Gone

Micah 7:18,19 "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."

The men of our church are going through a great study right now called "Downpour" from James MacDonald. This study is centering on Revival…not necessarily in our country or in our churches, but in our individual lives. He begins by talking about God's holiness. When you really consider how holy, how set apart, how awesome God is, you really have to approach Him with a humble, cautious spirit. Last week and this week we are looking at sin. What about it? The wrath of God is revealed against it. God hates it. He despises it. He wants nothing to do with it. His unbelievable, powerful, awesome wrath is being stored up to someday be poured out because of it. Tough stuff because we are all there. All have sinned and fall short of God's glory. Sin is totally contrary to who He is and it cannot exist in His presence. We are all condemned and under the wrath of God.

But then look at this verse: "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?" He will not keep His wrath forever. Why? Because He delights, He takes more pleasure in mercy. He will give us His compassion. He will love us deeply. He will have tender affection for us. So what will He do with our sin? Subdue it. Take it captive and hold it in bondage. He will throw it into the deep sea. God hates sin so much that He is going to absolutely, positively, definitively get rid of it forever. He is going to lock it up in chains and weights and thrown into the depths of the sea never to be revealed or released again.

This is beyond great news. This is freedom. I know that I have a tendency to beat myself up when I screw up. I confess it and God takes it and locks it up, but I sometimes unlock it. I remember it. I dwell on it. That is dumb because God doesn't. In His mind once I have confessed my sin it is gone forever, because God would rather delight in mercy and not wrath.

The truth is: If we confess our sins, God is faithful and God is just and God will forgive our sins and make us clean from all unrighteousness. This is God. "Who is a God like You?" That is a great question. There is no one else. There is nothing else. Yet as I John 1:9 reveals, God is faithful and God is just and His justice requires that sin be dealt with. So here is God, who says: "I hate sin so much, and I delight in mercy so much I am going to do something about it for these poor, sinful, helpless people. I am going to go to earth and die. I am going to take the wrath. I am going to take the punishment. I am going to bear their sin…because I delight in mercy and I am going to pardon, and pass over, and have compassion on those who trust what I have done for them." And my sin? Gone.

No wonder we have to fall on our faces in adoration.