Unforgiven

Are You Unforgiven?

There was a movie released in 1992 called Unforgiven. One of the more memorable lines was, “I ain’t like that no more.” The character played by Clint Eastwood used to be a very bad man, drinking and killing, things like that. He reformed, hence the line, “I ain’t like that no more.” As the movie progressed, Bill Munny faced temptation after temptation. In the end he reverted back to the man he used to be. He became unforgiven. Are YOU unforgiven? The Bible teaches that there is no sin God can’t forgive. There is an exception, but that’s a whole different concept and for this post I’ll skip it as a digression that doesn’t apply. Let’s go back in time to the Hebrew paragon of virtue known as King David. Yeah, the guy who killed Goliath. He was known as a man after God’s own heart. He was forgiven all his sins, right? He’s in the lineage of Jesus, too. Let’s look at King David for a bit. Back then, there was a “season” for war. Most soldiers of that era were farmers, and couldn’t be spared to fight during planting or harvest season. Winter limited movement, so the season for war only happened after spring planting and before autumn’s harvest. Kings lead their solders, unlike these days when our “leaders” command their troops from well away from the front lines. Yet King David sat at home while his generals fought. He sent others to fight and die while he sat at home with his feet up. Violation of God’s will. While lounging at home, he just happened to look out over his city and noticed a woman bathing on a rooftop. (Not unusual in that culture.) Instead of looking away, he let his eyes stay put. He wondered, “Who is that?” His advisers told him it’s the wife of one of his best fighting men. “Bring her to me.” After she got pregnant, David recalled the woman’s husband and tried to get him to spend some time with her to cover up the king’s adultery. When that didn’t work he sent the man back to the front lines with sealed orders for the general to put that man in the heaviest fighting, then to withdraw and let the enemy kill him. So King David, the best of the best, defied God’s will. After he coveted his neighbor’s wife, he committed adultery and murder. He lied to cover up his other sins. Yet he is remembered as the Hebrew role model. God forgave him. Why? David recognized his sin for what it was: rebellion against the Creator of the universe. He asked for forgiveness, and God gave it freely. David still had to live with the consequences of the sin, though. The baby born from that sin died. Discord was sown into his family. All sorts of complications happened because of that sin. But it was forgiven. If God can forgive King David, He can forgive you. Simply recognize your rebellion, admit it, ask to be forgiven, and you will be. Unlike Bill Munny, King David wasn’t unforgiven. You aren’t unforgivable either.