There is Forgiveness

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness. (Psalm 130:3-4, NIV 1984).

My Musings – He does keep a record you know. “But I [Jesus] tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” (Matthew 12:36, NIV 1984). And if even idle words are recorded, how much more every evil action or thought? And the expected response to “who could stand,” is no one. No, not one.

But (meaning with the exception of), often has a negative connotation. Not here. No matter how exhaustive (or miniscule) the record, there is forgiveness. There is, but only if (meaning on the condition that). That is to say, “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10, NIV 1984).

Why confess? Why believe? Because sins must be paid for. The price is high. “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23a, NIV 1984). So high that we cannot possibly pay for even one “minor” infraction. Why? Because sins are not trivial when they are against a Holy and Righteous God. “Against you [God], you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.” (Psalm 51:4, NIV 1984).

But (there’s that word again), they can still be paid for. “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b, NIV 1984). He bore our sins on the cross. He paid the price. And because He paid for them, we do not have to. It is a gift. He saved us from death and gives us eternal life. Which brings us back to the “only if.”

My Advice – What’s on your record? Whatever it is you can be sure that it was not so few and small that Jesus didn’t have to die for them, or so many and big that He wouldn’t have died for them. But the record can be expunged. If, you meet the condition. “Therefore…I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything.” (Acts 13:38-39, NIV 1984). Denying the if, will deny you the but.