Forgiven All The Way

“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,” Psalm 103:11-12

How wonderful it would be if we never had to remember the sins we’ve committed! Sometimes there are moments when I remember things I’ve done or said or thought that I still find myself ashamed of. However, I think one of the things that makes God so powerful is that He actually is able to not only remove sin, but to also forget it. He does not bring up our sins again once He has forgiven us of them. Revelation 12:10 says that satan is the “accuser of the bretheren.” When tormenting or accusing thoughts of your past come to haunt you, it is not the Lord! 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us and purify us from them.

Someone who is reading this has had the thoughts, “I know God has forgiven me, but I’m not sure if it is really true that He could actually accept me or even use my life after the things that I have done.” Let me pose the question: When God forgives, how forgiven is “forgiven?” Does God forgive all the way or only part of the way? I want you to hear this today: God has not rejected you and He has done away with the past. Our ultimate acceptance in shown to us in the fact that God Himself came to be with us and sacrifice Himself for us. Jesus has removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if at Jesus’ crucifixion, His arms spread out on the cross were from east to west! That is where our sin has gone. God did not sweep it under a rug to cover it, no. It was done away with. I know it sounds almost cliché to say that “the price was paid.” But think about that for just a moment. Think about a 5-year car payment when the last payment has been placed. It is done. You never have to make another payment on the car. Finished. You’re free from that debt. When God forgives, it is not some delayed interest thing that sounds good but you still have to pay. No. When God forgives, it is all the way. You are free because of His love for you. Live and walk in that love and freedom remembering the words of the Apostle Paul, “Now there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus!” (Romans 8:1).

Blessings!

Pastor Kyle Bauer