David's son--sired through an illegitimate relationship with a married woman who had no rights to refuse him--was condemned to die.  David begged God for his son, but there are consequences to sin. It may seem like you are getting away with the wrong things that you do, but as one of the great evangelist of the 30's and 40's used to preach, there is "Payday Someday."

David's son died, and the rest of his family suffered horribly for what David had done.  The people of Israel knew--and they also knew of David's relationship to God--Jehovah.  What a terrible aftermath came from these three sins--theft of a woman from her home, adultery, and murder of her husband.  God told David that he was an embarrassment to Him.  God said that David gave, "...great opportunity to the enemies of God to despise Him..."  Non believers were watching David.

Today, the devil's workshop is the church.  If he can find men and women who confess to be Christians, but who live like the rest of the world, then he has won the battle for souls out there who are watching us.  It gives rise to the saying that, "The Church is full of hypocrites."  Gandhi, of India once said, (my paraphrase) "I would have become a Christian if it hadn't been for Christians."

If you are like me, I am constantly evaluating my life to see what I should be working on next.  "I am working out my own salvation with fear and trembling," as the Apostle Paul once said.  Of course, there is nothing we can do to work our way into heaven, Jesus has already paid the penalty for us.  But we can become more Christlike as we become aware of the ways we have failed him.

Don't ever ask to see yourself as God sees you.  You will be utterly defeated.  But He is gracious to reveal the "next step" we need to take.  A person can deal with one thing at a time.

Problem is, just when you think you have it made, God reveals the "next step" through the Holy Spirit. That's what the Apostle Paul was talking about when he said, "Work out your own salvation..."  Your problem areas are unique to you.  You can't compare yourself to someone else.  We are in a constant state of being saved--even though we are saved.  He is making us into a new creation.  Fit for the kingdom of God.