Post by Cindy on Feb 15, 2016 8:01:01 GMT -5
“he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10)
“No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”” (Jeremiah 31:34)
The Bible is realistic about forgiveness. It does not imply that if you forgive someone, you will forget his sin against you. That is unbiblical. Many people cite Jeremiah 31:34 and conclude that since God forgets my sins when he forgives me, I must forget the sins that others have committed against me. But the omniscient God does not have amnesia when it comes to our sins. The word “remember” in this passage does not refer to “memory” but to “covenant.” A covenant is a promise. When God forgives our sins, he does not forget them. Rather, he makes a promise not to treat us as our sins deserve (Psalm 103:10). He chooses to absorb the cost himself in the person and work of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Forgiveness is not peace at all costs. Misunderstandings and wrong attitudes and actions can result from wrong views of forgiveness. One such misconception is that forgiveness puts me in a vulnerable position: if I forgive those who sin against me, I will wind up a doormat. But Scripture does not tell us to make it easy for people to sin against us. It calls us to love them well by challenging their actions. We may be called to suffer in a godly way when options for godly confrontation are not available (see 1 Peter 3), but godly confrontation is important. In fact, a failure to confront appropriately shows a lack of love!
Heart of the matter: Daily reflections for changing hearts and lives.
“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 and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 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, so 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. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.” (Psalm 103)
See also: Forgiving & Forgetting The Lord's Way
“No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”” (Jeremiah 31:34)
The Bible is realistic about forgiveness. It does not imply that if you forgive someone, you will forget his sin against you. That is unbiblical. Many people cite Jeremiah 31:34 and conclude that since God forgets my sins when he forgives me, I must forget the sins that others have committed against me. But the omniscient God does not have amnesia when it comes to our sins. The word “remember” in this passage does not refer to “memory” but to “covenant.” A covenant is a promise. When God forgives our sins, he does not forget them. Rather, he makes a promise not to treat us as our sins deserve (Psalm 103:10). He chooses to absorb the cost himself in the person and work of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Forgiveness is not peace at all costs. Misunderstandings and wrong attitudes and actions can result from wrong views of forgiveness. One such misconception is that forgiveness puts me in a vulnerable position: if I forgive those who sin against me, I will wind up a doormat. But Scripture does not tell us to make it easy for people to sin against us. It calls us to love them well by challenging their actions. We may be called to suffer in a godly way when options for godly confrontation are not available (see 1 Peter 3), but godly confrontation is important. In fact, a failure to confront appropriately shows a lack of love!
Heart of the matter: Daily reflections for changing hearts and lives.
“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 and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 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, so 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. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.” (Psalm 103)
See also: Forgiving & Forgetting The Lord's Way
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