Responding to Forgiveness

Psalm 51:13-15

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will return to you.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,

O God of my salvation,

and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

Psalm 51 records for us David’s song, a prayer after he had sinned with Bathsheba and been confronted. David knew the great depth of his sin, the offense he had given the Holy God. And David asked God for mercy.

In the verses I recorded above, David shares with us three responses to being forgiven. David will teach sinners (13), sing of God’s righteousness (14), and declare God’s praise (15). These are things the forgiven of any age do.

Consider your world. Are you forgiven in Christ? If so, these things should be what you do too. A forgiven person should share the gospel, sing God’s praise, and declare his glory. These are right. These are simple. And these are what happens as one is faithful in the local church.

If you are a believer, you should be proclaiming the gospel. You should be telling others how they too might find forgiveness. You should be attending a church where the gospel is proclaimed from the pulpit. You should be eagerly and prayerfully seeking opportunity to take the gospel to those outside of the gathering.

As a Christian, you should be singing. One reason that gathered worship is so necessary is that we are commanded not only to sing about God and to God, we are also commanded to sing to other Christians as we teach each other the truths of God (Col. 3:16). Saved people sing and sing together. Whether you think you are musical or not, if you are saved, you should sing for joy both to and about the Lord with the people of God.

And a saved person declares with his or her mouth the truths of God. We talk to others about God. We do not only sit under the preached word—though that is vital—we also get together with other believers to talk about the great things of God. We study the word. We bear witness to what God has done. We sharpen one another’s doctrine. We find life and joy in living out the Christian life together, and that includes times of solid group study and communication.

Are you forgiven? If so, respond to forgiveness the way that a godly person responds. Of course be grateful. Definitely be change. Teach sinners, sing, and proclaim God’s glory.