只是問一下 (9)：是懲罰嗎？

一個入屋偷盜的竊賊，他要承擔的後果就是坐牢，直至刑期終結。
一個選錯結婚對象的丈夫或太太，他或她就要忍受這段婚姻，直至一方過世或雙方離婚為止。
一個明知自己有遺傳病而懷胎生育的母親，她就要一生照顧子女。

有人會說：上述三個例子（和其他類似的情況），都是當事人本身的抉擇，並沒有上帝的干預，當然要後果自負。
人犯錯，必然要承擔後果。

可是，當大衛順從自己的意願而犯下通姦和謀殺等罪行時，
他那因姦淫而生的兒子死去。
然後，大衛繼續作王。
這樣，大衛要承擔的後果是甚麼？

嗯，大衛被稱為合上帝心意的人。
然而，這樣就能夠逃過後果自負的規律嗎？
抑或，大衛只是個罕有的例子，以說明上帝的恩典？
這樣還算合理嗎？還算公平嗎？

我只是問一下。

Just asking (9): was it punishment?

When someone committed burglary, his imprisonment was a consequence to suffer, till end of term.
When someone makes a wrong decision in marrying, he or she will suffer for it till death or divorce.
When someone with hereditary disease knowingly bears a child, she has to care for the offspring forever.

These three, and others like them, brought the consequences upon themselves, by their own volition, without any interference from God, it could be argued.
Man made mistakes, man suffered consequences.

But when David committed adultery and murder, of his own volition.
His baby son died.
David lived on as King.
What was David’s consequence to suffer?

Well David was the man after God’s heart.
But does that enable anyone to escape the suffer-your-own-consequences rule?
Or is David the only rare exception to prove God’s grace?
Is it still fair and just?

I’m just asking.