Who Wrote Create In Me A Clean Heart

"Lesson 24: 'Create in Me a Clean Heart'" Onetime Testament: Gospel Doctrine Teacher's Transmission (2001), 111–16

Purpose

To encourage class members to be chaste in thought and action and to apologize of their sins.

Preparation

Prayerfully study the post-obit scriptures:
1. 2 Samuel 11. David commits adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah (xi:1–5). David fails in his attempt to hibernate his sin (ii Samuel 11:6–xiii). He arranges for Uriah to die in boxing (11:14–17). David marries Bathsheba, and they have a son (11:26–27).
2. ii Samuel 12:1–23. The prophet Nathan teaches of the severity of David'due south sins by telling David a parable (12:1–6). David is told that he volition be punished because of his sins (12:7–14; notation that in the Joseph Smith Translation of verse 13, Nathan states, "The Lord hath not put away thy sin that chiliad shalt not die"). The beginning son of David and Bathsheba dies in infancy (12:15–23).
3. Psalm 51. A repentant David seeks forgiveness.
Additional reading: 2 Samuel 2–10.
If you apply the attention activity, bring a spool of thread and a scissors.

Suggested Lesson Evolution

Attending Activity

You may want to utilise the post-obit action (or one of your own) to begin the lesson.

Accept a volunteer stand at the front of the class with his or her hands held forward. Necktie a strand of thread loosely around both of the class fellow member's wrists. Explain that this one thread represents an unclean thought. Then have the form fellow member break the thread by pulling his or her hands sharply outward.

What should we do when an unclean thought enters our mind? (We should dismiss it immediately.)

Enquire the form member to agree out his or her hands again. Wrap the class member's wrists with a few strands of thread—enough to make it more difficult to intermission them. Then ask the class fellow member to try to interruption the strands of thread. Repeat this procedure using enough strands of thread to make it impossible to suspension complimentary.

What happens when nosotros allow unclean thoughts to stay in our minds?

Costless the course fellow member's hands by cut the thread with the scissors. Explain that part of this lesson deals with the consequences of dwelling on unclean thoughts. The lesson also discusses ways to free ourselves from unclean thoughts.

Scripture Discussion and Application

Every bit you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they use to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles. Because it would exist difficult to ask every question or cover every point in the lesson, prayerfully select those that will best meet form members' needs. You may need to adjust some questions to fit form members' circumstances.

1 Samuel 25 through 2 Samuel 10 provide of import information most the historical setting for this lesson. Since these chapters are non covered in this manual, y'all may want to summarize them as follows:

Soon after David spared Saul'south life, Saul sought David's life one more time. Again David had the opportunity to kill the king, but he refused to do so. Battles continued between the people of Judah and the surrounding nations, and Saul and Jonathan were killed in one of those battles. David succeeded Saul equally king and became one of the greatest kings in the history of Israel. He united the tribes into one nation, secured possession of the country that had been promised to his people, and set up a government based on God'due south constabulary. However, the last 20 years of his life were marred by the sinful decisions that are discussed in this lesson.

1. David commits adultery with Bathsheba and arranges the death of Uriah, Bathsheba's husband.

Teach and discuss 2 Samuel 11.

David was walking on his roof when he saw Bathsheba and was tempted to commit adultery with her (2 Samuel 11:2). What should David have done when he saw Bathsheba? What did David do that led him to sin with her? (Run across two Samuel 11:ii–4.) What might atomic number 82 people to exist tempted to commit sexual sins? What can we do to avoid being tempted to commit sexual sins?

You may desire to list class members' answers on the chalkboard using a chart like the one below. Answers may include the following:

Things to avert	How to avoid them
Unclean or immoral thoughts	Fill your listen with uplifting thoughts.
Television set shows, movies, magazines, books, and music that are pornographic or suggestive in whatsoever mode	Choose media that will inspire you to do good.
Unwholesome dating activities	Follow the dating standards taught by latter-day prophets and outlined in For the Strength of Youth.
Flirting after marriage	Love your spouse with all your eye. Continue to "court" (develop your relationship with) your spouse.
Places or activities that will not enable y'all to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost	Ensure that the places y'all go and the activities yous participate in will enable you to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.

You may want to apply the first additional teaching thought to discuss ways to dismiss unclean thoughts.

What did David attempt to practice when he learned that Bathsheba was with kid? (Come across 2 Samuel eleven:half-dozen–xiii. He tried to go Uriah, Bathsheba's husband, to return home to her. So it would announced that the unborn child was Uriah's.) Why did David's plan neglect? (See 2 Samuel 11:11. Uriah would non return home at that fourth dimension considering he was true to his battlefield companions and felt that he should stay with them.)
What more serious sin did David commit in an try to hibernate his immorality? (See two Samuel 11:14–17.) From whom do you retrieve David idea he could hide his sin? How do people endeavor to cover upward sins today? What happens when we endeavor to cover our sins?

Elderberry Richard Thousand. Scott said:

"Exercise non take condolement in the fact that your transgressions are not known by others. That is like an ostrich with his head cached in the sand. He sees only darkness and feels comfortably hidden. In reality he is ridiculously conspicuous. Besides our every act is seen past our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son. They know everything almost us. …

"If you have seriously transgressed, you will not detect any lasting satisfaction or comfort in what you have done. Excusing transgression with a cover-up may appear to prepare the problem, simply it does non. The tempter is intent on making public your most embarrassing acts at the about harmful time. Lies weave a blueprint that is ever more than confining and becomes a trap that Satan volition spring to your detriment" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1995, 103; or Ensign, May 1995, 77).

You may want to utilise the second additional pedagogy thought to illustrate the danger of trying to cover our sins.

2. David is told that he volition be punished because of his sins.

Teach and discuss 2 Samuel 12:1–23.

What parable did the prophet Nathan tell to illustrate how displeased the Lord was with David? (Run across ii Samuel 12:i–4.) What did David recall virtually the rich human being's actions confronting the poor human in the parable? (See 2 Samuel 12:5–six.) How had David's actions been like the rich man's? (See 2 Samuel 12:seven–9.) How did David react to the Lord'south rebuke? (See 2 Samuel 12:13.)
Why do you recollect David failed to recognize that he was represented by the rich man in the parable? Why are we sometimes unable to recognize our own sinfulness?
What were the consequences of David's sins? (See 2 Samuel 12:10–14. The fulfillment of these prophecies tin be plant in 2 Samuel 12:15–23 and subsequent chapters of 2 Samuel and 1 Kings; encounter likewise D&C 132:39. Annotation that adultery is a serious sin, but David forfeited his exaltation because the Lord held him accountable for the murder of Uriah.)

President Marion M. Romney said: "David, … though highly favored of the Lord (he was, in fact, referred to equally a man after God's own eye), yielded to temptation. His unchastity led to murder, and as a outcome, he lost his families and his exaltation" (in Conference Report, April. 1979, threescore; or Ensign, May 1979, 42).
What are some of the immediate consequences of immorality today? What are some long-term effects for the unrepentant?

3. A repentant David seeks forgiveness.

Teach and hash out Psalm 51.

In a psalm to the Lord, David expressed a want to aid others repent, proverb, "I [will] teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee" (Psalm 51:13). Even though David forfeited his exaltation considering he arranged the death of Uriah, we can learn from his repentant attitude equally he sought forgiveness for the sin of adultery. His words in Psalm 51 teach many aspects of true repentance. Equally you written report the psalm with class members, discuss how nosotros can apply David's repentant example to our lives.

In Psalm 51, David first acknowledged God and His mercy (Psalm 51:1). David besides best-selling his own sinfulness (Psalm 51:1–three). Why is it important that we recognize God's greatness and our own sinfulness when we apologize of our sins?
What must we sacrifice in order to receive forgiveness of our sins? (See Psalm 51:sixteen–17.) What exercise yous remember it ways to accept "a broken and a contrite center"?
How are our sins "ever before [u.s.a.]" before we are forgiven? (Psalm 51:3). How does that change later we have been forgiven? (See Psalm 51:10; Alma 36:17–nineteen.) How does God await upon our past sins subsequently he has forgiven us? (Run into Psalm 51:ix; Isaiah 43:25; D&C 58:42.)
David described forgiveness as a cleansing (Psalm 51:1–ii, seven, nine–x), a restoration (Psalm 51:12), and a deliverance (Psalm 51:14). Why are these appropriate descriptions of the blessing of God'south forgiveness?

Determination

Explain that no thing how successful or strong we may be, we are not above temptation. Encourage grade members to make any necessary changes in their lives that will assistance them be chaste in idea and action. Limited your dear for Jesus Christ and your gratitude for his Amende. Evidence that because of the Atonement, we can exist forgiven of our sins.

Additional Teaching Ideas

The post-obit material supplements the suggested lesson outline. Y'all may want to use one or more of these ideas as function of the lesson.

1. Dismissing unclean thoughts from our minds

In your ain words, share the post-obit statement by Elder Boyd 1000. Packer nigh how to dismiss unclean thoughts that take entered our minds uninvited:

"The mind is similar a phase. Except when we are comatose, the mantle is always up. There is always some human activity beingness performed on that phase. It may be a comedy, a tragedy, interesting or irksome, skillful or bad; but ever in that location is some act playing on the stage of the mind.

"Have you noticed that without any existent intent on your part, in the middle of almost whatever performance, a shady little idea may pitter-patter in from the wings and attract your attention? These runaway thoughts volition try to upstage everybody. If you lot permit them to keep, all thoughts of whatever virtue will get out the phase. You will be left, because you lot consented to it, to the influence of unrighteous thoughts.

"If you yield to them, they will enact for you on the phase of your mind annihilation to the limits of your toleration. They may enact a theme of bitterness, jealousy, or hatred. Information technology may be vulgar, immoral, even depraved. When they take the stage, if you permit them, they will devise the most clever persuasions to hold your attending. They can make it interesting all right, fifty-fifty convince yous that information technology is innocent—for they are merely thoughts.

"What do you do at a fourth dimension like that, when the stage of your heed is commandeered by the imps of unclean thinking, whether they exist the gray ones that seem almost clean or the filthy ones which get out no room for doubtfulness? If you tin control your thoughts, you lot tin overcome habits, even degrading personal habits. If you can learn to primary them, yous will have a happy life.

"This is what I would teach you lot. Choose from among the sacred music of the Church a favorite hymn, 1 with words that are uplifting and music that is reverent, one that makes yous feel something alike to inspiration. Go over it in your mind advisedly. Memorize information technology. Even though y'all [may] take had no musical training, you tin can think through a hymn.

"Now, use this hymn as the place for your thoughts to become. Brand information technology your emergency channel. Whenever you find these shady actors take slipped from the sidelines of your thinking onto the phase of your mind, put on this record, as it were. As the music begins and equally the words form in your thoughts, the unworthy ones volition slip shamefully abroad. It volition change the whole mood on the stage of your mind. Because it is uplifting and make clean, the baser thoughts will disappear. For while virtue, by choice, will not acquaintance with filth, evil cannot tolerate the presence of light.

"In due time you will find yourself, on occasion, humming the music inwardly. As you retrace your thoughts, you discover some influence from the earth well-nigh yous encouraged an unworthy thought to move on stage in your mind, and the music almost automatically began.

"Once you learn to clear the stage of your mind of unworthy thoughts, keep information technology busy with learning worthwhile things. Change your surround so that you have things about yous that volition inspire good and uplifting thoughts. Keep busy with things that are righteous" (in Briefing Report, Oct. 1976, 99–100).

two. The danger of trying to cover our sins

In trying to hide his sin of adultery, David committed an fifty-fifty greater sin. To hash out the danger of trying to hide our sins, compare sin to a mound of clay. Illustrate this concept on the chalkboard equally shown in the first drawing on page 116.

What volition happen if we try to cover a small mound of clay? (The mound will become larger and more visible. Illustrate this concept as shown in the second drawing higher up.)
How is covering our sins similar covering a mound of dirt? (Our sinfulness becomes greater and more serious when nosotros try to comprehend our sins.)
If we do not desire people to meet a mound of dirt, what should we do? (Nosotros should remove the mound rather than cover it.) How tin can we remove sin from our lives?

3. "Then Amnon hated her exceedingly" (2 Samuel 13:fifteen)

two Samuel 13 contains the story of David's son Amnon and David's girl Tamar. Amnon was attracted to Tamar and forced her to commit fornication with him.

2 Samuel thirteen:1 says that Amnon loved Tamar. How did Amnon's feelings for Tamar change after he had sinned against her? (Run across two Samuel 13:fifteen.) Why does hatred, rather than beloved, oft outcome between people who violate the principles of morality?

President Gordon B. Hinckley said: "I heard Elder John A. Widtsoe … say, 'It is my observation that a young man and a immature woman who violate the principles of morality soon end upward hating one some other.' I have observed the same thing. In that location may exist words of dear to begin with, just there will be words of acrimony and bitterness later" ("True to the Faith," Ensign, June 1996, v).

4. Hope for the repentant

If you emphasize that it is never too tardily to repent, you may desire to share the following argument by Elder Boyd Thou. Packer:

"The discouraging idea that a mistake (or even a series of them) makes it everlastingly too late, does non come from the Lord. He has said that if we will apologize, not only volition He forgive u.s. our transgressions, only He will forget them and think our sins no more. … Repentance is like soap; it can wash sin away. Ground-in clay may take the strong detergent of bailiwick to go the stains out, but out they volition come" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 72; or Ensign, May 1989, 59).