                    [Times Square Church Pulpit Series]

                              Hatred For Sin!

                           Is Your Hatred for Sin
                           Tempered With Mercy?

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By David Wilkerson
October 17, 1994
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          I want to tell you about an anointed servant of God who
          hated sin as few people ever have. His hatred for evil
          was so passionate, so intense he was ready to kill all
          transgressors.

          I am speaking of Saul, the first king of Israel! No
          person in the Old Testament expressed a greater hatred
          for sin than did Saul.

          The Philistines invaded Israel, perhaps to test the
          resolve of the newly appointed king. They came at
          Israel in three separate companies, attacking on three
          different flanks. A cowardice spread among the
          Israelite soldiers - and they began fleeing to caves,
          dens, and rocks to hide from the enemy.

          Saul was left with only six hundred fighters. And, they
          were badly outnumbered and poorly armed: "...there was
          neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the
          people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul
          and with Jonathan his son was there found [weapons]" (1
          Samuel 13:22).

          Saul and his motley army sat under some trees,
          wondering what to do. Meanwhile, Jonathan and his
          armor-bearer slipped away from the camp to plan their
          own strategy. This young son of Saul was a godly man,
          full of faith. He told his helper: "...there is no
          restraint (limitation) to the Lord to save by many or
          by few" (14:6).

          The pair sneaked off to a placed near Michmash, where
          they saw a company of Philistine soldiers on a ridge
          above them. Jonathan stood up, exposing himself to the
          soldiers, and they dared him to come up. Somehow, he
          and his armor-bearer climbed up the steep rock ledge
          and surprised the enemy soldiers. Almost immediately,
          they slew twenty Philistines!

          When the slaughter was accomplished, the rest of the
          Philistine soldiers panicked. Evidently, there was a
          narrow passageway out of that battlefield, and the
          soldiers got bottled up in it. Scripture says they
          trembled and shook, and even began to fight with one
          another: "And there was trembling in the host...and
          they went on beating down one another" (verses 15-16).

          One of Saul's sentries heard the motion. Looking down
          into the valley, he saw two men putting the Philistines
          to chase. He called out to Saul, who came and looked
          upon the scene. Saul couldn't figure out who the two
          soldiers were. So he ordered his officers, "See who
          among us is missing." A head count was made, and a
          soldier reported back to Saul: "Jonathan and his
          armor-bearer are gone!"

          When Saul heard this, he and his army joined the
          battle. Suddenly, all the deserting Israelites emerged
          from the dens, rocks and cave hideouts. And they ended
          up chasing away the Philistines!

          In the heat of battle, however, Saul gave a rash
          command. He said to his soldiers:

          "...Cursed be the man that eateth any food until
          evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none
          of the people tasted any food" (verse 24). He had
          commanded, "Let no one stop to eat until this battle is
          finished!" It was a foolish statement to make.

          Of course, Jonathan hadn't heard the command. And,
          while he was fighting in a wooded area, he came upon
          some trees where a supply of honey was dripping to the
          ground. He poked his rod into one of the honeywells and
          enjoyed a refreshing mouthful. Immediately, his eyes
          enlightened, and he was energized for battle.

          That evening, after the battle, the ravenous Israelite
          army dove into the spoils. They slew sheep and oxen on
          the ground, and they chomped on meat that still had
          blood in it. Both of these actions were contrary to the
          law.

          Someone saw this happening and reported it to Saul. The
          king was horrified. He knew that the law required
          animals to be killed off the ground and their blood to
          be drained. Suddenly, an indignation and rage filled
          him. He commanded everyone to gather around him, and he
          roared: "...Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone
          unto me this day" (verse 33). (The phrase "this day" in
          Hebrew actually means "This very moment -
          immediately!")

          Saul was saying, "God is offended! You have grieved
          Him! This is outright, blatant sin. Quick - there is no
          time lose! Bring me a large stone. And, every one of
          you, bring your cattle and slay them on the stone. Let
          the blood drain from the animals, and don't eat any
          meat with blood in it. Do it right!"

          I can visualize the scene: Saul stands indignantly by
          the altar he erected, while the Israelites came
          forward, shame-faced and sheepish. He shakes his head
          and says to his captains, "How could they do such a
          thing? Are they really that stupid? I can't allow the
          wrath of God to fall on this nation. This has to be
          made right!" He was outraged!

