Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life

Keep here is the Hebrew word natsar which means to guard with fidelity.

Two days ago I asked you to guard your heart with fidelity. Yesterday I showed you how difficult that task can be. The Lord has good reason to ask us to do difficult things. It is for our own good that He asks these things of us.

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

He asks this of us to guard our hearts with fidelity. We are asked to be faithful to Him and not to cheat on Him as others have cheated on us. When we sin we are cheating on our Lord who has asked us not to sin. We don’t always look at it that way but as I said yesterday, He took our sins. To sin now, after becoming betrothed to Him, is to lay yet another sin upon His sin scarred back. Another lash of punishment He took for us.

Do you look at your sins that way? I admit I didn’t for many years. It is painful to think that way. Think about how painful it is for Him?

Isaiah 43:24, 53:6 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

It should be painful to think about but it is meant to keep our hearts with all diligence, with fidelity.

Psalm 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

This famous Psalm was written by King David in reference to being called out by the prophet Nathan for David’s sin of adultery with Bathsheba. David declares here that he has only sinned against God. He sent his guard to fetch her to his bed chamber. He asked Bathsheba to bed her husband to cover their sin. He sent his commander to withdraw support from Uriah so that Bathsheba’s husband would die. He asked those who knew about his sin to keep silent and not witness against him. Is it not a sin to ask others to conspire in your sin? Did he or did he not sin against each of them?

There seems to be a conflict here and it needs to be resolved so that we can believe the Word of God. I know when someone sins against me, I am wounded. It sure feels like that person has sinned against me and not God alone. What are we missing here?

How soon do we forget that Jesus Christ died for all man’s sins for all time? They were laid upon Him at the Cross. Those sins were also David’s sins. They were my sins from my past. They are my sins today. They are the sins I may commit years from now. All sin is covered, taken away by Jesus our Atonement.

If Jesus took them, then any sin is a sin against Him alone. We don’t look at it that way. We want to hold sin against those who offended us. What does the Word say about this?

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Sin is against Him alone. It is not ours to avenge.

Romans 14:19a Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace,