Saturday, December 18, 2010
The New Covenant (part 5)
One of the most challenging points of the New Covenant is just this:
"I will remember their sin no more."
It is hard to grasp that the All-Knowing, Omnipresent, Eternal Lord can forget our sin. But not only does He put our sin 1. OUT OF HIS MIND (Jeremiah 31:34), He puts our sin ...
2. OUT OF HIS SIGHT
"You have put all my sins behind your back." (Isaiah 38:17)
3. OUT OF REACH
"You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:19)
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)
4. OUT OF EXISTENCE
"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." (Isaiah 43:25)
"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist." (Isaiah 44:22)
All that is needed to fall under this New Covenant is to "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus." (Acts 3:19-20)
"'Come now, let us reason together,' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." (Isaiah 1:18)
To Whom Be Glory For Ever and Ever. AMEN.
"I will remember their sin no more."
It is hard to grasp that the All-Knowing, Omnipresent, Eternal Lord can forget our sin. But not only does He put our sin 1. OUT OF HIS MIND (Jeremiah 31:34), He puts our sin ...
2. OUT OF HIS SIGHT
"You have put all my sins behind your back." (Isaiah 38:17)
3. OUT OF REACH
"You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:19)
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)
4. OUT OF EXISTENCE
"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." (Isaiah 43:25)
"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist." (Isaiah 44:22)
All that is needed to fall under this New Covenant is to "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus." (Acts 3:19-20)
"'Come now, let us reason together,' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." (Isaiah 1:18)
To Whom Be Glory For Ever and Ever. AMEN.
Monday, December 13, 2010
The New Covenant (point 4)
"I will forgive their iniquity." (Jeremiah 31:34)
"What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?" (Jeremiah 16:10)
The answer: "Because your fathers have forsaken me, declares the LORD, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshipped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, and because you have done worse than your fathers, for behold,, every one of you follows his stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me." (16:11-12)
"Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged." (Isaiah 1:4)
Now what?
"If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes." (Psalm 89:30-32)
So the iniquity must be punished with the rod and stripes. So how can God forgive the iniquity under the New Covenant?
"But he [the Holy One, Christ, God's servant] was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:5-6)
"I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day." (Zechariah 3:10)
Therefore, "in those days and in that time, declares the LORD, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none. And sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant." (Jeremiah 50:20)
Why can sin not be found? "You, LORD, forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin." (Psalm 85:2)
Selah
All we need to do is repeat the words of David, "I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin." (Psalm 38:18)
We cannot cover our own sin. "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my inquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin." (Psalm 32:5)
Selah
"By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil." (Proverbs 16:6)
The Gospel we have to share: "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins." (Isaiah 40:1-2)
"What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?" (Jeremiah 16:10)
The answer: "Because your fathers have forsaken me, declares the LORD, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshipped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, and because you have done worse than your fathers, for behold,, every one of you follows his stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me." (16:11-12)
"Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged." (Isaiah 1:4)
Now what?
"If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes." (Psalm 89:30-32)
So the iniquity must be punished with the rod and stripes. So how can God forgive the iniquity under the New Covenant?
"But he [the Holy One, Christ, God's servant] was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:5-6)
"I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day." (Zechariah 3:10)
Therefore, "in those days and in that time, declares the LORD, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none. And sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant." (Jeremiah 50:20)
Why can sin not be found? "You, LORD, forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin." (Psalm 85:2)
Selah
All we need to do is repeat the words of David, "I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin." (Psalm 38:18)
We cannot cover our own sin. "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my inquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin." (Psalm 32:5)
Selah
"By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil." (Proverbs 16:6)
The Gospel we have to share: "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins." (Isaiah 40:1-2)
