Friday, November 12, 2010

Forgiveness is not so simple. Psalm 103: 9, 10.

We say God’s ways are not our ways, but what are God’s ways, and what do they tell us about God?

“He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve, or repay us according to our iniquities.” Psalm 103:9, 10. NIV.

What hope these words offer! God is a God of forgiveness, not causal forgiveness but mercy on many levels; His accusations cease, His anger abates, His actions are amended, and our iniquities are voided out.

ANGER
We are shocked to read that God does have anger. We want God to be the wonderful mushy grandfather in the sky who gives gifts to the good and winks at the bad. Yet, God does have anger at the wrongs we do, the sins we commit, and the good we neglect to do. He would be cheap if it were otherwise.

ACCUSE
What good news that God “will not always accuse.”  God sees every wrong we do, and if He wished, God could call us into judgment whenever He wanted. He is our creator and father and has the right to require the fidelity of mankind, and as Lord of the universe, He is right to condemn our sin and us. To say God “will not always accuse” suggest there is a time when accusation and judgment will cease, and our guilt will be erased.

MERCY
God is not like us, we harbor anger or carry a grudge for decades until it taints every relationship and act, even to our own injury, but God does not bear a vindictive grudge forever. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or according to our iniquities. If he did, we would all be lost long ago. Each day we live, we do so as a testament to His mercy, forgiveness, and His Grace.

HOW?
How is it that “God will not Harbor His anger forever?” God’s anger is vented somewhere on someone or something. The Bible reveals that God spent His wrath on His Son Jesus on the cross. He placed our sin on His Holy Son and vented His just anger against those sins there. Not only was the fury of the wrath of God against our sin exhausted on Jesus, but He also offers eternal life to any who accept His Son’s sacrifice on their behalf. He did this for us, and we can say, “Indeed He does not treat us as our sins deserve.”

To learn how to find eternal forgiveness in Christ, click here to see my other post about the Gospel.

(c)Adron Dozat 10/11/10