Weighing Weakness, Wickedness, and Repentance
How can elders know when someone is repentant? This is not a simple question. Think, for example, of King David. He committed adultery and then, in effect, murder. Yet, Jehovah allowed him to keep living. (2 Samuel 11:2-24; 12:1-14) Then think of Ananias and Sapphira. They lyingly tried to deceive the apostles, hypocritically pretending to be more generous than they really were. Serious? Yes. As bad as murder and adultery? Hardly! Yet, Ananias and Sapphira paid with their lives. – Acts 5:1-11.
Why the different judgments? David fell into serious sin because of fleshly weakness. When confronted with what he had done, he repented, and Jehovah forgave him – although he was severely disciplined with regard to problems in his household. Ananias and Sapphira sinned in that they hypocritically lied, trying to deceive the Christian congregation and thus ‘play false to the holy spirit and to God.’ That turned out to be evidence of a wicked heart. Hence, they were judged more severely.
In both cases Jehovah made the judgment, and his judgment was correct because he can examine hearts. (Proverbs 17:3) Human elders cannot do that. So how can elders discern whether a serious sin is evidence of weakness more than of wickedness?
The Watchtower, January 1, 1995, pages 27-28
Q.: Did David not also 'play false' by not confessing? He hid his deed until the prophet showed up in his house. Meanwhile he had Uriah drugged up and later murdered. But NO, he did not deceive the congregation of God (the house of Israel). - Woah!
That's why those of you reporting more field service hours than you actually do will be toast come the big A. — Those of you with an inherent fleshly weakness of screwing other people's mate(s) with intent will live to see the other side.