“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

There are many ways that men have tried in dealing with sin.  One way that some use to seek to justify their shortcomings is through excuses.  Adam did this in the garden (cf. Gen. 3:12) as well as the woman (cf. Gen. 3:13).  Aaron blamed the people for the making of the golden calf (cf. Ex. 32:21-25) as did king Saul (cf. 1 Sam. 15:20-21) in his not obeying the Lord.  Excuses are found throughout the Bible as examples of what not to do when sin is exposed.  Consider some examples in the Bible where confession without excuses and forsaking brought mercy from God.

1. The Proclamation of Judah. Moses recorded the incident where Judah brought forth children through his daughter-in-law Tamar in Genesis 38.  It is through one of these children that the Christ would come (cf. Matt. 1:3).  When Judah did not fulfill his promise to Tamar in the giving of his son Shelah to her for a husband, she dressed in the clothes of a harlot and sat by the wayside where Judah would travel by.  Judah saw her and being motivated by the flesh contracted to give her certain things for his being with her.  She deceived him in the act and conceived twins with Judah in the process.  When it was told Judah that Tamar had “played the harlot” (Gen. 38:24) and was with child, Judah set forth the decree to have her burned (cf. Gen. 38:24).  When she revealed by the tokens of the man by whom she was with child that it was Judah himself that was at fault, the text states, “And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more” (Gen. 38:26).  No excuses were made and no further sin with her was done.  Such is a keen example of confessing and forsaking.
2. The Penitence of David. David’s attempt to cover his transgression in the death of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, and then the taking of Uriah’s widow to himself for a wife after she was already with David’s child (cf. 2 Sam. 11) brought a sermon by the prophet Nathan to David.  When David’s sin was exposed (cf. 2 Sam. 12:1-12), the text then states, “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die” (2 Sam. 12: 13).  David wrote Psalm 32 against the background of this scene.  He stated in the psalm, “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin” (Ps. 32:5).  Here again is a great example of confessing and forsaking without excuses.
3. The Prodigal’s Confession. Jesus gave a parable about a young son who wasted his inheritance in a far country.  When he was at the lowest point of his life in dire need, “he came to himself” (Luke 15:17).  He arose and went home to his Father and said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son” (Luke 15:21).  The father went immediately into action to rejoice with the restoration and reconciliation of the son (cf. Luke 15:22-24).  No excuses were made.  This is what the Lord is seeking in a poor and contrite spirit (cf. Isa. 66:2).

Jimmy Clark

“And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity” (Luke 13:11-12).

The paragraph that begins at verse ten and ends at verse seventeen of Luke chapter thirteen gives a detail of Jesus healing an infirmed woman.  The beloved physician (cf. Col. 4:14) Luke wrote by inspiration concerning this healing and is the only one to record it.  Jesus, the greatest healer of all, came into the world to show the kindness of God in every way.  Matthew states of one of the aspects of the life of Christ, “When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses” (Matt. 8:16-17).  It is a common thing to see in church bulletins long lists of people who are sick and infirm.  Consider three lessons to be learned from this account of Jesus seeing and tending to the needs of this woman.

1. Seizing the Opportunity. While the healing took place on the sabbath day, such did not stop Jesus from doing good.  It was a common practice to see Jesus doing good (cf. Acts 10:38).  There is never a bad time to do good.  When the criticism came about the healing being done on the sabbath, Jesus quickly pointed out, “doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox and his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?” (Luke 13:15).  The hypocrisy and inconsistency of the critics was brought to silence and shame (cf. Luke 13:17).  Those who will be in heaven serve without reservation, as Jesus said, “I was sick, and ye visited me” (Matt. 25:36) and “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40).  Paul’s exhortation to the Galatians comes to mind, where he wrote, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10).
2. Showing the Glory of God. Luke gave the detail, “And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God” (Luke 13:13).  Again, he wrote, “And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him” (Luke 13:17).  When one sees healing from sickness, one should give thanks and credit to God.  It is written in the Psalms, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases” (Ps. 103:2-3).
3. Satan as the Originator of Suffering. Jesus laid the blame for sickness and infirmity where the cause lies.  He plainly stated, “whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years” (Luke 13:16).  Who brought the great sickness upon Job? (cf. Job 2:7).  Too many see their physical suffering as brought by God.  Satan brought sin and with it the infirmities and the ultimate end of human life: death.  The last day will bring the end of all suffering and death (cf. 1 Cor. 15:24-28).  Therefore, “let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9).                                                                                           

Jimmy Clark

“As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:” (1 Peter 1:14).

Before one can obey he must know what to do to obey. Ignorance, whether in innocence or in willful rejection of the facts, has consequences to affect both the individual and those around the ignorant. Consider three products from ignorance.

1. Fears. A common expression that typifies an effect of ignorance is “fear of the unknown.” Humanity is often uncomfortable with matters of unfamiliarity. Not knowing what is in the dark or even not knowing how something will turn out has created all kinds of worry and irrational behavior. Ignorance is one of Satan’s greatest tools. It is quite interesting to note that a common expression in the Bible is “I would not have you to be ignorant” (1 Thess. 4:13). Read also these following passages along those same lines (cf. Romans 1:13; 11:25; 1 Corinthians 10:1; 12:1; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Peter 3:8). Accurate knowledge dispels the fears that cripple the mind and life in anxiety. Peace and comfort come from the knowledge of the One who is always in control.
2. Fightings. Paul stated of his own conflict with Christ before his conversion, “I verily thought
   with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 26:9). He would later write to Timothy concerning that same time before his conversion, “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Tim. 1:13). Peter said to those Jews who sided with the crucifixion of Jesus, “And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers” (Acts 3:17). Wars and fighting have often been propagated due to ignorance. There are times in the heat of conflict that one would dare ask the question “What are we really fighting for?” There has often been internal conflict with oneself because of not knowing what to do. Since God is not “the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Cor. 14:33), a thorough understanding of the will of God through the study of the Bible brings light to those in darkness (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4).
3. Falling. Hosea professed the Lord’s declaration to the nation, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4:6). When the psalmist stated, “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Ps. 73:2-3). He further states of such thinking, “So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee” (Ps. 73:22). Isaiah wrote of the ignorant, “Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst” (Isa. 5:13). When people do not like to retain the knowledge of God in their minds, depravity in all its forms is soon to follow (cf. Rom. 1:28-32). Therefore, Peter exhorts to the obedient ones, “For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:15).

Jimmy Clark