          That night the soldiers were weary traumatized from the
          battle. They wanted to go home. But, they hadn't done a
          major mop-up of the Philistines. They had won only a
          partial victory.

          Saul demanded they return to battle and chase the
          Philistines all night. He said, "We're not sleeping
          tonight! We're going to fight until I'm avenged of my
          enemies!"

          But the priest suggested, "Let's consult the Lord
          first." The Bible says "And Saul asked counsel of God,
          Shall I go down after the Philistines? Wilt thou
          deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered
          him not that day" (verse 37).

          Once more, Saul's hatred for sin was aroused. He raged,
          "God isn't speaking because He's mad at us! Somebody
          has sinned - and I'm going to find out who it is. I
          will not allow sin to go on among God's people. Line
          up, everybody - Israel on one side, and my son and me
          on the other."

          Scripture says they cast lots, and the lot fell to Saul
          and Jonathan. "...And Saul and Jonathan were taken..."
          (verse 41). The king and his son had been isolated. So
          Saul turned to Jonathan and said, "So, it's you!"
          "...Tell me what thou has done..." (verse 43). "What
          did you do, Jonathan? Have you sinned?

          Now, Saul already had told the people, "So help me God,
          even if the guilty party is my own son, he will die!" I
          ask you - how's that for a rage against sin?

          Jonathan looked at his father incredulously and asked,
          "You mean, you want to kill me because I tasted a
          little honey?" But Saul was unbending. He stood strong
          in his hatred for sin and cried out, "...thou shalt
          surely die, Jonathan" (verse 44). He commanded his
          officers to take Jonathan out and kill him. But the
          soldiers stepped in and rescued him!

          Beloved, here is a picture of an anointed servant of
          God, expressing an uncompromising hatred for sin. But
          there is something tragically wrong here! You see? Saul
          hated sin in the congregation. And he hated sin in his
          family. But he excused the awful sin in his own heart!
          He hated only the sin of others!

          Saul should have been in mourning over his own sins. He
          had just had an encounter with the prophet, Samuel, who
          had exposed his sinfulness. The prophet had rebuked him
          for his foolishness, disobedience, impatience, and
          rebellion. At this point, Saul should have said, "If
          anyone needs judging, it's me!" But he still had a rage
          for the holiness of God - and against the
          unrighteousness of the people!

          I want to tell you what's behind the "kingdom dominion"
          gospel in America today. The driving force behind the
          doctrines of these "Reconstructionists" - those who
          want to revert to Old Testament laws - is an intense
          hatred for the corporate sins of America!

          The key leaders of Reconstructionism say our society is
          rotting, decaying, out of control - and the only way
          back to sanity is to return to the law. They literally
          want to bring back Moses' commands: "Stone
          abortionists! And stone any girl who's had an abortion!
          Do as the Muslims do - cut off the hands of those who
          steal! Forty stripes on the bare backs of the abusers!
          Death to all drug pushers and rapists! No mercy - no
          compassion for transgressors!

          Talk about rage against sin. Yet, tellingly, there is
          no mention of punishment for one's own personal sins!

          One of the Reconstructionism's major writers took
          exception to the prophecies I wrote in my book, Set the
          Trumpet to Thy Mouth. He wrote me several venomous
          letters about it. When I read them, I could hardly
          believe he was a Christian.

          This man writes book after book raging against sin in
          America - and yet he smokes and drinks! He says he
          feels the "burden to cleanse modern society" but he
          won't cleanse himself of his own sinful habits!

          I call this the Saul Syndrome. It is characterized by a
          hatred for the sins of society, the sins of the church,
          the sins of others - but no grief over one's own sins!

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                      Even the Most Righteous Among Us
                    has a Tendency to Hate Others' Sins
                       While Being Blind to His Own!

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          David was a man of God who hated sin with everything in
          him. He said, "...I hate every false way" (Psalm
          119:104). "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil..."
          (97:10). Yet, this same man committed adultery with
          Bathsheba. And he sent her husband to his death in
          battle!

          The Bible says Bathsheba "...mourned for her husband"
          (2 Samuel 11:26). Think of the hurt and guilt this poor
          woman must have carried. She had cheated on her
          husband, and now she was without him. I don't think she
          had any idea that her secret lover, David, had plotted
          her husband's death!

