The Progressive Nature of Sin

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 11

Today's Treasure: "LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks truth from his heart" (Psalm 15:1-2).

You know the story told in 2 Samuel 11. One night David couldn't sleep. He went for a walk on the roof of the palace. From there he saw a beautiful woman bathing. He sent a messenger to find out about her. The messenger told him two facts, either of which should have stopped him cold. He said her name was Bathsheba the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David's soldiers. David disregarded common decency and sent for her. They committed adultery. He sent her home. Time passed. She realized that she was pregnant.

Few things frighten me more than this testimony of David's life. We too could be persons of character and integrity, and, without apparent warning, destroy our ministries and ourselves through the choice to gratify our sudden lusts. Like David, a few short verses could lead to our downfall.

As you consider this story, don't be drawn into their sin by romantic—and false—notions. We cannot afford to justify their behavior through sympathy. In our culture we justify immoral behavior with the excuse that two people were "in love." Even if two people are emotionally entangled, don't call self-gratification and breaking promises to God and others love. David and Bathsheba had no flimsy excuse. They were not in love. They simply chose to act in a dishonorable and destructive way.

We cannot lend this scene the sympathies we are tempted to offer "victims" of passion in romance novels. The trashy romance we're reading about today is down in the bottom of the barrel, down there with all the sticky stuff, where the stench is—the place we find ourselves when the line between wanting and getting erodes. We may wish we could get everything we want—until we look at David and Bathsheba. The gap between wanting and getting is where we must flex the muscle of self-control to protect ourselves.

This story demonstrates the progressive nature of sin. I believe we have all experienced this progression and that we should be mindful of it. Reread 2 Samuel 11:1-5 and note three progressive areas of sin.

Step 1: He sinned in thought. First of all, David saw the woman bathing and concluded she was very beautiful. Sight turned into desire. The seed of sin was first sown in his mind as he tarried on the rooftop, just as the seed of sin is first sown into our minds.

Step 2: He sinned in word. If we do not confess and repent the sin of the mind, it virtually always gives birth to the next stage. The meditation of David's mind turned into the conversation of his mouth. God knows that our meditations (the focus of our thoughts, what we think and rethink) will ultimately turn into conversations. That's why He tells us to meditate on Him and His Word!

Step 3: He sinned in deed. David flirted with adultery in thought and word, stopping at neither venue to repent and ask God for help. Action followed. David committed adultery and set in motion a hurricane of repercussions.

For years I've approached my time of confession and repentance by categorizing my sins according to the three areas we've addressed. In my prayer time, I ask God to bring to my mind any sins of thought, word or deed. Virtually everything will fall into one of those three categories. Through David's example I realized how often these areas can unite as participants in grievous sin.

None of us is beyond the sin of adultery. Two kinds of people are in greatest danger: those who think they could never be tempted and those who are presently being tempted. May we cast ourselves on the mercy of God and find help in our time of trouble.

I encourage you to let the following scriptures become staples in your prayer time to guide you through purity of thought, word or deed before God. Copy them. Memorize them. Let them guide your confession daily.

Regarding thoughts:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting" (Ps. 139:23-24).

Regarding words:

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer" (Ps. 19:14).

Regarding deeds:

"LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?

Who may live on your holy hill?

He whose walk is blameless

and who does what is righteous,

who speaks the truth from his heart" (Ps. 15:1-2).

Father, thank You for the warning from David's experience with progressive sin. I pray to learn from his mistakes rather than my own downfall! Teach me how to stop sin when it is birthed in the mind, dear Lord. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.  

Adapted from A Heart Like His, by Beth Moore, pages 170-176. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999. Used by permission.