Further Study:

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FRIDAY

May 13

Further Study:

Read Ellen G. White, “David’s Sin and Repentance,” pp. 717–726, in Patriarchs and Prophets; “Bible Biographies,” p. 157, in Education. “David’s repentance was sincere and deep. There was no effort to palliate his crime. No desire to escape the judgments threatened, inspired his prayer. But he saw the enormity of his transgression against God; he saw the defilement of his soul; he loathed his sin. It was not for pardon only that he prayed, but for purity of heart. David did not in despair give over the struggle. In the promises of God to repentant sinners he saw the evidence of his pardon and acceptance. . . . “Though David had fallen, the Lord lifted him up. He was now more fully in harmony with God and in sympathy with his fellow men than before he fell. . . . “Whoever under the reproof of God will humble the soul with confession and repentance, as did David, may be sure that there is hope for him. Whoever will in faith accept God’s promises, will find pardon. The Lord will never cast away one truly repentant soul. He has given this promise: ‘Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.’ Isaiah 27:5. ‘Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.’ Isaiah 55:7.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 725, 726, author’s emphasis.

Discussion Questions:

As a class, discuss the futility of coverings of our own devising compared with what Jesus willingly provides. What does He provide, and why is it the only covering for sin that can heal and save?      Try writing one of your own psalms about God’s mercy and love. Like David, write it from your own personal experience. Bring it to class and share what you have written.      Laundry detergent advertisements for bleaching agents promise to whiten and soften clothes. To bleach out a stain without softening it could be too harsh for fabric. To soften fabric without attending to the stain leaves it dirty. Why, then, do we need both the whitening power of God’s justice and the softening power of His mercy to cleanse the soul’s garment?     Forgiven sin can make us miserable, but we mustn’t forget that it is forgiven. How can we learn that living with the consequences of our sin doesn’t mean that our sin hasn’t been forgiven?