There’s an off-ramp to escape each time we are tempted. Sometimes we don’t feel it, sometimes we may miss it, but it’s always there. By the Spirit’s power at work in us, we can say no…but it’s a daily battle of repentance and confession.

Kings tried to take his life. He stood toe-to-toe with an armed giant who terrified entire armies. He walked by faith in situations that would make many run in fear. Almighty God called him a “man after my own heart.” Yet, in spite of his history of godly character and tremendous faith, David let down his guard and gave in to his sinful desires by taking another man’s wife and then covering it up with murder.

His sin brought about pain and hardship for Bathsheba, destroyed a family, caused the death of a man and a baby, and tarnished his good reputation. Second Samuel begins with victory after victory in David’s life, only to build up to his dramatic fall in chapter 11.

If there were ever a human I’d think incapable of such atrocities, it’d be David. This is the man who wouldn’t lay a hand on the king though he had him trapped…twice. God promised him that the Messiah would come from his line therefore his kingdom would never end. We’re not talking about a minor character, but the very man who established Jerusalem as the capital and gathered resources for his son to build the temple. One can’t think about the history of Israel without considering the golden age under the reign of King David.

Yet this story reminds us that every human is capable of falling into sin. None of us are immune to giving in to our fleshy desires, and we are all one bad choice away from causing much destruction.

Prone to Fall

Paul teaches that the negative examples from Old Testament are meant to teach us “that we might not desire evil as they did” (10:6). He then warns the Corinthians: “Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (10:12). It doesn’t matter if you’re a new believer or a seasoned believer, a pastor or infrequent church attender, any one of us can allow sin to grip our heart if we are not actively fighting against it. Past faithfulness doesn’t ensure future victory over sin.

Such warning should awaken us to the serious reality of sin, yet not leave us hopeless.

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