          David's sin had "displeased the Lord" (verse 27). He
          had seduced Bathsheba, planned her husband's death, and
          then deceived her by acting if he was doing the right
          thing (that is, marrying her after he'd impregnated
          her). So, ten months after the affair, God sent Nathan
          the prophet to deal with David's sin (see 2 Samuel 12).

          Nathan came to David's court pretending to represent a
          poor man who had been terribly misused. He told the
          king, "There's a man in this kingdom who is very
          wealthy. And a friend of his came to visit him. The
          friend was hungry after his journey and needed
          something to eat.

          "Now, this wealthy man had a lot of sheep. His
          neighbor, on the other hand, had only one little lamb.
          And it was the family pet. That little lamb ate and
          slept with the family. They loved it.

          "But, rather than send out one of his servants to fetch
          one of his own sheep, this rich man went over and stole
          his neighbor's little pet lamb. And he killed it and
          fed it to his visiting friend."

          David was enraged. He told Nathan, "So help me, that
          man is dead! He's going to die!" (The Hebrew here
          reads, "He is worthy of death.") Then David added,
          "That man is also going to restore the lamb fourfold!"
          He raged against this awful sin. Oh, how he hated sin!

          Yet, beloved, do you see how unconfessed sin in a child
          of God produces an unrighteous, unholy indignation
          against sin in others? If you have hidden sin, as David
          did, you'll feel an indignation against others' sins.
          Hidden sin begets a "religious spirit" - that is, a
          judging spirit!

          Years ago, during a repentance conference our ministry
          held, a pastor's wife came to us. She confided, "My
          husband is quite well-known in holiness churches as a
          powerful holiness preacher. He thunders against makeup
          on women, going to movies, improper dress. But, he's a
          big phony - he's hooked on pornography! He never faces
          his own sin!" This man preached legalism to cover up
          his own vicious, hidden sin!

          Jesus said, "...why beholdest thou the mote that is in
          thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is
          in thine own eye? Or, how wilt thou say to thy brother,
          Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold,
          a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast
          out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou
          see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's
          eye" (Matthew 7:2-5).

          Paul wrote, "Thou therefore which teachest another,
          teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preachest a man
          should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a
          man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit
          adultery? Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit
          sacrilege?" (Romans 2:21-22).

          I believe all godly saints must have a genuine hatred
          for sin. And all true shepherds must cry out against
          sin and compromise. But a pure hatred for sin must come
          out of a heart that has been probed, searched, and
          judged itself!

          David cried out against sin and compromise: "Do I not
          hate them, O Lord that hate thee? And am not I grieved
          with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with
          perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies" (Psalm
          139:21-22).

          This bold statement came out of a repentant, broken
          spirit - because David had already examined his own
          heart! In the next verse he says, "Search me, O God,
          and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked
          way in me..." (verses 23-24).

          We are so unlike Jesus in venting our hatred for sin in
          others. We want judgment to fall on them, but God wants
          mercy. We want to call down fire from heaven on
          transgressors - but God wants to forgive and reconcile
          all sinners.

          I never could have been a prophet who preached mercy to
          King Manasseh. He filled Jerusalem with blood by
          sending thousands of screaming babies to the belly of
          Molech. If God had sent me to that wretched man to
          encourage and reconcile him, I would have thundered at
          him instead!

          Yet, the Bible says Manasseh repented. Even so, I
          wouldn't have believed his tears. All I would have
          heard were the screams of the babies. And all I would
          have thought about was what he'd done to corrupt that
          society.

          But I wouldn't have known about all his sleepless
          nights. I wouldn't have seen the terror in his eyes or
          heard his haunting cries. I wouldn't have believed that
          God could still love that sinner. But He did. And
          Scripture says He had mercy on Manasseh.

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                   Nathan the Prophet Shows Us God's Way
                  of Dealing with Fallen, Sinful Saints!

                      -------------------------------

          Nathan knew David had sinned. He knew David was
          involved in murder, lies, cover-up, deception. Yet,
          Nathan loved David. He wasn't anxious to expose him. He
          wanted to save him!

          Nathan didn't go around David's court whispering to his
          associates and servants, "We need to pray for the king.
          A woman is trying to seduce him, and he's caught in her
          trap. I've got such a burden for David!"

