1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

out of His hands.But there might be a sin partly wilful--a sin in whichboth superstition or weakness and a certain amount ofwilfulness had a part. As to how this would be possiblewe answer that there is a difference between the forgivenessof the moral obliquity and the sin. For instance,a child has committed some trespass and the parent says,"I will punish you for what you have done." Theremight be two parts of the punishment, one corporal punishment,the other the displeasure of the parent.With some children the latter part of the punishment,the cloud between the child and parent, would be unbearable.Then the parent might say, "Since you tell methat you are sorry and that you will never do it again,I forgive you. But I told you that there would be apenalty attaching to disobedience. I will make the penaltyas light as would seem best in my judgment, butyou must still bear punishment." And that which wouldbe proper for an earthly parent we may consider mightbe done by the Heavenly Father.In the case of the Prophet David: he committed twovery serious, grievous sins--one in respect to Uriah andUriah's wife, and the other in respect to Uriah's death.But we remember with what perseverance David pleadedwith the Lord; and though the Lord indicated His forgiveness,yet there must be a punishment. David's childdied.--2 Sam. 12:15-22.Again, Satan provoked David to number Israel, contraryto the command of the Lord; God was displeasedand smote Israel. Again David repented and prayedearnestly for forgiveness. The Lord offered him threethings, one of which he must choose as the punishmentfor his sin. "Thus," saith the Lord, "Choose thee eitherthree years' famine; or three months to be destroyedbefore thy foes, or else three days the sword of the Lord,even the pestilence in the land, and the angel of the Lorddestroying throughout all the coasts of Israel." (I Chron. 21:10-14.)Realizing his own weakness, David, inhumility declined to make a choice. The three days'pestilence was sent upon Israel, and there fell seventythousand men; but in the meantime, before the punishmentreached David, he had received the Lord's forgivenessfor his sin.So with the sins of the Lord's people. If there ismore or less of ignorance, then the punishment is in proportionto the amount of wilfulness. Temptations cometo us and to all mankind. Christ died for man's sin,from which He freely absolves the whole human family--the Church now, and the world in their day of trial.page 299====================INTERESTING LETTERS