FOR LOVE AND CONSCIENCE
Have you ever wanted something to be true that you were willing to do just about anything to make yourself believe it? Or you found yourself wanting to get something, or do something, and you convinced yourself that it was right—in spite of what your conscience told you! What you wanted may even have been something good and right, but the means that presented themselves were inappropriate at best and a violation of all that is loving and good and right.
In
the middle of a presidential campaign, and a host of other political races, the
end in mind for the candidates is to get elected. For many, that means that whatever it takes to gain the upper
hand and win is acceptable. The end
justifies the means.
Frankly, some of the candidates I
support have fallen prey to the same methods employed by their opponents and I
am disappointed that their consciences have been silenced in their efforts to
win at all costs.
It happens in the church as well. People sometimes take gross liberties in the
way they treat one another because they convince themselves that what they want
is a right, holy and just cause.
Therefore, if they have to set aside conscience and ignore biblical
principles to get their way, so be it.
For those of us who are blessed by the sweetness of the fellowship here
at Providence, such things sometimes appear to be remote, or a part of our past
experiences with churches. But we dare
not lose sight of the potential for such things to happen to any of us, at any
time!
For those of us who have been called to follow Jesus Christ,
we find that we are even tempted to blur the lines once in a while to convince
ourselves that our desires are consistent with what He would want—even when He
has said otherwise in His Word!
David was a man who knew the Lord and yet had failed Him over
the past several months of his life when we find him here in this chapter
living by faith once again. Although he
had failed in the past, he is now focused, his heart is set and his vision
clear. Living for the Lord became his
lone passion at this point, even when what he wanted was laid out before him on
a silver platter: deliverance from the
pursuit of Saul and a chance to return to a normal life.
THESIS: Not
everything that at first appears to be God’s will turns out to be that but
instead can be an opportunity to see if we will do what is right—if we are
willing to walk by faith instead of by sight.
How did the Lord use this experience to teach David, his men
and Saul that He alone can be trusted to show what is best.
I. Too Good to Be True?
--When David and his men
realized that Saul had fallen right into their hands, they must have
immediately rejoiced that the Lord had delivered them from their enemy.
--The appearance of this turn of events suggested that this
must be the answer for which they had been praying and searching.
--The problem with that
conclusion is that God did not intend for them to kill Saul, but to demonstrate
in yet another way how different David’s heart could be when he was walking
with God instead of away from Him.
--As it turned
out, Saul’s death was not intended but David’s distinction as a man after God’s
own heart!
--In this passage and the one
following in 1 Samuel 26, the Lord shows David and his followers what it means
to trust Him and His purposes even when all indications seem to suggest an
totally different course of action.
A. APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEIVING
1 Samuel 24:4 And the men of David said to him,
“Behold, this is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold; I am about to
give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to
you.’” Then David arose and cut off the edge of
Saul’s robe secretly.
--What was wrong with that conclusion by David’s men? After all, what could be more obvious that
God was delivering you from your problems than having Him give you the means
and the moment to free yourself?
Prov. 18:17
The first to plead his case seems just, Until another comes and examines him.
--That made great sense logically, but unfortunately it did
not match God’s design which reserves vengeance for Himself…the first case
seems just, but taking the time to seek the will of the Lord protected David
from making a tragic error in His walk with God.
How many times are we
tested to see if we will accept things as they appear instead of checking with
the Lord to see if everything matches up with Him first? It might be a refund check from IRS that you
know is incorrect but it comes at a time of real need…is this God’s way of
‘helping’? It might come for a single
person as a really sharp girl or guy takes an interest in you and seems to be
an answer to prayer, but then you find out he/she is not a believer…is this
time for some evangelistic dating? It
might come as you have been looking for a way to justify some decision you want
to make but suspected that it was not right, then you found a verse in the
Bible (looking for ‘scriptural confirmation’), stripped it of its context and
made it say what you wanted to go ahead with your design…is this God’s Word at
work or an abuse which tried to use the Scriptures as a sanctified equivalent
of a Ouija board?
The first appearance may suggest
something that is definitely NOT the will of God, and in fact may be a ploy of
the enemy to tempt you away from the Lord.
2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for
even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
--A better course, as we will see, is to allow God’s Word to
speak to our circumstances than to allow our circumstances to shape our
understanding of God’s Word.
B. HIGH ROADS CAN BE DEMANDING
1 Samuel 24:5-6
And it came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him because he had
cut off the edge of Saul’s robe. 6
So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do
this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him,
since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
--When David decided to take a course which would follow the
Lord regardless of the costs, little did he realize all that would come from
that decision.