          Don't be fooled: This kind of talk is plain, outright
          gossip! And it is made worse by being clothed in pious
          words such as "prayer," "concern," and "love." May God
          have mercy on those who spread this kind of talk. I
          wouldn't want to be in their shoes!

          I believe Nathan spent months praying for David. He
          truly hated David's sin. He knew the Lord does not wink
          at sin, and that sin has consequences. And he knew
          David was living a lie - that he had disregarded the
          name of the Lord.

          Nathan also knew of David's fear. David had refused to
          go to battle; he hid in the palace instead. He had lost
          all his fight. He was afraid an enemy arrow might
          strike him - and he'd have to face God with unconfessed
          sin!

          I want to make an important point here: God made the
          first move toward David! He initiated the first step
          toward reconciliation. You see, when believers sin
          against the Lord, we tend to hide from Him. We feel
          unworthy, as if we'll never measure up to His holy
          standard. So we hide, just as Adam and Eve hid when
          they sinned.

          But God went after Adam and Eve. He tenderly asked
          them, "Why do you hide from Me?" In other words, "Why
          are you trying to destroy our fellowship, our
          communion?

          Likewise, God sent Nathan to David. He missed the
          intimate fellowship He had with His servant. But David
          was hiding from God because of guilt, fear, and
          condemnation. So God waited and waited - until finally
          he said, "If he's not coming to Me, then I'll go to
          him." So, He sent Nathan. And it is in God's approach
          to David that we discover His heart toward all fallen
          saints!

          I used to preach about Nathan's exposure of David in an
          entirely different way. I have the sermon on tape - but
          I cringe when I listen to it now because I delivered it
          in the wrong spirit. I had a rage against sin that
          wasn't tempered by the mercy of God!

          I used to thunder, "There sits David, thinking he has
          gotten away with sin. He goes on with business as usual
          - sporting around with his stolen wife, as if nothing
          is wrong.

          "But here comes that mighty man of God, Nathan, full of
          holy zeal! He marches in and tells David the story of
          the stolen lamb. Then he looks David in the eye, points
          a bony finger in his face and thunders, "You are the
          man! You have transgressed God's law and brought shame
          on His name. It's all over - your sin has found you
          out. Shame on you! Repent!"

          Isn't this the way you might have exposed David?
          "Praise God - sin has to be exposed! Our leaders have
          to be pure, spotless!"

          But that is not how it happened with David - because
          that is not how God deals with His fallen, beloved
          servants! Rather, God had already told Nathan that
          David was forgiven. He told the prophet to go to him
          with a message of reconciliation: "When you tell David
          what I've told you, he'll think he's going to die on
          the spot. But you've got to tell him he's forgiven -
          that he's not going to die! Tell him also that I will
          walk him through everything that comes upon him because
          of his sin."

          I believe Nathan spoke to David in a spirit of
          reconciliation - soft-spoken and respectful - as he
          told the story of the stolen lamb. He hoped David would
          see himself as the man in the story, bow his head and
          admit, "Oh, Nathan - you're talking about me."

          Instead, David raged with indignation! And now I see
          Nathan walking slowly to a window, his heart broken. He
          turns sadly and says with grief in his quivering voice,
          "David - you're the man. You're the one who took
          another man's pet lamb.

          "Look at all God has done for you - all the blessings
          He's given you. The Lord was ready to give you all your
          heart's desires. But you've killed an innocent man -
          and you've taken his wife as your own. You have
          despised the Lord, David. And the enemies of God are
          rejoicing over what you did.

          "I'm sorry to tell you this - but the sword is not
          going to leave your home. Your wives will be taken from
          you. And God will do all of this before Israel. You
          will be publicly judged. There are consequences to your
          sin."

          God, in His love, had to make David see the utter
          horribleness of his sin. Then, suddenly, all of David's
          pent-up feelings poured out of him. He prayed out all
          the guilt, fears, and sorrows of those ten long months:
          "Oh, Nathan, I've sinned against God!" It wasn't the
          prophet who was screaming - it was David. He felt wrath
          falling upon him - because God had exposed everything!

          David never thought he'd gotten away with sin. On the
          contrary, he was a very troubled, guilt-ridden man. As
          you read Psalm 51, you hear him praying out all the
          fears he'd carried in his heart. He had witnessed what
          sin had done to Saul - and he was afraid it was
          happening to him!

             * "...take not thy holy spirit from me" (Psalm
               51:11). David was afraid God had left him - just
               as He'd left Saul!

