I would suggest it is the salvation of a precious soul - the ultimate example of God taking what is sinful and making a complete transformation for His glory and for our good!
In this second article on successful setbacks, I am considering the possibility of a positive outcome following sinful conduct. Bearing in mind what God does in salvation, it should be no surprise that He can also transform other situations involving sin. It is just as well He is amazingly gracious! Regrettably, Christians continue to sin (1 John 1:8-2:2) – despite (what should be) their best efforts to avoid it. Even the apostle Paul could say, “I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want!” (Romans 7:19 NET).
Just as no Christian is exempt from failure, so there is equal provision for every Christian in the ongoing work of our Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, to deal with sin (1 John 2:1). When prompted – perhaps by the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit or our conscience – we should speak with our heavenly Father about the wrong that has entered our lives. This must be done with genuine repentance and confession. Mercifully, our standing in His family cannot be altered (Ephesians 1:5-6) and the work of Christ enables our enjoyment of His fellowship to be restored (1 John 1:9). The important attitudes of honesty and contrition are essential, as steps are taken to put matters right with any others who are impacted (Matthew 5:23-24), while endeavouring to minimise the risk of future failure. The successful outcome, in the enjoyment of forgiveness, will be positively seeking to live for God (Philippians 3:13-14).
Just as Paul was mindful of his propensity to sin, so Peter is an example of how those considered to be strong and bold can sin. After denying his Master, Peter needed time alone with the Lord to put the matter right, and this is recorded in John 21. The Lord Jesus, providing food on the beach, three times asked Peter the question, “do you love me?” This shows the divine desire for successful and complete restoration from failure. Just a few weeks later Peter would be mightily used by God at Pentecost (Acts 2) – what a successful outcome after such a major setback! It is also delightful to read Peter’s two letters while keeping in mind his experiences in the Gospels and Acts. The Lord enabled his servant to develop, despite (and even through) his mistakes, and fittingly Peter’s last words include the encouragement to “grow in grace” (2 Peter 3:18).
The spiritual pinnacle in one’s life may come after a specific willingness to deal with sin. In Genesis 22, Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah are a great example of devotion and trust – and the scene is an outstanding picture of Calvary. However, Genesis 21 had to happen first! That chapter outlines the tricky situation of Abraham dealing with Hagar and Ishmael; trying to resolve the mess caused by unbelief and subsequent sin (Genesis 16). I am sure the consecration of Genesis 22 was particularly pleasing to God because it showed the genuine change of heart that had taken place within Abraham. He was now willing to completely trust the promises of God in an unprecedented way, contrasting vividly with his earlier attempts to sort issues out by sinful human means.
Abraham also reminds us that, although there can be successful outcomes from setbacks, where sin is concerned there are always consequences. While he recovered and reached great spiritual heights, the world has suffered ever since with many conflicts that trace their origins back to his sin.
There are many other examples of God being far more gracious with the recovery of individuals than the situation deserved, and we must never see God’s eventual blessing as reducing the seriousness of sin. Jonah had a tremendously successful preaching campaign in Nineveh (with the whole city repenting) and his three days in the whale was specifically spoken of as a picture of the Lord Jesus in the tomb (Matthew 12:40-41). He was still entirely wrong to disobey, and endured a very unpleasant experience recorded in Jonah 2 as a result.
Today, neither becoming a Christian nor being restored as a Christian will necessarily remove the consequences of wrong. For example, the results of drug-taking, criminal activity, or wrong relationship decisions (especially regarding marriage) may have implications for the rest of one’s earthly life. The principle of “reaping what we sow” (Galatians 6:7-8) is one reason why forgiveness (and God often overruling for good) should not be seen as licence to sin (Romans 6:1-2).
Successfully overcoming setbacks from sin may be accompanied by heartache and difficulty. But by the greatness and grace of God, there can still be much for His glory.
