Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t remember the sins of your youth, the indiscretions of yesteryear? For that matter, aren’t you glad God doesn’t count your sins from yesterday against you? I sure am. And so was David.

David knew better than anyone the benefit of God’s gracious forgiveness. Perhaps no other person in history had his dirtiest, darkest laundry aired in public more than David did. Adulterer, conspirer, manipulator, cold-hearted you-know-what, murderer—that’s what David was! Yet David found in God something that you and I depend on for our very existence, something the non-believing world cannot grasp: Unconditional, unlimited, undeserving forgiveness.

Of all the Divine benefits David enjoyed in his life, forgiveness was right there at the top of the list. In that eloquent poetic listing of the blessings of belonging, Psalm 103, forgiveness was the very first one he mentioned:

“Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins…” (Psalm 103:1-3)

David went on to describe the scope of God’s forgiveness in verses 9-14:

“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. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”

How does God forgive? According to those verses, in grace and mercy God forgives all of our sins. He doesn’t give us what we deserve—punishment—and he gives us what we don’t deserve—forgiveness. How does he forgive us? Completely—as far as the east is from the west he removes the stain and guilt of our sin. Last time I looked, that was a long way away! How does God forgive us? Out of the compassion of a father’s heart—like a father overflowing with love for a wayward child.

Perhaps that’s why David could write so many beautiful songs about the goodness of God. He, more than anyone, understood the benefits and blessings of being forgiven.

Perhaps it would do you some good to stop and consider for a moment the benefits and blessings of the gracious, undeserving, unlimited forgiveness that God has extended to you. Maybe, like David, as you realize how much you have been covered by his grace and mercy, you too, will exclaim, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” (Psalm 32:1)

“Our Savior kneels down and gazes upon the darkest acts of our lives. But rather than recoil in horror, he reaches out in kindness and says, ‘I can clean that if you want.’ And from the basin of his grace, he scoops a palm full of mercy and washes our sin.”
—Max Lucado

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Most believers have favorite verses from the Bible:  John 3:16—“For God so loved the world…” Jeremiah 29:11—“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord…” Ephesians 2:10—“We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…” Psalm 23—“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…”

But this verse in I John 1, if not my favorite, certainly represents a promise that I have most often claimed.  In fact, if you are like me, you use this verse early and often.  Though I do not make a practice of deliberately sinning, I do have my moments when I give into temptation, surrender to the flesh and fail God.  Frankly, I am a sinner.

But that—sinner—is not my true identity.  Rather, I am a sinner saved by grace.  That is the true me; one whose sinful nature and whose acts of sin are covered by God’s grace.

The truth is, we all sin.  Every Christ-follower who wants to do away with sin stumbles, sometimes in small ways, sometimes largely.  But by God’s grace, Jesus has made a way for us to be relieved of our sins simply, thoroughly and unconditionally when we humbly and honestly confess them before him. And when we confess our sins, he forgives us!  How awesome is that?  Each time we sin, Jesus has already atoned for that sin by his blood that was shed on the cross.  So when we confess, we are simply tapping into an inexhaustible reservoir of forgiveness that was established when Jesus deposited grace by his sacrificial death.

Now some people, including me, at times feel so badly about their sin that they wonder if it has truly been forgiven.  One of the wonderful things about the truth proclaimed in this verse is that our forgiveness doesn’t rest on our feelings.  It rests on God’s faithfulness.  Notice what John wrote:  “When we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us our sins.”

Nor is our forgiveness affected by the presence of guilt.  There are times, frankly, that I will still feel very badly days later about a sin that I have confessed.  But my guilt does not mean I am not forgiven. Bear in mind that forgiveness is based on God’s justice.  You might still feel guilty, but that doesn’t affect God.  He was completely just in forgiving your awful sin because Jesus already bore the punishment for it.  That’s why John writes, “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

I am so grateful for the truth of this verse, and I suspect that you are too.  For sure, we need to do away with sin in our lives, but when we don’t, when we blow it, we can go to God and he eagerly and freely forgives us for Jesus’ sake.

How great is that?  No other god is like our God—we are most blessed.

Father, forgive me from all unrighteousness and cleanse me thoroughly through the blood of Jesus so that I can be kept in right standing in your awesome presence.  Steer me away from evil and keep me on the paths of righteousness this day.  And thank you for the inexhaustible gift of forgiveness made possible by your grace.  Though I hope I don’t have to tap into your forgiveness again this day, I’m sure I will.

