If there really are any absolutes - clear, definite rights and wrongs - and, especially if there is an ultimate absolute - a holy God - what should our response be when we have chosen to do what is wrong. The obvious response, in Christian terms, is repentance. Most likely, you've heard this interpreted in books or sermons as a change of mind, or a change of direction - going one way, realizing it's wrong, and turning 180 degrees and heading the opposite direction.
How do you really do this? How does the moment of change take place? Is it simply a moment of choice, a mental decision, that when made, all is said and done? I'd have to answer, "Yes. --and, no."
Most of the Christian life can be explained as a moment of decision followed by a lifetime of process. Even salvation is describe in scripture in past, present and future tenses. I submit that repentance involves a moment of decision followed by an on-going process as well. One of the best examples of the nature and process of repentance is found in David's response to his own sin in the prayer recorded as Psalm 51.
King David is described in scripture as a "man after God's own heart." Yet, he took another man's wife to bed in an adulterous affair. Then, to cover his sin, he murdered the man by arranging to have him killed in battle. I've heard several people over the years use the life of David and the "man after God's own heart" idea to as an excuse to reject God. "If David's an example of the heart of God, I don't want to follow [or believe in] a god like that." I've heard some say it with such an air of condescension they obviously think themselves pretty smart for coming up with it. In reality, they're just showing off their own lack of understanding, but that's their excuse nonetheless.
Being true to your beliefs is easy when you don't have any. It's another matter altogether when you recognize there really is a God, He really is holy (pure, righteous), and to live in His presence you need to be holy also. When there is such an incredibly high standard to which to aspire, the odds of failing are significant. The Bible admonishes us to be holy, to be perfect. It also acknowledges we cannot be, particularly not on the basis of our own abilities and efforts. God desires for us to know that He exists (which we can only know by faith), and to know that He rewards those who seek Him. Corollaries include the fact that He desires good for us (not that each experience on earth will be good in and of itself - we will have troubles and tribulations on this earth. However, He will use each situation to bring about good in us - that we may become more like Him. It's a process. It's growth. It takes time. It begins with salvation. It begins with repentance. It begins when we faith Him. It continues all through life.
David understood that, probably more after his colossal failure than before. His sin drove Him to seek God even more passionately. Over the next couple of blog posts, let's look more closely at Psalm 51. What are your thoughts about it? Have you read this Psalm? Have you contemplated? Can you at all relate to it? Is it depressing to you? Or is it a cause of celebration and rejoicing? Please post your comments. And please tell others to check out this series of blog posts.
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