By Douglas K. Wilson, Ph.D.
Dean, Office for Global Engagement, University of Mobile
GRIEVED
2 Samuel 13:15–20, 31–39
God is grieved over sexual sins of intent and action. Often these practices are accompanied by idol worship, whether the fertility deities of old or the contemporary practice of idolizing celebrities. To protect Israel God provided sexual laws as guardrails within the holiness code (see Lev. 18). Included in the law were prohibitions against incest, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality and ritual mating. His people were to reflect His holiness (Lev. 11:44–45) rather than follow the model of the Canaanites (18:27–30).
Throughout Israel’s monarchy, obedience to the Mosaic law was selective. In many ways the practices from the time of the judges continued to be the model: “Everyone did whatever seemed right to him” (Judg. 21:25).
Shattered (15–20)
Lust, promises, rape, rejection. We tend to avoid topics like this in our classrooms and Bible studies and from our pulpits, though many women who attend our churches face these realities. Sexual misconduct shatters lives, robs purity from marriage, turns humans into objects of both desire and disdain and can lead to jealousy, hatred and murder. It happened in David’s family and it shatters families and communities today.
Devastated (31–36)
Absalom conspired to have his half-brother Amnon murdered for raping his sister Tamar. His other brothers fled in fear as a rumor that he had killed all David’s sons spread. A later report explained only Amnon was dead. Whether one son or many, David was experiencing the devastation that his own sin brought to the family.
What does the New Testament teach the church about sex? Paul gave counsel to married couples about mutuality (1 Cor. 7:1–5) but wrote significantly more about sexual sins (Rom. 1:26–32; 1 Cor. 5:1–5, 6:12–20). Blatant, unrepentant sin of “believers” was devastating fellowship, discipleship and worship within the churches. Paul’s instruction was to remove fellowship until they demonstrated godly repentance (1 Cor. 5:5, 9, 13). Contemporary churches must herald the sinfulness of sin, the righteousness of Christ, the coming judgment and the glorious hope we have through the gospel.
Separated (37–39)
Sin separates us from God, from each other and from the purpose for which God created us. Absalom’s 3-year separation from David was a result of an avalanche of sins: David’s adultery and murder of Uriah, Amnon’s sin of rape and Absalom’s sin of murder. Brokenness, heartache and separation are the outgrowth of sin.
Christians must recognize that forbidden sexual activity is still a sin, separating us from God and each other. Jesus taught that adultery of intent and of action is sin (Matt. 5:27–28). Jesus discussed only two genders, male and female, quoting Genesis 1:27 (Matt. 19:4). Jesus acknowledged only heterosexual marriage, quoting Genesis 2:24 (Matt. 19:5). Jesus taught that God allowed divorce only because of the hardness of human hearts (Matt. 19:8–9). Regardless of the raging winds of sexual trends in contemporary culture, Jesus is still our authority.
John records God’s message that the unrepentant sexually immoral will be among those excluded from the eternal kingdom (Rev. 21:8). May we as Christians be faithful to share the transforming gospel so that people from every background may repent and find forgiveness and wholeness in Jesus Christ.
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