After acknowledging sin and coming to God for forgiveness, what should God’s people do next? From the example of Israel, we know they rejected the Lord. They wanted to walk by sight and not by faith, which is why they asked for a king like the nations. They did great evil in the sight of God. But that is not the end of their story. To paraphrase the words of Samuel from 1 Samuel 12:20, Yes, you have done this evil, but now, do not turn aside from following the Lord. Essentially, you have sinned; you have confessed; now, get on with serving your King.

We find the same idea in the New Testament, where the apostle Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 6:1–20, and tells them that they were drunkards, swindlers, thieves, adulterers, and idolaters, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Your sin is not the end of the road when it comes to your relationship with God. As we have seen, there is mercy for sinners and by the Spirit there is also strength to pursue godly living. The Lord remains your King even when you fail. He loves to give second, and third, and fourth, and fifth, and even seventy-seventh chances (Matthew 18:22). In fact there is no end to the mercy that he is willing to show to his people. The sin that has been paid by Christ is a sin that will never be paid by you.

Having been shown mercy, our response is not to wallow in shame and self-pity. No, we must accept God’s forgiveness with joy and get on with serving our King. The Lord who forgives also calls us to change. The people of Israel must serve him with all their heart (1 Samuel 12:20). Those are not empty words from Samuel; he is simply affirming that when the certainty of God’s forgiveness pulsates within your heart and mind, you will begin to live not only according to some but all the commandments of God.¹ When the Spirit assures me that Christ’s merits are not only for others but also for me, that is a confidence that frees me to move on from my sin in a fresh pursuit of obedience.

Let’s say you have hurt your spouse with some thoughtless words or selfish actions. Now you have a choice. You can feel sorry for yourself and adopt some kind of self-inflicted punishment until your sense of pride is restored; or you can live in the light of your forgiveness. If Christ has forgiven you, you can forgive yourself, and you can seek the forgiveness of your spouse. You can apologize for your wrongdoing and work toward reconciliation.

Likewise, if you have spent another day looking at pornography. You feel guilty. You have ignored God’s commandments and you have sinned against him. Does he still love you? Does he still care for you? Well, his love for you was never based on your obedience and it has not changed now. You are still a sinner who comes to a Saviour; you do not need to reach a certain level of holiness before he will listen to you. Again, there is no need for self-pity and punishment until your pride has been restored. But there is a need to live in the light of your forgiveness, to commit to a fresh pursuit of obedience. Take the radical steps that are necessary to break your habit; do not turn away from the Lord. 

Or perhaps you have made bad decisions and you wish you had done things differently. Maybe you married someone who was a very immature Christian and now you regret it; or you have not given proper care and attention to raising your children in the fear of the Lord, and so you find their hearts and minds have been captured by the world. Or you have chased after money for most of your life so that your bank account is full but your relationships are empty. Left with the consequences of your sinful choices, life is difficult and you feel guilty. Again, do not wallow in self-pity. If you belong to Christ, you have been forgiven. Yes, the consequences of your actions remain, but you do not have to keep your head stuck in a slough of despondency. The Spirit of God who dwells within you will give you strength to serve God anew today. His love for you has not changed. You can find joy in the midst of suffering.

God’s mercy is not a cause for us to wallow in shame and self-pity. It is a cause for celebration. A reality that should prompt us to renewed devotion and service to the Lord.

Reflecting on God’s mercy, there is a final warning for us to hear. It is the warning from the last verse, 1 Samuel 12:25. Whoever perseveres in sin and unbelief remains under the condemnation of God’s law. If you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away. The grace of Christ is not a licence to do as we please. There is wonderful mercy for those who confess their sins and trust in Christ, but that is a mercy that results in life change. Not a ticket to heaven with no consequence, but a mercy that results in a daily commitment of service to God.