Have We Repented Enough?

Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom. As all the people heard of the king’s deep grief for his son, the joy of that day’s victory was turned into deep sadness. They crept back into the town that day as though they were ashamed and had deserted in battle. The king covered his face with his hands and kept on crying, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” [2 Samuel 19.1-4] 

Talk about torment!

David's grief was far more complicated than that of a father mourning the loss of a son. This was, in fact, the second son David lost. In the midst of crying, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” David was once again living in the reality that now Absalom too was dead because of his sin regarding Bathsheba.

Nathan's confrontation of David involved two serious sentences upon him. The first sentence was actually the one that was realized in Absalom:

From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own. “This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. [2 Samuel 12.10-11]

Then, the second sentence following David's repentance was the death of the child conceived in sin. 

Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the LORD by doing this, your child will die.” [2 Samuel 12.14]

We should understand that despising God and showing utter contempt for His Word were serious indictments with serious consequences. Even though David repented, the deaths of two of his sons were set in motion.

What about grace?

Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. [2 Samuel 12.13]

David's repentance worked for saving his own life but did not reverse the damage set in motion upon his offspring.

Until we understand that our selfishness despises God and shows utter contempt for His Word with consequences beyond our own lives, we will continue to struggle with repentance. God's Word is true.

David's response after the child conceived with Bathsheba died might indeed warn us about thinking we have "repented enough."

After Nathan returned to his home, the LORD sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah’s wife. David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused. Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?” When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the LORD. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate. His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.” David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the LORD will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.” [2 Samuel 12.15-23]

David's repentance stopped when the child died with no apparent concern for Nathan's more widespread sentence about his household rebelling against him and his wives being given to another man in view of everyone. I am not making this up - it is indeed what the Bible says happened!

So, while indeed, we might poll God, "What about grace and forgiveness?" He might remind us, "What about repentance?"

Could David have entered a more in-depth repentance that would have prevented Absalom's demise? We simply cannot know that. However, we do know that forgiveness has no application where there is no repentance.

For this reason, Jesus preached a two-fold message:

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” [Mark 1.15]

Are we content, like David, to stop repenting when we think it is enough? It is something to think about.

I suppose it might be said that we have repented enough when we have believed enough...

Father, help me to see that just as my sin affects more people than just me, so my repentance affects more people than just me. May I never selfishly stop repenting just because "I" am okay. So be it.