“He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Mic 7:19). Some call this “the sea of forgetfulness,” although that term is not found in the Bible.
Perhaps it is sometimes called that because God says that when He forgives our sin, He remembers it no more. The Lord declares, "..."for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." (Jer 31:34b)
God will make our sin-stained hearts as white as wool. "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.” (Isa 1:18)
“Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases… As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psa 103:3,12)
When God forgives us, He destroys the record, wiping out our transgressions, and He does not remember our sins. "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.” (Isa 43:25; cf. Ez 18:22). Isn’t it wonderful to know that when He destroys the record of our sins, He will no longer remember them? He will never think of them again.
"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared." (Ps 130:3, NIV).
When He forgives us, He cleanses or purifies our conscience by the blood of Jesus Christ. “How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14).
He actually purges our conscience, so that all the acts we have committed that lead to death are removed from us. The King James Version says, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14, KJV).
That is why there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, as long as we walk by the Spirit and not according to the flesh. Paul said, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom 8:1, KJV)
“It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lam 3:22-23, KJV)
This is why it’s so important to repent of all sin in your life when you give your life to Jesus Christ. To repent is to change your mind about your sin and turn from it. Jesus told people, "Go and sin no more." This is the life we are called to when we come to Christ. But then once you are walking with Jesus, any time you do commit a sin, you need to repent and ask Him to forgive you. Otherwise your sins will pile up.
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1Jn 1:6-9)
A daily life of repentance is the shortest path to God’s mercy.
Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The "Washed by the Blood" painting © 2012 is by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.
Author's note: You are invited to read Covenant Prayer, Costly Grace, The Love of Jesus, Never Forsaken, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, The Cost of Discipleship, The Obedience of Faith, Separation from the World, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, The Lord Healed My Backsliding, Who intercedes for us?, Keeping Power of God, and Ask for the Ancient Paths. You may access the Main Directory for this Seeking the Lord blog for more articles like this, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."
Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus. Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15). He preached that we must repent and believe.
Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International. He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org
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