Monday, June 29, 2020

losing confession

Trigger: sexual assault in the Bible.

I've sung different versions of Psalm 51 over the years. It's a beautiful plea for forgiveness. It's personal and rugged.

It's the song of a sex offender.

King David invaded Bathsheba's privacy, ignored the bond of her marriage, and used his power to destroy her family. Then, when Nathan spoke prophetically of his need for confession and repentance, David tried to pontificate for strict justice. Nathan reveals that David will pay for his sin with the life of his unborn bastard child.

But what about Bathsheba?

She is raped while her husband is serving God and the king (her rapist). She is carrying her attacker's baby when her husband is brought home from war. Her righteous husband refuses to go home, not knowing that his wife needs his protection and comfort. So, her attacker sends him to certain death in battle. This grieving widow then bears her attacker's son, who dies. She remains in a polygamous royal court, to continue bearing future children for the local ruler. Trauma after trauma in this story.

Can you imagine this grief?








And yet, we sing Psalm 51 still. We remember David as a great leader, a man after God's own heart. We acknowledge that he "wasn't perfect." We listen to sermons about David's grief over Jedediah, this child of rape (2 Kings 12:1-25) and see a leader ready to serve the LORD again.

So, here is my question:

When did the Church lose confession?




If David's legacy can be that of a man after God's own heart, why are faith leaders continually disposed after public sin? Why are we expecting perfect leaders instead of investing in systems that restore victims and aggressors? I'm not advocating that the abused remain with their abusers--on the contrary! Why are we not teaching confession and repentance for every sin?

A system of one strike and you're out is not the system of the Bible. It's not even how the Old Testament works, as clearly illustrated by this terrible atrocity in Bathsheba's story. The power of confession and repentance is forgiveness by God. It's larger than any human superstructure.

Stop believing you can be good enough for God.




Sing Psalm 51 like David, a convicted rapist who is grieving his son.
Sing Psalm 51 like Bathsheba, a mourning widow and mother who is pleading for her purity.
Sing Psalm 51 like Jedediah, a 7-day old infant dying for the sins of his father.
Sing Psalm 51 like the nation of Israel, following a leader caught in a lie.
Sing Psalm 51 like an American Christian, repenting of everything standing between Christ and the Church.


Common Hymnal, 2018

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Ephesians 5

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:

“Awake, O sleeper!

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you!”

Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

hey guys