Be Free From Guilt – I'm Following Jesus

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Chapters: II Samuel 13-15
Message: Be Free From Guilt

Hello My Friend,

Guilt; That state of a moral agent which results from an actual commission of a crime or offense. The guilt of a person exists as soon as the crime is committed, but it must be proved by confession, or conviction in due course of the law. Guilt renders a person a debtor to the law as it binds them to pay a penalty for their crime. You know, we are all guilty of something, but thanks to Jesus who died on the cross to pay the penalty for us we, who have received Him as our Saviour are pardoned for our crimes. Let me tell you, salvation may save our soul, but it does not always give us freedom from the guilt of our past. We must understand that when we are saved we are no longer under the law, therefore, we are justified in Christ, but in order to be free we must address that guilt, and then hand it all over to Jesus. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” – Romans 3:19-20,24.

“for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Our conscious has a way of bringing out guilt the second we do something, and it keep us out of God’s will. While David did seek forgiveness from God after that mess with Bathsheba, he never addressed it properly, and so, all the things that God told him would happen as a result of the way he handled the whole situation was coming to pass. As we read through the chapters today, we come to sad story of three of David’s children, Absalom, Amnon, half-brother to Absalom, and Tamar, his sister.

“And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her. So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.” – II Samuel 13:1-2,6,11-12,14–15.

“Then Amnon hated her exceedingly;” Why did he hate her after he assaulted her? Guilt. The guilt of knowing what he did was wrong, and the shame of what he did to his sister. Guilt often turns a heart from love to hate. Now, David found out, but never addressed the situation, this resulted in Absalom taking things into his own hands. “But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth. And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar. And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant. And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled. But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.” – II Samuel 13:21-23,28-29,37-38.

“for he was comforted concerning Amnon,” Why was David comforted concerning the death of Amnon? By law, Amnon would have been put to death for his crime. Therefore, Absalom was justified in what he had done. And since David never addressed this situation, there was a lot of guilt and shame there as well for his own crime, he saw this as the consequence of his sin. However, Joab came up with a plan to reunite the two, and finally address the situation, only things did not go exactly as he planned.

“Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom. So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face. But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face. Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come. And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me. So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.” – II Samuel 14:1,23-25,28-29,32-33.

“and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.” Again, Absalom was rightfully justified in what he did as death was the punishment for rape. However, guilt does something else, if the crime in not addressed properly by the person who committed the crime, it could result in retaliation. By David still not addressing this situation correctly he left the door open for Absalom to devise a scheme to take the throne from his father.

“And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron. And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing. And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.” – II Samuel 15:1-2,5-6,10-12.

“so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” Absalom had time to carry out this plan because David was wrong in how he handled the entire situation. Had he addressed it properly in the first place, first by going to God, and then enforcing the law, then perhaps the outcome would have been different. Now, with Absalom taking over the nation, David saw no other solution than to leave Jerusalem for the time being.

“And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city. And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation: But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:” – II Samuel 15:14,24-26,30-32.

“and smite the city with the edge of the sword.” You see, this is why David fled the city? As a great soldier himself he was certainly capable of stopping all this, but he did not want bloodshed in Jerusalem. “if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD,” This was the first time we learn of David really talking to God since his sin with Bathsheba. The guilt and shame of our crimes, if not properly addressed, will eat us up until we one, forgive ourselves, and two, ask God what we need to do to make things right. Had David just addressed his own sin, and given it over to God to show him how to handle it, there would have been a different outcome. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” – James 4:8-10.

“and he shall lift you up.” Charles Spurgeon said something that goes well with this lesson. “We are now-even now pardoned; even now are our sins put away; even now we stand in the sight of God accepted, as though we had never been guilty. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” There is not a sin in the Book of God, even now, against one of his people. Who dareth to lay anything to their charge? There is neither speck, nor spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing remaining upon any one believer in the matter of justification in the sight of the Judge of all the earth.”

“There is therefore now no condemnation” The second we accept Christ as our Saviour we are pardoned from condemnation, and of every sin, even the ones we will commit after we are saved, which is why we need to confess our sins daily. And should we mess up, just confess, give it over to God, so we do not find ourselves in a situation that brings more suffering.“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” – Romans 8:1-4. Amen!

Jesus Christ Magnified: “Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.” – II Samuel 14:17.

Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for your mercy and grace to save a sinner like me. I know that nothing I do will keep me from heaven because I put my faith and trust in Your Son to save me from my sins. I do not want Him to be just my ticket into heaven, I want to be a faithful servant who is not afraid to come to You when I have a situation I cannot handle, even when I am the cause of it. Lord, lead me and guide me, let me not get into situations that would cause me to make bad decisions in the first place, but if I do get into them, show me the way to address them properly so I do not end up with more needless suffering. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://readytofollow.com/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Missed A Message: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I’m Following Jesus Missions: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength