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(weekly I write a five minute “doctrine talk” based on the doctrine in the passage of scripture we are studying in “People of the Promised Land 1 – Bible Study Fellowship”)
2 Samuel 22: 1-20
David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. 2 He sang: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; 3 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.
4 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. 5 “The waves of death overwhelmed me; floods of destruction swept over me.
6 The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. 7 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears. 8 “Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the heavens shook; they quaked because of his anger. 9 Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him.10 He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.11 Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.
12 He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dense rain clouds. 13 A great brightness shone around him, and burning coals[d] blazed forth. 14 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. 15 He shot arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were confused. 16 Then at the command of the Lord, at the blast of his breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare. 17 “He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. 18 He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. 19 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. 20 He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.
David praised the Lord for his deliverance from all his enemies
Justification is not “just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned”. God’s holiness required Him to punish our sin. Jesus bore the penalty by dying for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Justification is a legal term. In our justification, God, the just judge, pronounces our sins forgiven and pronounces Christ’s righteousness as ours. It’s the GREAT EXCHANGE. Rather than being condemned for sin, believers are declared morally righteous in God’s sight and, therefore, we do not have to pay the penalty for past, present or future sins. Romans 8:1-4
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
As we come to the end of the story of David’s life. How will you remember him? The shepherd boy chosen from the sons of Jesse? The boy who killed the giant Goliath with a sling and a stone? The patient warrior God grew into the king of Israel? Or will you remember David the adulter and murder? The one who pridefully drew a census that costed the lives of 70,000 people?
They say it takes 5 positive comments to cover one negative comment. How many positive things in David’s life do we have to see to cover one of his sins?
Justification silences all other accusers.
Accusers say, “You are not good enough” or “Look at what you have done. If people knew that about you, they would never accept you.”
As a young girl I was often told “Tina, you talk to much.” I hated when people said that about me. I felt condemned, it crushed me. It made me feel like what I said was not important and unnecessarily excessive. I went through a season when I was afraid to conversate with people, that what I said would not be significant and accepted. Now people say to me “Tina, when you talk, people listen.” Glory to God. What accusations (from others or yourself) are falsely imprisoning you? What lie are you believing that keeps you from stepping out in obedience and faith? Take that thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus. He loves you, you are forgiven, you are justified by the cross of Christ. No matter what the voices say. God has declared you not guilty, therefore there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.