God Pardons Iniquity

"He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
Psalm 103:10-12

Everyone living today can truly echo David's sentiment, that God has not punished us as our sins deserve.  The wages of sin is death forever, and the fact we still live and breathe is evidence of God's mercy which is greater towards us than the heavens are higher than the earth.  While flames of fire and divine wrath is stored up to be released upon this world for sin on the day of judgment, 2 Peter 3:9 tells us:  "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."  Looking back, we ought to acknowledge God has not dealt with us according to our sins, and with eyes of faith that peer into the future through God's word know without a doubt judgment will be ultimately poured out on sinners in full measure.

God's mercy towards underserving sinners is beyond reckoning, and all who repent of their sin and trust in Jesus adopt a humble posture to receive all the benefits of God's mercy now and forever.  Though God is under no obligation to forgive anyone, to redeem or receive sinners, He delights to extend mercy to all people He loves according to the riches of His grace.  David blessed God for removing the guilt, punishment and condemnation from sin from sinners who fear God.  I like how David described God's removal of our sins is as far as the east is from the west rather than the north from the south.  If you were to travel north on the globe, at some point you would begin travelling south towards the equator--and this suggests a fixed, measurable distance.  Travelling east or west along the equator, however, no one can ever reach the end.  This is how far God has removed our sins from us, purged and gone forever.

The prophet exclaimed in Micah 7:18-20:  "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. 19 He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 20 You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old."  When God provides pardon and forgiveness to those who repent and trust in Him, it is like He throws our sins in the depths of the sea--never to be dredged up or recalled to mind again.  Because we are not God, it is easy for our old wounds to be opened again when we think about ways people have offended us.  Oh, that we would delight in mercy as much as our heavenly Father who has forgiven and released us of all the guilt of our sin!  That we would have faith in God's power and pardon to the end we refuse to wallow in self-pity for our previous sins or hold the sins of others perpetually against them.  Instead of seeing their sin, we ought to see Jesus who provided atonement and pardoned us of our sin forever.

There is no God like the God of Israel who pardons transgressions and claims people who fear Him as His heritage forever.  Our Creator is the true God, and by faith in Him the prophet Micah was assured God would give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham.  The ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy has been accomplished by Jesus Christ the Son of God being sent to this world who would save His people from their sins.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Jesus ushered in a new covenant in His blood that transcended the Law of Moses the prophet Jeremiah spoke of, for God has put His law in our hearts and remembers our sin no more (Jeremiah 31:31-34).  Our righteousness is not obtained by attempts to keep the Law but is imputed by faith in Jesus Christ.  Christians can know personally the blessing David spoke of in Psalm 32:1-2:  "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit."  

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