disobedience, and have no place in the life of a believer.

Those who are in Christ have been called out of darkness and into the light, and are called to imitate God in their lives. A failure to live in the light is a failure to lead and bring light to the gospel life, a failure to honor the call of Christ, a failure to honor the Kingdom you serve.

Now, if I left this message there (where my cursor has sat for the last two days), what would we be left with?  Were we to reduce the gospel to this “do this, don’t do this”, we would all fall under judgment and condemnation.  For, in fact, we do all fall under judgment and condemnation.  We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

What’s missing here is the grace of the gospel.  We have all fallen, and we all once walked in the ways of darkness.  But now, those who are in Christ walk in the light as he is in the light.  We are no longer under the domain of darkness, but are citizens with the saints in light.

The Christian life, while by necessity must demonstrate growth in holiness if faith is genuine and indeed the Holy Spirit is working in you, is not a moral system.  Immorality has no place within the Christian life, but a heightened sense of morality is not what makes you a Christian.  The offer of grace does not negate the call to holiness; the offer of grace is the only way true holiness is even possible.  A Christian is one who places their hope, their trust, their faith, their life in the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ, and in Him and by His power is one who begins to grow in holiness and truth.

So walk worthy in a manner of the gospel of Christ.  Do not fall back into the ways of darkness, but rest and live in His grace, and walk in the light as He is in the light.

SDG