From virtually the first page (Genesis 3) until the last page, the Bible acknowledges, confronts, and exposes the sinfulness of mankind.
The reality of sin in its heinousness is not hidden (e.g., the sin of Lot and his daughters in Genesis 19). The vast amount of sin in every individual is recognized (see Jesus’ parable of the unrighteous slave in Matthew 18). The nature of sin as emanating from within each person is exposed (Luke 6:43-45) — our problem is not just that we “do” sin, but that it is part of our nature and makeup. And perhaps worst of all, no matter how aware we are of our sin, there is an immeasurable amount of sin in our lives of which we are unaware and uncomprehending (Ps. 19:12).
Man is a sinner and the horridness of that reality is on virtually every page of Scripture.
It has been noted that “There is not one of us who has any idea of the horror and crime of sin before God. We have always lived in an atmosphere so saturated with sin, on this earth that drinks iniquity like water and eats it like bread, that we no longer know how to discern the sin that engulfs us from every side.” [Adolphe Monod]
And despite the extensiveness of sin’s stain on us, we have hope. Our hope is not our own perfection, self-righteousness, personal atonement, or self-forgiveness. Our hope is that we have a God who forgives.
When David (the man after God’s heart, Acts 13:22) acknowledges the extent of his sin, he also immediately turns to God for help: “acquit me…” (Ps. 19:12b). When he asks to be acquitted, he is asking to be declared innocent and free of the legal punishment and consequences of his sin. It’s a bold request. And he makes that request because God is available to forgive his sin.
Remember three realities about God’s forgiveness:
- The request for forgiveness is made to God because God is the One who has been offended (sinned against) by our sin. However much we have harmed others in our sin, we have primarily sinned against the Lord. In another psalm David acknowledges, “As for me, I said, ‘O LORD, be gracious to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You’” (41:4). We cannot absolve ourselves of our guilt because we are not perfect in righteousness and because our sin has not been against ourselves. God can forgive because He is the ultimate One against whom our sin is committed — and because He has made righteous provision for the removal of our sin through Christ.
- The condemnation that is fitting for our sin is eternal because our sins are infinite in their rebellion against the Lord and innumerable to us: “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” the Israelite worshippers would sing on their way to the annual feasts in Jerusalem. They knew of God’s right to judge their sin (which also means that only He is able to absolve sin).
- Yet there is an innate willingness in God to respond to confession and repentance with the grace of forgiveness. It is He “Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases…He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103:3, 10).
There is no sin that is greater than God’s gracious willingness to forgive. You cannot out-sin His willingness to forgive. But you have to repent. You have to turn away (which is what David did).
As you contemplate God’s nature — His immensity and greatness in creation and His revealed standard in His Word, be humble enough to acknowledge your sin and then run to Him for forgiveness. And be at peace because He wants and is able to forgive.
There is a temptation to hide our sin. We cannot hide it. He knows. And even knowing He is ever ready to forgive us when we repent. Such grace we have received from a God who forgives.
“Venus transits the rising Sun” by herbraab is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Words of Grace 