“Free grace can go into the gutter, and bring up a jewel!” ~Charles Spurgeon

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Read Psalm 32:1-11

Before and After

“Oh what joy for those whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.”
(Psalm 32:1)

What would life be like for you without God’s forgiveness? I don’t know about you, but I’d be depressed, fearful, under so much guilt I doubt if I could function, and worst of all, hopeless. There would be no joy, no energy to face today and no courage to face tomorrow. I’d be a royal mess!

Oh, I could postpone all those sad realities of an unforgiven life by some sort of other coping mechanism. I could numb all my pains by drinking or doing drugs. I could temporarily avoid that reality by overworking or overspending or overachieving or overeating or oversleeping. I could get a momentary feel-good fix through Internet porn or an extra-marital affair or some other sort of sexually addictive behavior and forget about the fact that I am hopelessly lost. I could surround myself with all kinds of friends through non-stop partying, by being funny, by incessant sports or other social activities. There are all kinds of ways I could avoid the pain of the unforgiven life. Lots of people do that every day—that’s how much of the world copes.

But that doesn’t negate the awful truth that they are living an unforgiven life. They can only postpone their hopeless reality for so long, but at some point living a life apart from a forgiving God will come home to roost.

I realize I have painted a pretty bleak and depressing picture—not a great way to start a devotional—but it’s true.

On the other hand, what joy there is for those whose sins are forgiven! Not just forgiven, but covered…neutralized…vaporized and remembered no more. David, who wrote that psalm, had committed some pretty egregious sins against Almighty God (II Samuel 11), so he was talking from first-hand experience about the before and after picture of the forgiven life. He, more than most people, knew the indescribable joy in having his sin-slate wiped clean.

I know that joy, too, and I suspect you’ve experienced it as well. How privileged we are to belong to a God who forgives all of our sins—and does so with great joy. I can’t think of a greater benefit and blessing in this life than that.

I don’t know what you are facing this day, but I hope the simple fact that you have been completely forgiven by God will brighten your day and give you a profound joy that will sustain you for the rest of your life

“Forgiveness is the remission of sins. For it is by this that what
has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again.”
—Augustine

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Read Psalm 25

A Divine Pass

“Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.”
Psalm 25:7

Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t remember the sins of your youth, the indiscretions of yesteryear? For that matter, aren’t you glad God doesn’t count your sins from yesterday against you? I sure am. And so was David.

David knew better than anyone the benefit of God’s gracious forgiveness. Perhaps no other person in history had his dirtiest, darkest laundry aired in public more than David did. Adulterer, conspirer, manipulator, cold-hearted you-know-what, murderer—that’s what David was! Yet David found in God something that you and I depend on for our very existence, something the non-believing world cannot grasp: Unconditional, unlimited, undeserving forgiveness.

Of all the Divine benefits David enjoyed in his life, forgiveness was right there at the top of the list. In that eloquent poetic listing of the blessings of belonging, Psalm 103, forgiveness was the very first one he mentioned:

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins…” (Psalm 103:1-3)

David went on to describe the scope of God’s forgiveness in verses 9-14:

“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. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”

How does God forgive? According to those verses, in grace and mercy God forgives all of our sins. He doesn’t give us what we deserve—punishment—and he gives us what we don’t deserve—forgiveness. How does he forgive us? Completely—as far as the east is from the west he removes the stain and guilt of our sin. Last time I looked, that was a long way away! How does God forgive us? Out of the compassion of a father’s heart—like a father overflowing with love for a wayward child.

Perhaps that’s why David could write so many beautiful songs about the goodness of God. He, more than anyone, understood the benefits and blessings of being forgiven.

Perhaps it would do you some good to stop and consider for a moment the benefits and blessings of the gracious, undeserving, unlimited forgiveness that God has extended to you. Maybe, like David, as you realize how much you have been covered by his grace and mercy, you too, will exclaim, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” (Psalm 32:1)

“Our Savior kneels down and gazes upon the darkest acts of our lives. But rather than recoil in horror, he reaches out in kindness and says, ‘I can clean that if you want.’ And from the basin of his grace, he scoops a palm full of mercy and washes our sin.”
—Max Lucado

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Read I John 1

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(I John 1:9)

Thoughts… Most believers have favorite verses from the Bible: John 3:16—“For God so loved the world…” Jeremiah 29:11—“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord…” Ephesians 2:10—“We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…”

I John 1:9, if not my favorite verse, certainly represents a promise that I have most often claimed. In fact, if you are like me, you use this verse early and often. Though I do not make a practice of deliberately sinning, I do have my moments when I give into temptation, surrender to the flesh and fail God. Frankly, I am a sinner.

But that—sinner—is not my true identity. Rather, I am a sinner saved by grace. That is the true me; one whose sinful nature and whose acts of sin are covered by God’s grace.

