"I venture to say that even God Himself cannot see that which no longer exists; even His eye rests not on a thing that is not.And thus is it with the sin of those who have believed in Jesus: it has ceased to be. God Himself has declared, "I will remember their sin no more."
But can God forget?
Of course He can, as He says that He will. The work of the Messiah was described to Daniel in these remarkable words: "to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness" (Daniel 9:24). Well, then, there is an end of them, according to that other gracious, divine declaration, "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins" (Isaiah 44:22). Hence, they are gone, they have ceased to be, Christ has obliterated them, and therefore God no longer sees them. Oh, the splendor of the pardon that God has bestowed upon all believers, making a clean sweep of all their sins forever!" Charles Spurgeon [At the Masters Feet, July 25th]
[Matthias Grünewald,(1470 – August 31, 1528)]
Christ became our sin, and He gives us His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Here's a Holy doctrine that every child of God should hold dear, and never give up, and pray that it be seared into our hearts.
What a wonderful Savior indeed! may the name of Jesus Christ be a name that is precious to us. A name, when we hear it tagged with falseness, or used with foul words, grieve us deeply.
"My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!"
2 comments:
I find the teaching that God "forgets" our sin to be a bit unsettling. The debt has been paid; the matter has been legally resolved, and so I would suggest it is more correct to say that it is as though our sins have ceased to be. God is still omniscient, but he chooses not to bring them up again. To us, the practical end result is the same as if he forgot them, but the theological implications on the attributes of God are different.
I think Spurgeon would agree in the Omniscient Triune God.
But I like how he shows the greatness of our forgiveness in Christ. And how our sins are washed away, as far as the east is from the west, and God will never point to our sin, and condemn us.
So when we do look back on our filthy sisns, and condemn our own souls, God is always greater than our heart, and the accuser, the devil, surely doesn't want us to have this truth of God not remembering our sin embedded in our souls.
And yet I agree with you Craver.
I have never heard any one say it quite the way the 'prince of preachers says it here. And it set well in my heart.
But I will consider these things he says.
Thanks Craver for sharing.
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