3/28/80 David

INSIDIOUSNESS OF ARROGANCE

2 Samuel 14:7

A. Absalom, Joab, and David are mature believers at this time, but are inside cosmic system #1 (the interlocking system of arrogance). The believer inside cosmic one is incapable of applying the right doctrine to the right circumstance.

B. Both Joab, in writing the script of this little drama, and David, in ruling in favor of non-pertinent doctrine, demonstrate blind arrogance.

C. Both David and Joab had forgotten the principle that the very basis of grace in the gospel is the punishment of Jesus Christ on the cross. All grace is based on the fact someone paid the price for it. David refuses to punish his son, who deserved it, while God punished His Son who did not deserve it.

D. To forgive without punishment is a miscarriage of justice. And is illustrated by both salvation and rebound. Both are forgiveness based on the fact someone else received the punishment. The justice of God demands someone pay before grace can be applied. Grace is only pertinent where punishment has occurred or where justice has been satisfied.

E. Our Lord on the cross received the imputation of our sins and punishment for us. Therefore the justice of God is free to be gracious toward us.

F. It is the fact that our sins were punished on the cross which makes divine forgiveness and pardon a fact of grace.

G. Salvation by faith, and rebound by confession of sin to God are made possible by the judgment of our sins on the cross.

H. To deny divine discipline of the believer is to reject the justice of God and to malign His integrity. When you aren’t punished, its because someone else gossiped about you and the punishment went to them.

I. But David will neither punish, nor forgive Absalom, so that David in arrogance rejects both the laws of divine establishment and the modus operandi of grace from the justice of God. Establishment law would punish Absalom, while grace would forgive Absalom. Neither was used by David.

J. David’s refusal to see Absalom on his return is neither punishment or grace; it is chagrin (embarrassment). All David will do is alienate Absalom, as well as many people in his realm who are discontent.

K. The insidiousness of arrogance here is that while Amnon, Absalom, Joab, and David, all entered cosmic one (arrogance), they all entered by different gates. Yet each gate produced trouble, heartache, and misery.