The Illustration of David: Romans 4:6-8
“6) just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7) “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. 8) BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.” Romans 4:6-8
Paul now takes a short detour from his discussion of Abraham and looks at a quote from King David. In these verses, Paul quotes Psalm 32:1-2. He does so to point out that David also embraced justification by faith and not works. It is instructive to note that Psalm 32:3 starts by saying, “when I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away…”
And rightly so, because David had plenty of sin in his life. Though it was said that he was a man after God’s own heart; he lied, committed adultery, tied covering up his sin and then had Uriah killed. He also disobeyed God and had the people numbered bringing a terrible judgement on Israel. If righteousness was based on keeping the Law, David was eternally lost.
But David openly confessed his sin and turned from it. His story is that he didn’t walk away from God, he walked away from his sinful ways in his pursuit of God. I see David as a great example of 1 John 1:5-10. He did not live in denial of his sin, nor was he content to be out of fellowship with God.
This small reference to King David should give all of us hope. Rather than living with condemnation, he discovered the power of confession and repentance and rebuilt a close and intimate walk with God. It is almost like he had a preview of the gospel. (See 1 John 2:1-3)
This same grace and invitation extends to you and me. Jesus not only died for our sins, He lives to be our advocate. That means that “He defends us before the Father.” Don’t let your sin drive your from God, rather confess and repent of your sinful ways and run to God. Become a man or woman after God’s own heart no matter what your past looks like.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
