Today’s devotional (2 Samuel 12:1-14) covers one of the Old Testament’s stand out moments: David’s adultery with Bathsheba. David, a man who is widely characterized by his faithfulness to God both before and after this event, is shown here having fallen from grace. There are a lot of lessons we can learn from this part of God’s word. Let’s explore some of those lessons now:

1. Even spiritual giants can fall – As great as David was, he was still a man prone to temptation and sin. Sometimes we put too much stock into fallible men and women. When someone we look up to is revealed to be struggling with some terrible sin, it can result in a faith-shaking experience. Do not put your faith in men, but in Jesus.
2. Everyone needs a Nathan – Christians, we need someone in our life that is willing to do the hard thing and hold us accountable when we’re veering off of the spiritual path. Put people around you that are willing to do what it takes to keep you heading towards God and away from sin.
3. Own your mistakes – God knows what we do and there’s no amount of running or fighting we can do to change that. Once confronted David takes responsibility for his sin and the consequences it will bring (see Psalm 51). As a result, he is able to come back to God. Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone owns up to them. When you fall, repent and let God life you back up.
4. Sin does not define who you are – “The Lord has put away your sin; you shall not die” (14). David repents from his sinfulness and is forgiven. This event is certainly a stain on David’s life, but he is not remembered for it. He is remembered as the man after God’s own heart. He is the one whom all the righteous kings are linked back to in 1 and 2 Kings. He is the faithful shepherd boy who killed Goliath. Jesus removes our sin so that we can be defined by Jesus and not our sinful actions.

Even the most faithful people of God make mistakes (sometimes very large mistakes). Thank God that we are not saved by our own righteousness, but by the goodness and grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ.

For further study:

What are some other lessons we can take away from 2 Samuel 12:1-14?

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The “Five Minutes with God” articles serve as expansions on the daily Bible study book by the same name. To follow along in this study with us, buy your own copy of the book here or pick up a free copy at the Mannford Church of Christ.