Owning the Truth
David was chosen by God to be the King of Israel. David had a whole heart for God, but ended up committing a hideous sin. He lusted after Bathsheba while her husband, Uriah, was away at war. When she became pregnant, David tried to cover his sin by calling Uriah home in order that he may have relations with his wife, but he refused to have special privileges while the other men were away at war. So David arranged for Uriah to be on the front line where he would surely be killed (2 Sam. 11). David came under heavy conviction (see Psalm 32), but did not acknowledge his sin. So God sent Nathan to confront him (2 Sam. 12), and David finally threw himself upon the mercy of God and confessed his sins (Ps. 51: 1-5).
The first step in any recovery program is to stop living in denial and face the truth. You can’t help someone who will not admit they have a problem. Many are like David. If we think we can get away with it, we will probably try. But if we are Christians, rest assured that the hand of God will be heavy upon us as it was for David who wrote; “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer” (Ps. 32:3,4).
Some will not acknowledge their sins even under heavy conviction. In which case, divinely sent human intervention may be necessary as it was for David. That was the role of a prophet in the Old Testament. The purpose for the gift of prophecy in the New Testament is to lay bare the secrets of the heart so the unrepentant will turn to God (1 Cor. 14:25). Many recovery ministries practice a process called intervention for those who are living in denial of their sinful behavior. A special meeting is arranged where family and friends speak the truth in love to the one living in denial. The purpose is to get them to acknowledge the truth and offer them the kind of help that will set them free from their sinful ways.
Interventions fail if the person will not admit they have a problem and need help. They also fail if the confronted person only gives mental assent to what others are saying and goes along with their suggestions in order to appease them. It will only work if the truth is acknowledged in the inner person, i.e. the heart. They have to own the truth as David did, and desire the only remedy for their sin, which is a righteous relationship with God (Ps. 51: 7-13).
Dr. Neil
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