Every Sin is a Sin Against God
5/7 Reading Portions: Numbers 15; Psalm 51; Isaiah 5; Hebrews 12
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
5/7 Reading Portions: Numbers 15; Psalm 51; Isaiah 5; Hebrews 12
Psalm 51:4
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight...
EVIL
We may surely glean many things from David’s song of repentance. His adulterous affair with Bathsheba, his deceit in attempting to cover it up, and ultimately his murder of Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba’s husband, are well known in Israel’s history. Today, let us meditate on just this first portion of the verse. Israel’s penitent king gives us several astounding truths. Nevertheless, we will concentrate on only two. First, although some transgressions we commit are sins against others, every sin we commit is a sin against God. When David laments his sinful failure, he cries,
“Against You, You only, have I sinned.”
This doesn’t mean he didn’t sin against Bathsheba, Uriah, or the nation of Israel who looked up to him as a leader, and as a servant of YHVH— a man after God’s own heart. He did sin against them. Since every sin is a sin against God, and that we have sinned against Him, this should overwhelm us to the exclusion of all others. The mercy from men matters not a whit or whistle if we have not the mercy of Messiah Jesus. Second, every sin against God is evil. The slightest infraction against God is infinitely evil by virtue of whom we sin against. Our God is an infinite God who is holy, good, and just. Certainly, the penalty for and consequences of each sin varies according to the depth and depravity of its commission (or omission); nevertheless, filth is filth in the sight of holy God. A drop of poison in a glass of water may kill a man while a drop of poison in ten gallons of water may only make him sick, but poison is still poison, no matter how distilled or diluted. When these two perspectives on sin are grasped firmly by faith, they are powerful safeguards against temptation to sin.
When we sin, we sin against You,
O Lord, our God and King;
Help me to know this evil foe
Of sin, this loathsome thing.