Yes, even sin shall work together for good – not for them that love sin, but for them that love God. Rightly Augustine has written, "God would never permit evil, if He could not bring good out of evil." Here, of course, we tread upon cautious ground, for there is nothing worse than sin, and we must do all in our power to discourage, and not encourage, sin.

We have to maintain at least three important guidelines in our explanation of how sin works to the good of God's sheep. First, we have to maintain that there is not the least good thing in sin itself, for sin is worse than hell. In and of itself it can work nothing but death and damnation, for it is the evil of all evils. "Sin is like poison, which corrupts the blood, infects the heart, and without a sovereign antidote, brings death" (Watson). Secondly, we have to maintain that those who encourage themselves in sin by the argument that good will come out of it, never have shared in David's "I shall not want for good," because the main good is to always hate sin everywhere for the sake of the Shepherd's name and honor. To do evil that good may come is only to make our damnation just (Rom. 3:8). Thirdly, it is only corrupt nature that can abuse the doctrine of good resulting from sin, for true grace can never play lightly with sin. Sin will work for good only to them that hate it, and hate themselves because of it. It will work for good to them that love God and abhor themselves on account of sin. It will work for good to those who are humbled by sin; who fly to Christ to be saved from it; who dare not allow themselves the least sin for an entire world; who count the least sin worse than the greatest affliction; who fight and pray against sin, knowing their own weakness and desiring grace to set the Word of God, the blood of Christ, and the strength of the Spirit over against it.

Yet, even though sin is worse than hell, God, through Christ, and by His mighty over-ruling power, causes His children to feel the sinfulness of sin and directs it to end in the spiritual welfare of His people.

1. He causes the sinfulness of sin to bring them to true self-examination and self-knowledge. Scripture tells us that the Lord permitted Hezekiah to fall to teach him what his heart was. When in the right place, God's people desire to know the worst of themselves just as a man diseased in his body wants to know the worst of his sickness. Therefore Job prayed, "Make me to know my transgressions" (13:23). By nature our sins will find us out, but God's people receive grace to find their sins out. This leads them to a deep, profitable self-knowledge, causing them to confess with Paul, "I am the chief sinner," or with Bishop John Hooper, "Lord, I am hell and Thou art heaven," or with Luther, "In myself I am not only miserable, but misery itself."
2. The Great Shepherd also causes the sinfulness of sin to bring His flock to true self-condemnation. They pass the sentence of condemnation upon themselves, taking God's side over against themselves. Watson truthfully says, "When a man has judged himself, Satan is put out of office. When he lays anything to a saint's charge, he is able to retort (by grace), 'It is true, Satan, I am guilty of these sins, but I have judged myself already for them,' and having condemned myself in the lower court of conscience, God (for the sake of Christ) will acquit me in the upper court of heaven!" God will not step upon a sinner who becomes Adam before Him. Rather, the owning of the sin of the first Adam works for good by making room for the righteousness of the second Adam. God uses the greatest evil to make room for the greatest good. Condemnation, as it were, unlocks the door to salvation.
3. The sinfulness of sin works for good in a child of God by keeping him in a holy and true self-war. Jehovah's sheep lead not only a wayfaring life, but also a war-faring life. Their heart is a castle that is in danger of being assaulted every hour. Daily a heavy duel is fought between two seeds, for "the spirit lusts against the flesh" (Gal. 5:17). "Watch and pray" should be the motto of their life, though often they are far from it.
4. Awareness of sin can also yield the profitable fruit of true self-reformation. When God permits His people to fall into sin, His normal design is to break the back of that sin they do fall into. Abraham stumbled in faith, but became a champion of faith. Moses stumbled in meekness, but was a champion of meekness. Peter stumbled in zeal, but became a champion of godly zealousness. God makes His flock's maladies their medicines when He gives grace to them not only to find out their sin, but also to drive out their sin. He allows them to set one foot on the neck of their sins, and the other foot on His testimonies (Ps. 119:59), thereby causing even the sins of His sheep to work for good.

Yet, child of God, though the Lord cause sin to end in good, allow me to warn you never to make light of sin, nor become bold with sin. If you should do so, you will pay a high price. Though grace is amazing, do not forget that sin remains dreadful. Remember David. Sin cost him his peace, broken bones (Ps. 51:8) and the terrors of the Almighty. He never recovered his former full joy until his dying day. Though the Lord shall never damn His sheep, yet He will send them to hell in this life when they attempt to tamper with sin. He chastise sin by placing them into such bitter agonies and soul-distress that they can sometimes be filled with horror and be drawn to the brink of despair.

Oh, that the consequences of iniquity might be a flaming sword to keep you from coming near the forbidden tree of sin!

Unconverted reader: sin can only work death and damnation for you unless the Lord steps in between. By nature, through sin we ask God for the shortest way to hell. We would rather sleep our way into damnation than sweat our way into salvation. Do not forget that the dammed shall live in hell as long as God Himself shall live in heaven. Hell is a con­stant dying and yet never dead, a continual burning and yet never burnt up, a never-ending consuming and yet never consumed. In hell there is no relief, no intermission, no mixture of wrath and common grace as in this life. Wrath, curse, enmity, hatred, the gnawing worm of conscience and full remem­brance shall be our only portion. Hell is total, eternal lack and want.

Oh that you may become jealous of Jehovah's flock which can cry out at moments, "I shall not want, for all things shall work together for good by grace." A few years ago a teacher asked her stu­dents if anyone could recite the 23^rd Psalm. A little girl came to the front, faced her class, and simply said, "The Lord's my Shepherd, that's all I want." Little did she realize the depth of what she was saying. Those who can experimentally say, "The Lord's my Shepherd, that's all I want," shall never want. He who has the Shepherd has all. With the Shepherd comes all the rest of Psalm 23, yes, the entire Word of God and all true experience, and without the Shepherd nothing is left but condemna­tion. The teacher was taught by her student. One sentence of a child said more than all her attempted explanations.

Sheep of God: how is it with you? Is the dual desire of possessing the Shepherd with His grace and dispossessing sin with its death uppermost in your soul? Can you answer on one hand with Chrysostom when sent a threatening message from the empress, "Go tell her that I fear nothing but sin," and can you answer on the other hand with a godly forefather when offered promotion by King George III, "Sir, I want nothing but more grace"?