God's Use Of Our Sins

King David's worst sin was taking the wife of one of his soldiers and sending him to die in war. However even out of that sinful situation came something good. What came was Solomon, who gave Israel its greatest time ever. He wrote the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs and built a huge and magnificent temple of God.

It appears that God uses even our sins toward rightful purposes. Any number of figures in the New Testament were redeemed sinners. God corrected what was wrong with them, and then He put what was right with them in service of His glory. The result were better people and wise, informed instruction – from redeemed sinners – as to how other sinners likewise can be redeemed.

Adam getting kicked out of paradise did not end humanity. They did how well they could in absense of God. Then God saved the righteous and populated the world with their descendants. The world kept going its way; so God picked Abraham to be the seed of His people. And as we read from the Bible, some of them were righteous and some were not.

Many people thought that Melanie and I did the wrong thing by getting together. But the outcome was a child who is better than me. Solomon was a result of adultery; and not only adultery but one involving a murder. And yet he became the greatest king that Israel ever had.

So we will see something unethical about many good situation. I know a couple – probably in their 80s – where both the man and the woman are successful philanthropists, and they have raised highly effective children.This situation started by the woman leaving her previous boyfriend to be with the man. Some people will say that that relationship started wrongly because it involved breaking apart what was there previously. Yet the outcome – a highly successful, effective, loving, responsible and compassionate family – more than makes up for that situation.

I find it difficult to reconcile The Bible's commentary in favor of marriage and “what God put together let no man take apart” with the experiences of many people I know. In many situations a partner has pulled a con job. What is sacred about pulling a con job? What is sacred about misrepresenting yourself? If Paul was around to talk, I would ask him of that. I would also ask him abot any number of other things, especially his claim that slaves should obey their masters and his claim that these that and the other will be in lake of fire.

As for God, He has proven much wiser and more compassionate. Even though Solomon was conceived wrongly, God made him the wisest man and a great king. What this means is that God redeems even the trash; and in doing so God gives us all meaningful purpose and dignity with which to lead life.