Articles
Secret Faults vs. Presumptuous Sins
"Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not rule over me; then I will be blameless, and I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:12-14)
David, the author of this wonderful psalm of praise to God for His revelation of Himself and His nature to man, voices his own frustration at his inability to mold his life totally in accordance with God's revealed plan. He recognizes and asks for God's forgiveness for his failure to measure up, and asks for strength to avoid habitual sin patterns and willful rejection of God's way.
God had already made a careful distinction between these types of sins. "The priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the person who goes astray when he sins unintentionally, making atonement for him that he may be forgiven… But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt will be on him.’” (Numbers 15:28, 30-31).
Paul also recognized such a difference. Keep in mind that all sin is detestable to God and must be repented of, resulting, of course, in His forgiveness. But Paul claimed that even his blasphemous, murderous persecution of the church was done "ignorantly in unbelief" (1Tim. 1:13). His plea of ignorance did not excuse his guilt, but through it he "obtained mercy" (v. 13) and "grace" (v. 14).
This is an "example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life." (v. 16). Let us not be guilty of willful, presumptuous sin, but on these occasions when we do fall, we can be thankful that our Savior’s "perfect patience" (v. 16) still affords us such mercy.
--- With brotherly affection, Andy
