Forgiveness

Job 14:17 "my transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and you would cover over my iniquity." ESV

 

I love this word: Forgiveness. Job knew about it. Job wanted to experience it…he just did not think that it was something that he had at that moment. He thought he had to wait until he died to see it. Not so. It is something that I can experience now and through eternity. My transgression, my rebellion, my guilt, my punishment can be sealed up in a bag now. My iniquity, my depravity, my sin can be covered…plastered over at this very moment.

 

How do I know? "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9 It all rests on God's character. It all rests on His faithfulness and His righteousness and in it, He says: Just confess. Just admit, just agree with God, just declare what I have done that violates His character and in His character He will forgive…ALL unrighteousness. See why I like the word "forgiveness"? God doesn't do a half hearted job. God does not hang on to stuff. God does not let my sin fester in His life. No, He gets rid of all of it.

 

And how about this: "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him." ESV Ps 103:11-13 God gets it. He knows what we are like. He is just waiting for us to get it too…a realization that He is God, we are not. He is perfect, we are sinful. He is faithful and righteous and we need to confess…and there it goes. East and West never meet and we will never meet our sin again. Or how about this: "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." ESV Micah 7:18,19 Pardoning, passing over, delighting in love, having compassion and throwing my sin into the deepest part of the sea. Or how about this: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Rom 8:1 No condemnation. Gone forever. All because of Jesus. See why I like this word "forgiveness"?

 

The thing is, forgiveness is a two way street: "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ESV Matt 6:14,15 Now those are sobering words, but it makes sense. How can I expect God to forgive me my massive stuff when I can't forgive someone else their little stuff? It is like the story of the guy who owed a debt to his master and was owed a debt by a fellow servant. His failure to forgive the debt owed by the fellow servant resulted in some tough stuff from his master. Matt 18:23-35 So it is with God. "So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." ESV Matt 18:35
I have to have a forgiving heart to experience a forgiving God.

 

I wonder…God help me see if I am holding on to stuff. You don't, neither should I.