Billy Graham once told his son Frank not to play ball in the house as he was leaving. He warned him about the vase on the counter that might break as a result. His son did not listen but continued playing and accidentally hit the vase and broke it. Graham returned home and asked his son about the vase, to which he replied, “the devil made me do it”.
Graham without even thinking started spanking his son. Frank wanted to know why his Father was spanking him even though the devil was to blame. To that Mr. Graham replied “I’m not spanking you am spanking the devil”.
When we stand before God one day we will never be able to give excuses for our mistakes, shifting blame on to others or circumstances. For everything will be laid bare before the Lord. We would never be able to say the pressure was excess and that is why we made a mistake, as we would be shown the abundance of Grace that was available to overcome sin in that situation or the many ways God had for us to build us up to face that temptation which we refused or the way out He had for us we refused to take. Brethren, let us learn to walk in the Fear of the Lord and in humility taking full responsibility for our actions.
There are consequences for our wrong choices and last thing God wants from His children is excuses. It didn’t turn out well for Adam and Eve and neither for Saul.
If there was any one in scripture that faced immense pressure other than Christ it was Moses. He had to face rebellion from within and without. People were constantly complaining and at times wanting to stone Him. He had to act as a mediator often to protect the people from being killed. To top everything he couldn’t enter the Promised Land the first time. It was simply because the people were unbelieving and as result he was made subject to another forty years in the desert along with them. So when he misrepresented God at the waters of Meribah we might assume that God would be more considerate given the constant pressure he had been under. However the strong rebuke he got and the subsequent consequence shows that God has a different standard and measurement than the one we seem to have today in holding people accountable.
Looking at the same thing from a different perspective. Moses was a friend of God .He talked with God face to face. He saw the glory of God and had been faithful in everything. So one might think that when He made that one mistake God would somehow overlook it or be more lenient but scriptures are to the contrary.
On the other hand God is merciful and forgiving and the cross does take away the consequences of our wrong actions but for that our repentance before God and man must come from a contrite heart and be genuine, taking full responsibility.
We learn genuine repentance from David. Let’s look at David’s repentance when confronted with his mistakes.
When David sinned he didn’t say “God I was so weak that day…” or “O God look at all the things I did for you and my faithfulness to you in the past, it was just a small slip off that has lead to this..….”. He simply repented in humility, brokenness; taking complete responsibility for His actions. That can only be done by the Fear of the Lord.
While there needs to be room for mercy and understanding in dealing with sin, we should never attempt to lessen the seriousness of sin and its consequences or justify it. We need to simply acknowledge the mistake, take full responsibility and ask for Mercy and Grace. If we don’t do that we are setting ourselves for more error in the future as we have already lowered the standard.
Today our understanding of God seems to have been shaped by a misunderstanding of His character. God is, never was and never will be tolerant with sin. The way he punished His only SON brutally on the cross on our behalf shows His hatred toward sin and the subsequent consequence on the soul that bears it.
Yes there is room for mercy when a person falls and the consequences could be averted and God’s love and mercies are unending but that can only be appropriated with genuine repentance and running to the cross in faith.
Today many think that since there seems to be no immediate consequences for their wrong actions, that God does not mind or some have interpreted it as God’s Love. Brethren nothing can be as contrary to scripture as that.
Galatians 6:7 exhorts us not be deceived ; that a man reaps what he sows.
Heb 10:26 says For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 but a certain fearful looking for judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28 He who despised Moses’ Law died without mercy on the word of two or three witnesses.
Heb 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy of punishment, the one who has trampled the Son of God, and who has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace.
These words are very sobering. Let us walk in the “Fear of the Lord”. Let us be quick to repent when wrong. We need to rediscover genuine repentance in our lives.
In conclusion let us make it a point to meditate on the following verses and pray as often with it.
Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts,
Psalms 139:24 and see if any wicked way is in me; and leads me in the way everlasting.