--That just about always happens…the cost is higher than we
would have thought when we first committed to follow the Lord and live for Him
alone.
--Here David’s choice to take the high road of obedience
instead of the low road of expedience cost him more time on the run instead of
a quicker path to the throne.
--But who wants to run ahead of the Lord’s timing and race
forward beyond the scope of His calling and the presence of His Spirit?
--Unfortunately, many Christians get in a great hurry to take
what God wants to give, and to take it on their terms instead of His.
--David had the insight to resist such a temptation and
chose to wait on the Lord rather than jump at the first opportunity which
presented itself to find relief from his beleaguered circumstances.
C. UNPRINCIPLED INITIATIVES CAN BE DANGEROUS
--From the perspective of his men, David suffered from an
over-active conscience and was missing a great shot at freedom and the throne.
--From God’s perspective, David was simply living by
biblical principles and with a tender heart for both God and for others.
--He was compelled by love and conscience to live for the
glory of God in all things:
1. He Loved God with
All His Heart
2. He Loved Even His
Enemies
--Upholding those higher principles was more important to
David than finding immediate relief from his hard times.
--Had he given in to the counsel of his men, or given up on
the principles by which he lived his life, his relief would have been
certain…for the moment, but who knows what worse things would have fallen upon
Him for violating what He knew to be God’s holiness and righteousness?
--At what cost will we ignore the broader picture of God’s
plan for our lives in order to satisfy some urgent craving for relief for the
moment with no regard for the long-term implications.
--Walking by faith instead of sight can lead us unwittingly
right into a pattern of sin, choosing what offers temporary pleasure or relief
but in fact only postpones the consequences that are inevitable when we choose
sin over faithfulness.
Hebrews 11:24-26 By faith Moses,
when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy
the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches
than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
--David recognized that the present circumstance offered him
the chance he had been waiting for, but the cost was too high—he would have to
violate the principles of godliness written on his heart by the Word of God.
Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I treasured in my heart, that
I may not sin against Thee.
--Therefore, David was protected from taking an ungodly,
unprincipled initiative because he had already set the course of his life to
abide in the Lord and allow His Word to determine his steps.
D. MERCIFUL LOVE CAN BE DISARMING
--The impact of David’s sensitivity to and obedience to the
quiet voice of the Lord struck both his men with the passion he had for God’s
best and Saul with the deadness and hardness of his own sinful heart.
1. His Men Saw Love
and Loyalty in a Disarming Way
--Having seldom, perhaps never, seen anyone love an enemy in
such a merciful way, his men had to have been struck with the quality of
David’s leadership and the depth of his character.
1 Samuel 24:7 And David persuaded his men with these words
and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way.
--Had they seen David taking the throne by force, what would
keep them from concluding that anyone given the opportunity could just as
easily do the same?
--Instead, they saw a regal action of mercy instead of a
tyrannical act of murder—and they had to be impressed with God’s control over
David’s heart.
2. His Enemy Saw Mercy and Integrity in a
Disarming Way
--Saul realized in a moment of devastating clarity that he
had just come within an inch of his life, and was spared only because of the
kindness of the one who had the power to allow him to live or to die.
1 Samuel 24:16b, 17-18 …Then Saul lifted up his voice and
wept. 17 And he said to
David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I
have dealt wickedly with you. 18 “And
you have declared today that you have done good to me, that the LORD delivered
me into your hand and yet you did not kill me.
1Sam. 26:21
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you
again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have
played the fool and have committed a serious error.”
--The kindness of David led Saul to repentance and admission
of the guilt of his sins against David and the Lord.
--David did not brow beat Saul into a confession, nor did he
threaten Saul to get him to admit that his wicked behavior toward David was
unjustified.
--Saul was disarmed by unconditional love and an
unexplainable mercy demonstrated by David.
--As king, Saul was used to demanding his way and never
hesitated to kill anyone he perceived to be an enemy—even when they were
innocent.
--Seeing grace directed toward him was so shocking to his
system that he cried out in acknowledging his sinfulness.
Emotional responses without a resulting
change of life have kept many from a genuine love for and devotion to Christ
because they confused their emotional experience with a life-changing
transformation with Christ—complete with repentance for sin and a true longing
for holiness.
E. GOD’S TIMING CAN BE
DISCONCERTING
--David’s men saw this as the time for him to take the
throne and become king—a time which was inevitable, based on the promise and
anointing of God.
--However, David realized that in God’s timing, his time had
not yet come because unless he acted, or authorized actions, which would result
in Saul’s death, Israel still had a king.
