A Man After God's Own Heart

By Louis Rushmore, Editor

    Is there any occasion to offer hope and encouragement to Christians who sometimes falter along life’s pathway? The evidence of man’s moral and spiritual frailty is abundantly evident from a sampling of biblical history. The evidence of man’s moral and spiritual frailty is abundantly evident from observing the world around us, in every generation. Unfortunately, the evidence of man’s moral and spiritual frailty is abundantly obvious from awareness of our own shortcomings and sins. Is there any hope, is there any source of biblical encouragement regarding mankind’s eternal future in view of his moral and spiritual failings?

    The evidence of man’s moral and spiritual frailty is abundantly evident from a sampling of biblical history. For instance, the first pair have the ignoble distinction of ushering sin into the human race (Genesis 3). “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

    The oldest son of Adam and Eve has the infamous record of being the first murderer (Genesis 4:8). By the time of Noah, the world was so corrupt that God determined to destroy humanity (Genesis 6-8). Even Noah who God spared from the universal flood later sinned with drunkenness (Genesis 9:21). Noah’s sin contributed to the sin of his son, Ham (Genesis 9:22-27). That’s discouraging, isn’t it?

    Moses, Lawgiver of the Old Testament, had a tumultuous relationship with God. At the age of 40, Moses presumptuously proposed to liberate the Israelites from Egyptian oppression, even killing a man (Acts 7:22-29; Exodus 2:11-14). At the age of 80 when God called Moses to liberate the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, Moses repeatedly refused and angered God (Exodus 3-4). At the age of 120, Moses was refused entry into Canaan, toward which Moses had been leading the Israelites for 40 years, because of sin by Moses (Numbers 20:7-12; Deuteronomy 34:1-6). That’s discouraging, isn’t it?

    King David, the dynasty of which figures into Messianic and kingdom prophecies, was guilty of several serious crimes before man and God. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband after she conceived and David could not attribute the conception to her husband (1 Samuel 11). David’s pride led him to take a census of the people that God had not authorized (2 Samuel 24:1-9). How sad that one of the Bible’s greatest characters often miserably failed in sin! That’s discouraging, isn’t it?

    In New Testament times (early in the first century), Saul of Tarsus (Paul) was guilty of several awful crimes and sins. Saul caused Christians to blaspheme (Acts 26:11). Further, Saul was responsible for the imprisonment and even murder of Christians (Acts 26:10). Saul’s sins haunted him all his life and adversely affected his relationship with thousands of Christians (i.e., his ministry was primarily in Asia Minor and Europe, away from where he had harmed Christians). How can one ever recover from such horrendous sins to be a useful servant of God? That’s discouraging, isn’t it?

    The Bible is a faithful and true record of humanity, including the shameful and despicable sins often committed by mankind (obviously not the type of record men would voluntarily make of themselves, attesting to the divine origin of the Bible). That’s discouraging, isn’t it?

    However, there is reason for hope and encouragement respecting the eternal home with God in spite of human failing. Noah was not a perfect man, as we noticed. However, Noah is remembered in the New Testament not for his failings in sin, but for his outstanding accomplishments for God. First, Noah and his family were spared from the universal flood because their hearts and lives differed from the sinful world that perished (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:6). The New Testament remembers Noah as a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). Consequently, despite Noah’s shortcomings and sins, we have every reason to believe that Noah prevailed and was not eternally lost. That gives hope to the sometimes faltering child of God today.

    Moses was not a perfect man, as we noticed. However, the New Testament holds up Moses as the great Lawgiver and Prophet, forerunner to Jesus Christ as the great Lawgiver and Prophet of the New Testament (Deuteronomy 18:15-18; Acts 3:22-23; James 4:12). The appearance of Moses at the transfiguration of Jesus Christ implies that Moses was not eternally lost (Matthew 17:1-5). That gives hope to the sometimes faltering child of God today.

    At times in his life, King David was far from a perfect man, also as we noticed. Despite the grievous sins of David, the New Testament remembers David as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22; cf. 1 Samuel 13:14). David is remembered in the New Testament as a prophet and as the head of the dynasty relating to the establishment of Christ’s everlasting kingdom (Acts 2:25-36). That gives hope to the sometimes faltering child of God today.

    Saul of Tarsus (later the apostle Paul) was far from a perfect man, as we noted. After his conversion, Paul became the most industrious Christian in his time, writing most of the New Testament. Paul led to the conversion of thousands in his lifetime and millions throughout the centuries. Paul was able to contemplate spending an eternity with God, despite the horrible sins of which he had been guilty in his lifetime (2 Timothy 4:7-8). That gives hope to the sometimes faltering child of God today (1 Timothy 1:15).

    Clearly, both testaments of the Bible teach that Final Judgment will occur, in which mankind must give account for his sins (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; 2 Corinthians 5:10). The righteous and unrighteous will be separated eternally respectively in heaven and hell (Matthew 25:46). Not any of us are sinlessly perfect, but through repentance and prayer, we can persevere and approach the throne of God, even boldly (Acts 8:22; Hebrews 4:16).

    There is no hope eternally for anyone who either is not a child of God or who is an unfaithful child of God. Why not become a child of God today by enacting the words of Jesus in your life: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…”  (Mark 16:16)? If an erring child of God, why not acknowledge your sins and return to God today: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)?