Last night I was at Bible study and Pastor Andy speaking on forgiveness and
peace with God referred to the fact that it is justification through faith that
causes us to be in relationship with God. That justification through faith by
the grace of God closes the great divide between God and man. Pastor Andy spoke
of the fact that we find this concept (that God justifies us) difficult to
accept because we find it difficult to (justify/forgive) others. There was not
one person in the room who could not concede to the difficulty in forgiving
someone not to mention to go further to forget what that same person had done
to result in the broken relationship.
Of course I
am not going to spend this post recounting what was said last night. I want to
talk not about why as humans we find it difficult to accept God’s forgiveness
but about this awesome God that we serve who when we repent not just FORGIVES us
but FORGETS – remembers my sin no more!!!!! My mantra has always been that to
not feel the same pain or anger when I think of the dirt that was done to me is
a telltale sign for me that I have truly forgiven. To be honest, it is clear
that that still falls short of what God does for us; God forgives us then keeps
no record of our sin so there is no ‘mistake’ on which He will spend time to
reminisce.
As I wrote
that last sentence I felt a broad smile come over my face because to me knowing
that is more than enough reason for me to break into praise.
I expect it is the
same for you, I mean, unless you are perfect and have never sinned (looking at
you sideways)! To understand His love for us is to understand His actions
toward us. Now I know why when we used to sing this song in church it used to
give me the ‘fuzzies’ in my tummy because we were singing something so
powerful. Check it out (pretend I am using my opera voice wink wink):
“I love
you with the love of the Lord Yes I love
you with the love of the Lord
I can see
in you, the glory of the Lord and
I love you
with the love of the Lord”
God forgives me and forgets my sin giving me a
clean slate; a chance to start afresh. Pastor Andy says it is "just as if I had never sinned"! Wow!!! He does not let me begin from a place of
disadvantage but gives me a head start at pleasing Him by making me righteous that
I might fellowship with Him!
Lord help me
to act right and to be right and when I sin help me not to be prideful but to
understand my sin in relation to who You are as a holy, pure, righteous, sovereign
God. I always make reference to David, who God referred to as a man after his
own heart. When he admitted his sin, he said "it is against You, You only
have I sinned...” (Psalm 51:4). He never felt like he was not benefiting from his
actions. He killed Bathsheba’s husband to get her completely to himself (David and Bathsheba had been having an affair)…he scored the girl, he was happy but he had to come to the place
where he realized that his actions were displeasing and evil in the eyes of God. When you have the
chance read 2 Samuel 11.
Sometimes we do things and we don’t really believe we
are wrong because we feel justified in the actions we do but we are being
called to come to a place where we recognize and repent for our sins even if
only based on the fact that it is displeasing to the God who loves us like no
one else ever could.
Now the fact
that God forgives us and gives us a new slate is not reason to become
complacent in our sin or to be presumptuous in our sinning! The mercy and grace
of God ought to make us want to run away from actions and thoughts that are
sinful because we owe it to the God who justifies us because of His love for us
but more importantly we should come to a place where we run away from our
sinful ways and become uncomfortable with sin in our lives because of our love
for God. Can we truly say we love God if we do not care whether we displease
Him with our sinful thoughts and actions? What say you?
So then here
is the conclusion of the whole matter (hehe) we can do nothing to earn or buy
the love and forgiveness of this wonderful God who is everything to us and
everything we need. Our justification is based on who God is and the unchanging
love He has for us. When you wrestle with sin in your life remember the higher
level that God has called you to and more than anything else has equipped you to
reach. When you wrestle with the guilt of sin remember the mercy of God that
justifies you regardless of what you have done or could ever do just ask Him to
forgive you, have confidence in Him that He will do what He says He will and
turn away from your sin.
Here are a few scriptures to consider:
“Do
not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7
NIV)
“If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV)
"Come
now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are
like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1: 18 NIV)
“as
far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions
(sins) from us” (Psalm103:12)
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Until next time:)
EJ
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