The truth is, we all sin. Every Christ-follower who wants to do away with sin stumbles, sometimes in small ways, sometimes largely. But by God’s grace, Jesus has made a way for us to be relieved of our sins simply, thoroughly and unconditionally, when we humbly and honestly confess them before him.

When we confess our sins, he forgives us! How awesome is that? Each time we sin, Jesus has already atoned for that sin by the blood he shed on the cross. So when we confess, we are simply tapping into the inexhaustible reservoir of forgiveness Jesus deposited by his sacrificial death.

Now some people, including me, at times feel so badly about their sin that they wonder if it has truly been forgiven. One of the wonderful things about the truth proclaimed in this verse is that our forgiveness doesn’t rest on our feelings; it rests on God’s faithfulness. Notice what John wrote: “When we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us our sins.”

Nor is our forgiveness affected by the presence of guilt. There are times, frankly, that I will still feel very badly days later about a sin that I have already confessed. But guilt doesn’t mean I am not forgiven. Bear in mind that forgiveness is based on God’s justice: “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” You might still feel guilty, but that doesn’t affect God. He was completely just in forgiving your awful sin because Jesus already bore the punishment for it.

I am so grateful for the truth of this verse, and I suspect that you are too. For sure, we need to do away with sin in our lives, but when we don’t, when we blow it, we can go to God and he eagerly and freely forgives us for Jesus’ sake.

How great is that? No other god is like our God—we are most blessed.

Prayer… Father, forgive me from all unrighteousness and cleanse me thoroughly through the blood of Jesus so that I can be kept in right standing in your awesome presence. Steer me away from evil and keep me on the paths of righteousness this day. And thank you for the inexhaustible gift of forgiveness made possible by your grace. Though I hope I don’t have to tap into it again this day, I’m sure I will.

One More Thing… “Free grace can go into the gutter, and bring up a jewel!” —Charles Spurgeon

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Read Philemon

“I appeal to you, Philemon, to show kindness to my child,
Onesimus…He is no longer your slave, he is your brother.”
(Philemon 1:10,16)

Thoughts… Missionary Stan Mooneyham tells of walking along a trail in East Africa when he became aware of a delightful odor that filled the air. He looked up in the trees and around at the bushes trying to find what it was. His African friends told him to look down at the small blue flower growing along the path. Each time they crushed the tiny blossoms under their feet, its sweet perfume was released into the air.

They said, “We call it the forgiveness flower.”

The forgiveness flower doesn’t wait until we ask forgiveness for crushing it. It doesn’t wait for an apology or restitution; it merely lives up to its name and forgives—freely, fully, richly.

That’s what Paul was asking Philemon to do: To freely forgive his runaway slave, Onesimus, and to fully welcome him back into his household not as a slave, but as a brother.

Through Philemon, what Paul is saying to you and me is that if we want to be truly authentic in our faith, if we want to truly be like Jesus, then we must readily extend forgiveness to those who have offended us. Forgiveness is the first step on the pathway to Christ-likeness.

Moreover, forgiveness is an authentication of our Christ-likeness as well. The Puritan preacher Thomas Watson wrote, “We need not climb up into heaven to see whether our sins are forgiven. Let us look into our hearts and see if we can forgive others. If we can, we need not doubt that God has forgiven us.”

If you are serious about becoming more like Christ, Ephesians 4:32 says you must, “forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.” That means you treat the person who has hurt you just like you hope God will treat you: Quickly, freely, completely forgiven.

Forgiveness is an act of sheer obedience. Notice what Paul says at the end of his appeal in verse 21, “Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.”

Forgiveness is arguably the most difficult of all Christian virtues. It means letting go of what is rightfully yours—justice! When you forgive, in reality, it’s you—the one who is owed, who pays the price of forgiveness in full.

But isn’t that what God did for us? In Christ, the debt was paid for us. This is what theologians call the doctrine of imputation… “to put it on someone else’s account.” When Jesus died on the cross, my sins were put on his account. He was treated the way I should have been treated. But even more, not only was he my substitute, his guiltlessness became mine. He took my guilt and exchanged it for his righteousness. He said to the Judge, “He no longer owes the debt—I paid it in full. Receive him as you would receive me. He’s family now!”

That’s what we’re reminded of in this little letter of Philemon, that Christ-likeness requires no less of us than what Jesus has done for us!

Forgiveness is the fragrance of the flower that’s left on the heel of the shoe that crushed it.

I hope you give off that fragrance today!

Prayer… Dear Father, you have freely, unconditionally and completely forgiven me. Now give me the grace to forgive, just as in Christ, you have forgiven me.

One More Thing… “He who cannot forgive others destroys the bridge over which he himself must pass.” —George Herbert

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