To understand the significance of governmental forgiveness, we must consider the example of David in the Old Testament. No portion of the Bible speaks of God's governmental forgiveness as clearly as the story of David with Uriah's wife. David committed two sins: adultery and murder. His adultery was a sin against Uriah's wife, and his murder was a sin against Uriah himself. If you read Psalm 51 and a few other psalms, you will see how David confessed his sins after his mistakes. He felt the shame, the defilement, and the offense that he had committed against God. He was sincere in his confession to God. This shows us clearly that his fellowship with God was restored after his confession in Psalm 51. This restoration of fellowship is analogous to that which is spoken of in 1 John 1.
What did God say to David? He sent Nathan to speak to David. I want you to pay special attention to what Nathan said in 2 Samuel 12:13 after David said, "I have sinned against Jehovah." Nathan said to David, "Jehovah has also put away your sin; you will not die." David said, "I have sinned against Jehovah." He confessed his sins and admitted his guilt. He confessed that he was defiled and had sinned against Jehovah. In return God said through Nathan, "Jehovah has also put away your sin; you will not die." Clearly David's sins were forgiven; God had put away his sins. What did God say to David after that? He said, "Nevertheless, because you have given the enemies of Jehovah much occasion to blaspheme Him because of this thing, the son who is born to you shall also surely die" (v. 14). He also said, "Now therefore the sword will not depart from your house forever because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife" (v. 10). Finally, He said, "I will now raise up trouble against you from within your house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and will give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and even before the sun" (vv. 11-12). God had already put away David's sins, but He would cause the son born to Uriah's wife to die and the sword not to depart from his house. God had already put away David's sins, but He would allow Absalom to rebel and defile David's wives. In other words, sins may be forgiven but the discipline does not go away immediately.
Let me say a frank word to you. You may go to God and ask for forgiveness for any sin, and God will forgive you. The restoring of fellowship can be quick. David restored his fellowship with God very quickly, but God's discipline continued even after his death. God's government would not depart from him as long as His discipline was upon him. Not long after this episode, his son became sick. Even though David fasted and laid on the floor the whole night, it was useless. God's disciplinary hand fell upon David and his son died. Following this, his eldest son Amnon was murdered, and then Absalom rebelled. The sword never departed from David's house! Yet God said to David, "I have forgiven your sins!" Brothers, God may have forgiven your sins, but even though He has forgiven you, you cannot stop His chastisement on you and His governmental hand upon you.