--He could have pushed God’s schedule ahead by taking
matters into his own hands, but not with the blessing of God—not without
defiling his own hands in the process.
--Since God had not taken Saul off the throne, what right
did David have to try to improve on God’s timing.
--God had anointed both Saul and David—only He had the right
to make the call on when one’s reign would end and the other’s would begin.
1 Samuel 26:10-11 10 David also said, “As the LORD
lives, surely the LORD will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or
he will go down into battle and perish.
11 “The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against
the LORD’s anointed; but now please
take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go.”
--Being willing to wait on the Lord when you are not sure
when He will act requires a deep level of trust in Him and complete confidence
that His ways and timing are always best.
--So David took into account
what was right before his eyes—Saul on a silver platter!—but then paused to
consider what God had taught him and expected of him before making a rash
decision based on sight instead of faith.
II. Check It Out First!
--David had learned that in order to follow the Lord, he had
better make sure that what he was doing was consistent with the character of
the Lord and the revealed will of the Lord.
Prov. 18:17
The first to plead his case seems just, Until another comes and examines him.
--If the first thing you see appears to be too good to be
true, you better pause to consider whether the Lord put it there or if you are
seeing it through impatient eyes instead of faithful eyes!
-When you face situations like this, and we all do, why not
do what David did and allow yourself to consider whether what you see is an answer
or an obstacle:
1. Inquire of the Lord—David had learned that he better take the time to
ask instead of assume he already knows what God would have him do.
--You might think you know but a simple prayer to ask may
open your eyes to see something more than first appears.
2. Examine His Word—Check to see if there is instruction, either directly or in
principle, about what you should do or think in the situation you are in.
--Be careful at this point to allow the Bible to speak as
God’s Word, to address your situation, not just provide a proof text you can
manipulate to your advantage.
You don’t have to
spend much time wondering if you are supposed to do something that violates what
the Lord has already clearly said. If
the cashier leaves the register open and walks to the back of the store, the
opportunity is right before you to steal the money. You don’t have to struggle with that one—the Bible speaks clearly
to the sin of stealing! But it also
speaks on a myriad of subjects that we see ignored as people struggle with what
to do when opportunities for sin arise in other areas.
3. Search Your
Conscience—When you came to
Christ, He began a work of transforming your mind so that you can have the mind
of Christ and He will direct your conscience toward godliness.
--The Holy Spirit dwells within you and will shed His light
on any situation so that you can see it as Christ would, all in line with His
revealed Word.
4. Anticipate the
Consequences—Having just suffered
the misery of losing fellowship with the Lord, David was not inclined to do
anything which would break that again anytime soon!
--Furthermore, there were other consequences which would
have fallen on him, perhaps not immediately but in the pattern he set for
giving in to sin in his own life.
--The consequences we suffer for doing the wrong thing can
often be anticipated if we ask the Lord and take time to think things
through—is this worth it?
5. Hold Your Ground—Once you have sorted out what is right versus what you
want, then it is up to you to hold your ground and refuse to choose to sin.
--Does that seem unnecessary
to say? Not really, given that most of
the time when we do sin it is clear to us that we are doing so and we go ahead
anyway!
--If you know what God wants,
you have therefore discovered what is best for His glory and your good—why
settle for anything less? Hold your
ground! Stand firm!
What can we learn from David’s
example? Just because you can,
does not mean you should!
Taking God’s will into our own hands
invites trouble—leading either to sin or settling for less than His best. Our human nature makes us want to jump at
the chance to take control and when the circumstances appear to be in our
favor, we are ready to lay aside our principles and our calling to a life of
distinction in Christ in order to make things happen in our favor.
You might want to ask, “What are the
rules? How can I always know?” The truth is, you may not be able to tell at
first…so wait! Seek the Lord and ask
Him to make it clear.
Paul explained our responsibility as
followers of Christ, and did it succinctly:
“for we walk by faith, not be sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Today as you look back, are there some
choices you would like to have over again in light of what David chose
here? Are you facing what appears to be
an opportunity that the Lord laid in your lap?
But now, you realize He may be giving you a chance to reconsider, to
ponder, to reflect to see if what you see coincides with what He really wants.
All that glitters is not gold. Not everything that looks too good to be
true may in fact be true. The only way
to know is to take the time to seek the Lord—ASK HIM!
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom,
let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and
it will be given to him.
David made the right choice, the wise
choice, and did not allow appearances to sway him from doing the will of the Lord. May we be resolved to do the same!
Providence
Baptist Church
© David
Horner 2004
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