If God’s people would recognize His dealings with them and accept His teachings, they would find
a straight path for their feet and a light to guide them through darkness and discouragement. David
learned wisdom from God’s dealings with him and bowed in humility beneath the chastisement of
the Most High. The faithful portrayal of his true state by the prophet Nathan made David acquainted
with his own sins and aided him to put them away. He accepted counsel meekly and humiliated
himself before God. “The law of the Lord,” he exclaims, “is perfect, converting the soul.”
Repentant sinners have no cause to despair because they are reminded of their transgressions and
warned of their danger. These very efforts in their behalf show how much God loves them and
desires to save them. They have only to follow His counsel and do His will to inherit eternal life.
God sets the sins of His erring people before them, that they may behold them in all their enormity
under the light of divine truth. It is then their duty to renounce them forever.
God is as powerful to save from sin today as He was in the times of the patriarchs, of David, and of
the prophets and apostles. The multitude of cases recorded in sacred history where God has
delivered His people from their own iniquities should make the Christian of this time eager to
receive divine instruction and zealous to perfect a character that will bear the close inspection of the
judgment.
Bible history stays the fainting heart with the hope of God’s mercy. We need not despair when we
see that others have struggled through discouragements like our own, have fallen into temptations
even as we have done, and yet have recovered their ground and been blessed of God. The words of
inspiration comfort and cheer the erring soul.
Although the patriarchs and apostles were subject to human frailties, yet through faith they obtained
a good report, fought their battles in the strength of the Lord, and conquered gloriously. Thus may
we trust in the virtue of the atoning sacrifice and be overcomers in the name of Jesus. Humanity is
humanity the world over from the time of Adam down to the present generation, and the love of
God through all ages is without a parallel.—Testimonies for the Church 4:14, 15.