             * "...renew a right spirit within me" (verse 10). He
               knew an evil spirit had come upon Saul, and he
               didn't want that to happen to him.

             * "Restore unto me...joy..." (verse 12). David had
               lost all his joy and peace.

             * "Cast me not away from thy presence..." (verse
               11). He had been hiding, afraid to come to the
               Lord's' presence. He felt cast away completely!

          David faced all his fears. And now Nathan brought to
          him the message from God's heart: "...The Lord also
          hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die" (2 Samuel
          12:13). It was time to be reconciled. The Lord missed
          David's fellowship and wanted him back!

          God sees the terrible agony that sin brings to fallen
          people. He grieves over the way we run from Him when
          we're under sin's guilt. He knows all about our fear of
          being cast away - of being lost, of never being right
          again. And He gets no pleasure from seeing us writhe in
          agony over our sin. He doesn't sit by and say, "Let him
          suffer a little more. When he really feels the pain,
          then I'll come rushing in."

          No! The Lord has been waiting all along for you to come
          back to Him and be forgiven! And after so long a time,
          He will no longer wait - He will make the first move.
          He will send somebody after you who will come not to
          rebuke you but to reconcile you to God's heart. The
          Lord will tell you, "Yes, you hurt Me, you despised Me.
          You were impatient and ungrateful. But I want to
          forgive you. I want you back in My arms!

          Indeed, Nathan told the king, "David, I've got good
          news for you. The Lord has forgiven you." David must
          have wondered, "But - how can I stand before a holy
          God?" The prophet answered, "You're not going to die -
          you're going to live."

          "For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and
          plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee"
          (Psalm 86:5).

          I don't pretend to understand the mercy and grace of
          God. It is completely beyond me. David was forgiven and
          restored - and Bathsheba bore him a son, whom God named
          Solomon. "...and the Lord loved him" (2 Samuel 12:24).
          I ask you: How could this be? Who can comprehend such
          mercy?

          The next thing we see is that David regained all his
          lost courage. He got his fight back! He responded to
          Joab's call to come against the city of Rabbah, and
          Israel won a great victory there. King David returned
          to Jerusalem in great honor. God had completely
          restored him!

          Don't be mistaken: David suffered greatly. Indeed, he
          paid a grave price. You see, he ended up paying those
          four lambs that he himself had set as restitution.
          Those lambs were Bathsheba's baby and three other sons
          - Ammon, Absalom, and Adonijah. All of them died.

          Yet, even as David suffered these judgments as he
          consequence of his sins, the Lord comforted him in his
          sorrow. When he reaped what he'd sown, the Spirit of
          God helped him through it all. After each trial, he was
          comforted.

          When you repent of your sin and are broken before the
          Lord, He sees you through every step of the painful
          consequences. His mercy, grace, and goodness enable you
          to bear it all with hope.

                      -------------------------------

                   I Have a Few Final Questions for You:

                      -------------------------------

            1. How do you hate sin? In what tone of voice do you
               express your hatred for it? And is that hatred
               tempered with mercy?

            2. Are you as tough on yourself as you are on others?

          "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath
          shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment"
          (James 2:13). If you have shown no mercy to others, you
          will be shown no mercy!

          I realize that Jesus called the Pharisees snakes and
          vipers. And, yes, John the Baptist pointed out Herod's
          sin and called him a fox. The apostle Paul publicly
          rebuked sorcerers, and he named proud sinners by name.
          And I agree that prophets must cry aloud, spare not,
          and show God's people their iniquities.

          But these words were spoken to people who didn't have
          repentant hearts - who had pharisaical attitudes and
          fierce pride. This message, on the other hand, is about
          how God deals with sin and failure in those who are
          sorry, broken, and repentant: "...Ye...have seen the
          end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of
          tender mercy" (5:11).

          If you've fallen, yet you have a repentant, broken
          spirit - it doesn't matter how badly you've failed God.
          He will come after you to reconcile you, because He
          sees your broken heart. "The sacrifices of God are a
          broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou
          wilt not despise" (Psalm 51:17). That is the
          difference!

          Heavenly Father, help us all to recognize when the
          heart of a fallen brother or sister is repentant. And
          help us forgive as You do - to seek full reconciliation
          and restoration for all of Your saints. Amen!

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771 USA.

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