“If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared” (Psalm 130:3-4 NIV1984).
If God kept a record of our sins, we would have no hope. Every unrighteous deed, word, or thought in the past or present would never be forgotten. God’s scrutiny of our iniquities would leave us defeated and in great despair. Condemnation would be our inescapable plight. “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). “The wages of sin is death…” (Rom. 6:23). Of our own will and power, we could not or cannot help ourselves.
God does not overlook sin, and there are still consequences one must suffer. But there is one word that frees us from condemnation — “forgiveness.” “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). Since there is no condemnation for those who believe in Jesus, we are set “…free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2).
Not only do we have freedom in Christ, but we also have peace and joy. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. The psalmist David said, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).
Only a full confession of sin will make us right with God, and only then will we experience His undeserved forgiveness and enjoy freedom, peace, joy, and contentment. There is a purpose, however, to God’s forgiveness.
The Psalmist ended our opening verse with, “…therefore you are feared.” Some people equate “fear” with terror or judgment. They may picture God as a police officer in the sky, waiting to punish them for making a mistake. The fear of God as revealed in Scripture is the exact opposite of dread and terror. Instead, it leads to a deep and reverent awe of God. Recognizing the love and mercy bestowed upon us through Jesus Christ changes us, causing us to hate sin, yet giving us an ardent desire to submit ourselves to Him wholeheartedly. “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” (Psalm 103:10-11). Is there a better reason for us to give Him first place in our lives?
God does not keep a record of our sins. In fact, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). Perhaps you regret something said or done in the past and still allow it to fill you with guilt. Perhaps you cannot forgive yourself, so you don’t feel worthy of God’s forgiveness. You aren’t worthy — none of us are. God forgives because of His unconditional love.
We are still prone to sin, and God holds us accountable, but the Bible tells us that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Don’t allow Satan to deceive you. Study and apply God’s Word to your life and “then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
