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TEXT: Psalm 130:3-4
SUBJECT: Forgiveness and Fear
"If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, I Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be...what?
If you didn't know the verses, how would you fill in the blank?
THE BACKGROUND
"If You, LORD, should mark iniquities..." To "mark" means to record our sins and to bring them up against us. Knowing everything, the "iniquities" God could "mark" would be...all of them. Every evil act; every vain word; every thought of foolishness; every hypocrisy; every half-hearted act of worship or obedience. God has the right and the ability to "mark [our] iniquities".
If He did, "Who, Lord, would stand?" Who could stand up to that kind of judgment? Not David, though he was the apple of God's eye. Not Solomon, though He was the wisest of men. Not Abraham, though he was "the friend of God". Not Job, though he "feared God and avoided evil".
No one can stand up to the scrutiny of heaven.
"There is not a just man on earth who does good and sins not" (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
"There is none righteous, no not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God; they have all gone out of the way, they have altogether become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no not one!" (Romans 3:10-12).
Not the holiest men of old. Not me. Not you, Romans 3:19.
"But there is forgiveness with You..." To "forgive" sin is the opposite of "marking" it. It means God does not keep a record of our sins; He does not bring them up; He does not use them against us!
"I will forgive their iniquity--is the promise of the New Covenant--"and remember their sin no more" (Jeremiah 31:34).
"I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins" (Isaiah 43:25).
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12).
"He will cast all of our sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19).
That's the background. God does not "mark our iniquities", but with Him we find "forgiveness".
How different He is than we are! We are quick to take offense; slow to forgive; reluctant to give up a grudge; and what pleasure we find in dredging up old sins to use against other people.
We do these things--not to our worst enemies--but to the people we love most! Husbands, wives, children, parents, brothers and sisters in Christ, old friends.
Husbands become bitter toward their wives; wives hold their men in contempt; children despise their parents; mothers and fathers disown their kids; believers gossip about one another and break fellowship--and never make up!
These things are monstrous in light of God's character! Who are you to "mark iniquity" in others if God doesn't "mark" them in you? Who am I to not "forgive" others when God forgives me?
THE QUESTION
Back to the original question. How would you fill in the blank? "If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord who would stand, but there is forgiveness with You, that you may be..." What?
I would say "loved". That's the best reply to forgiveness, it seems to me. The "woman who was a sinner", for example, proved she was "forgiven much" by "loving much". That's what I would say...but the Psalmist doesn't.
Maybe "praised" would be the right word. If God forgives my sins, I ought to praise Him for it. "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, Who forgives all Your iniquities..." (Psalm 103:2). This is a good choice, to be sure, but not the one David makes.
The word he chooses is an unexpected one. Unexpected, that is until you think about it.
"If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who would stand, but there is forgiveness with You, that You may be...feared.
The word, "feared" means "respected" or "reverenced". The forgiving grace of God strikes awe into the sinner's heart. It fills us with wonder and amazement and a desire to worship Him.
The saints in glory are "knocked out" by His forgiveness, and never stop singing,
"Thou art worthy, O LORD"
"Worthy is the Lamb
that was slain"
"Blessing and glory
and honor and power
be unto Him".
Are we any less forgiven than they? If not, then let us tremble before the God who "Pardons iniquity and passes by the transgression of His remnant..."
Have I made myself clear? Can you see the connection between forgiveness and fear? Can you feel it in your bones? Let me illustrate.
I know a man named Frank. He was a good husband, but his wife left him for another man. The other man, in turn, left her pregnant and alone. When her labor pains started, she needed someone. You know who she called? She called Frank--her husband whom she had betrayed. What did he do? He took her to the hospital, of course, and helped her have another man's baby. How does that make you feel about Frank? It makes me respect him; what kind of man would do that for a wife who humiliated him and broke his heart?
I know of another man named Lee. He is a South African, living abroad. He hadn't been home for several years, but was eagerly looking forward to his father's ninetieth birthday. Just days before, however, Lee got a phone call. His father had been brutally murdered. A young man was under arrest for the senseless killing. Lee paid him a visit in jail, forgave him for his deed, and won the young man to Christ. How does that make you feel about Lee? It makes me respect him. To forgive the man who murdered his father!
Frank and Lee are wonderful examples of human forgiveness. But they don't compare too well with God, do they?
Remember what He has forgiven. He has "Cast all our sins behind His back" (Isaiah 38:17).
Remember whom He has forgiven. We who were "dead in trespasses and sins...who were, by nature, the children of wrath, even as others".
Remember when He forgave us. Not after we had made amends; not when we were seeking Him with all our hearts. "But God commended His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Remember the price He paid to forgive our sins. "You were not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold...but with the precious blood of Christ" (I Peter 1:19). "He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all..." (Romans 8:32).
CLOSE AND APPEAL
The forgiving grace of God should fill us with awe and wonder and amazement. Do you fear the Lord? Many people fear His judgments. But this fear never made a man holy. It is the fear of sins forgiven that will make you careful to maintain good works.
The forgiving grace of God is a pattern for you to follow. Do you want to be respected? Of course you do; we all want respect. But how do you get it? Most people think it's gotten by force or intimidation. Is that right? It is not! That creates fear or resentment or outward obedience--but never respect! Respect is gotten through grace. By kindness; by patience; by forgiving others "as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you".
Psalm 1303-4.
Forgiveness and fear. May God give us both. For Christ's sake. Amen.
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