With Thee There Is Forgiveness
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 11/15/2009 AM |
Text: | Psalm 130:4,8 |
Psalters: | 166, 83, 362, 283 |
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper |
- What?
- The psalmist is in the depths, i.e., helpless and hopeless because of his iniquities.
- He realizes that he justly deserves punishment as the consequence of his perversities.
- He responds by crying to Jehovah, his Lord, for help.
- He who was so aware of his sin (as a patient knows his cancer) is also aware of divine forgiveness.
- ?Forgiveness? means that God took all our perversities away by bearing the punishments.
- Forgiveness includes God declaring us to be righteous, perfectly in harmony with holy Person and will.
- How can the holy God forgive such sinners: He graciously ?redeemed Israel from all his iniquities.?
- To ?redeem? is to ransom, rescue, and deliver by a Redeemer or Vindicator.
- Such a person is a near relative who takes up the cause of his relative who is in great dishonor.
- We have such a Redeemer lives who will defend our cause and maintain our honor.
- God, as Judge, not only does not impute our sins to us, but He also imputes to us Christ?s righteousness.
- How can God do this? By making Jesus our substitute.
- Jesus? perfect righteousness makes straight all our perversities, distortions and follies.
- Why does God forgive and redeem? That He may be feared.
- Negatively, God?s free forgiveness does not make the forgiven careless.
- God forgives for His name?s sake and for the glory of His name (Ps. 79:9).
- Forgiveness gives the forgiven the occasion, ground, and material for godly awe of God.
- The only sure foundation for the fear of the Lord is the knowledge of forgiveness and redemption.
- No one fears God like those who have experienced His forgiving love (Micah 7:18).