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Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce
bring up to Christians the case of David—his sin in the case of Uriah
and Bathsheba, his polygamy—and then assert that David is called
a man after God’s own heart; and if the Bible record is correct, God
justified David in his crimes.
I was shown that it was when David was pure, and walking in the
counsel of God, that God called him a man after His own heart. When
David departed from God, and stained his virtuous character by his
crimes, he was no longer a man after God’s own heart. God did not in
the least degree justify him in his sins, but sent Nathan, His prophet,
with dreadful denunciations to David because he had transgressed the
commandment of the Lord.
God shows His displeasure at David’s having a plurality of wives
by visiting him with judgments, and permitting evils to rise up against
him from his own house. The terrible calamity God permitted to
come upon David, who for his integrity was once called a man after
God’s own heart, is evidence to after generations that God would not
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justify anyone in transgressing His commandments, but that He will
surely punish the guilty, however righteous and favored of God they
might once have been while they followed the Lord in purity of heart.
When the righteous turn from their righteousness to do evil, their past
righteousness will not save them from the wrath of a just and holy
God.
Saints’ Sins in the Bible—Leading men of Bible history have
sinned grievously. Their sins are not concealed, but faithfully recorded
in the history of God’s church, with the punishment from God which
followed the offenses. These instances are left on record for the benefit
of after generations, and should inspire faith in the Word of God, as
a faithful history. Men who wish to doubt God, doubt Christianity,
and the Word of God, will not judge candidly and impartially, but
with prejudiced minds will scan the life and character to detect all the
defects in the life of those who have been the most eminent leaders of
Israel.
A faithful delineation of character, God has caused to be given
in inspired history, of the best and greatest men in their day. These
men were mortal, subject to a tempting devil. Their weakness and
sins are not covered, but are faithfully recorded, with the reproof
and punishment which followed. “These things were written for our
admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.”