The Path to Restoration

I trust that we all take to heart Franco’s article, The Dangerous Drift. It is a sobering message, one that should prompt each of us to engage in a more diligent self-examination of our spiritual health. Our “righteousness in Christ” through salvation does not make us immune to sin, which at its core, is a desire to live according to our own selfish interests. When we drift and fall into sin, we must seek restoration in our relationship with our Lord Jesus.

When I reflect on the theme of restoration, I am drawn to the example of King David—“a man after God’s own heart”—who rose from humble beginnings, essentially a nobody, to become king over Israel. Yet, even David drifted from his calling to serve God’s people, instead choosing to fulfill the lusts of his own flesh (2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12). His downfall is one of the most tragic failures of any servant of the Lord in Scripture. There were several incremental steps that led David toward sin and even murder. However, it is his response to the reproof delivered by the prophet Nathan that I want to focus on.

After Nathan confronted David about his sin and the consequences that would follow for him and his family, David’s only reply was, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” In that moment, David immediately recognized the deeper truth—that his sin was ultimately against God. Though others had been the immediate victims of his evil actions, David understood that it was God Himself who had been most deeply grieved by his sin. This confession allowed him to record the deeply repentant lament of Psalm 51.

Psalm 51:1-4: “Show favor to me, O God, according to Your covenant faithfulness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is constantly before me. Against You, You alone, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your eyes; so that You may be justified when You speak and pure when You judge.”

David’s first plea is for God’s grace. He recognized that grace was his only path forward. Without God’s grace, he knew his life would be worthless. Therefore, he asked for grace according to God’s covenant faithfulness—not because he deserved anything, but because he knew God is faithful to His promises. David understood that God is not a covenant-breaker!

Similarly, our cleansing from sin is not based on our own efforts, but on God’s faithful righteousness to forgive. As 1 John 1:9 reminds us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God is faithful, and He never breaks His covenants.

David then pleaded for God to “blot out” his transgressions, asking on what basis? “According to Your tender mercies.” There are no promises in the Hebrew Scriptures that God would remove transgressions from His heavenly record. In fact, the opposite is often referenced by the prophets. For example, Malachi 3 speaks of a “scroll of remembrance” in God’s presence, where angelic scribes record the deeds of men throughout their lives. These records are opened at the Judgment, and individuals are either rewarded or punished accordingly. Numerous other Scriptures mention how this record is kept for the Day of Judgment (Rev. 20:12, Job 34:11, 1 Cor. 3:14-17, etc.). Awareness that our sins are recorded should compel us to stay the course and avoid drifting from God. David didn’t want his record to be stained by sin, so he pleaded for God’s mercy to remove them from the book.

David also longed for God’s purification through washing. Washing and cleansing were essential for service to God—no priest could offer sacrifices or even enter the holy place without being washed. This desire for cleansing reflects a deep need for holiness. In John 15, Jesus told his disciples that they were clean because they had believed his words—meaning their faith in who he was made them holy. Peter affirms this in 1 Peter 1:14-16:

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former desires you had in your ignorance, but as the One who called you is holy, you yourselves must also be holy in all your way of life. For it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”

Like David, we should all strive to live holy lives. Yet, also like David, our sin is ever before us. We are acutely aware of our own failings, and although God may forgive and forget them, we often do not. The best way to forget our sin is to stop sinning and obey the Lord!

David concludes this section by acknowledging God’s sovereignty in judgment because His judgments are pure. No one will receive an unjust sentence when they stand before God. Furthermore, no one will argue against God’s judgment. Every mouth will be silenced, and every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord, to the glory of God.

May we all follow David’s example of repentance—recognizing God’s grace, calling upon His mercy, and avoiding the drifting waters of sin. In doing so, we can be restored to intimate fellowship with our Lord Jesus and our heavenly Father.

In the boat with you, (but not drifting!)