Notes of Faith November 19, 2025

Exception or Rule?

And when [God removed Saul as king], He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.”

Acts 13:22

Most of us are familiar with the saying, “The exception that proves the rule.” That is, when something out of the ordinary happens, it “proves” the ordinary (the rule) exists. We can even apply this idea to personal behavior.

The biblical character David is an example of an exception proving the rule. The Bible characterizes him as a man after God’s heart who lived to do God’s will. Yet there was a dramatic exception to the rule when he was involved in adultery and murder. The question then arises whether to judge David by the exception or by the rule. And the same question applies when we judge others. Do we judge them by the exception or by the rule? We can answer that question by remembering how God looks at us—not at our sins but at our standing in Christ.

If you are tempted to judge another by the exception rather than the rule of faithfulness in their life, remember how God looks at you.

True forgiveness breaks a man, and he must forgive (others).

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

You (believers) and I profess faith in Jesus and proclaim that others might be saved through placing their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. And yet, we fail Him daily! If God forgives us all our sin, separating them from us as far as the east is from the west, should we not also forgive others that we see sin against God or us?

Let us lift up our brothers and sisters who struggle in the flesh as we do and strive to help those held captive by Satan, sin, and death, by speaking truth in love that they might escape the eternal judgment of God for their unbelief in Him and His work on their behalf.

Pastor Dale