Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

Little boys have looked up to the ancient King David throughout history. David’s name means “beloved,” and his popularity includes appearing roughly 1,000 times in the Bible and remaining a perennially popular boy’s name. The shepherd boy who killed lions and bears grew up to be the warrior King of Israel, ruling for some 40 years during a season of expansion and prosperity made possible through God’s blessing and military might. To this day, Jerusalem is called “the City of David.” The Bible books of 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles report David’s reign. David is famous in Scripture for being a man after God’s heart (see 1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). His prayers, poems, and worship songs, composed on his harp, can be found in roughly half the book of Psalms.

Paul introduces Abraham and David in Romans 4 to teach us about their connection to Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:1 teaches us about “Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Jesus is the Son of God, promised to come through the son of Abraham and the King of Kings to come through King David. Unlike Abraham, who lived roughly 500 years before the Law was written through Moses, David lived roughly 500 years after.

When we have a hero, we tend to exaggerate the good they do and overlook the bad they do. This happened with David. Despite pride being among the worst sins, David also caved into demonic pride. He called a census to count his army of 1.5 million, which is more than the current number of active-duty American military. Like all of us, David’s pride was a problem in many areas of his life.

Though David’s name means “beloved,” he was often anything but loveable. David broke most of the 10 Commandments, guilty of idolatry (1&2), murder (6), adultery (7), stealing (8), lying (9), and coveting (10). Despite polygamy being forbidden for kings (Deut. 17:17), David married multiple women. He was passionate about God and women. When he saw the beautiful Bathsheba bathing on a rooftop, he lusted after her. Learning that she was married to one of his most faithful and loyal soldiers, Uriah the Hittite should have been enough to stop David. However, he committed adultery with Bathsheba. She became pregnant, and David panicked, scheming to have Uriah murdered in battle. Later confessing these sins, David penned Psalm 32:1–2, which Paul quotes in Romans 4: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” David’s sins spread to his sons. Amnon committed incest with his half-sister Tamar. Absalom, Tamar’s full brother, eventually murdered Amnon and tried to overthrow David before dying in battle. David’s most famous son, Solomon, started well, building the Lord’s Temple, but later allowed his multiple foreign wives to influence him and turn his heart to idolatry.

Though David was often motivated by the Spirit of God, he also was sometimes motivated by the enemy of God. Satan prompted David to take a census of all the soldiers in the nation. The proud king wanted to know how many people he ruled over. The consequences for the census were brutal—70,000 men died (see 2 Samuel 24:15). Nevertheless, God forgave David. Why? Because there’s no relationship without forgiveness. Unless God forgives you, you cannot have a relationship with Him.

Abraham was not a good man. He was a forgiven man. David was not a good man. He was a forgiven man. Is adultery wrong? Yes. Can God save an adulterer? Yes. Is murder wrong? Yes. Can God save a murderer? Yes. Is pride wrong? Yes. But can God save a proud person? Yes. These things are bad, but God is good. Paul’s point is simple: every believer is saved by God and declared righteous the same way Abraham and David were—by grace through faith. They were not always great men but belonged to a great God. They did not always do right, but God was always gracious to make it right. He will do the same for you and me. All we have to do is ask.

Today’s Reflection

What “big” sins has God forgiven that you need to take a moment and thank Jesus for dying for?