How Far God Has Forgiven

2. Verses 11-12: “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.”

Verse 11 compares God’s mercy towards those that fear Him or, are His children, to the height spanning heaven from earth. If you can measure that, that’s how much His mercy is. Mercy is defined in Google Search as “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm”, or Meriam-Webster defines it as “kind or forgiving treatment of someone who could be treated harshly”.

Both definitions speak of the possibility of ‘punishment’ or ‘harsh treatment’ exercised by the one who was wronged. This means therefore that if we have sinned against God or are sinning (Romans 3:23), we always had/ have supposedly the possibility then to receive the due consequence/s which is ‘punishment’ or ‘harsh treatment’ from Him. But since He is merciful, we’re acquitted from that. God gave us a kind, forgiving and compassionate treatment. Therefore, when He always have the power to exercise punishment unto us. A consequence can be a hurtful predicament happening to us as a result of our sins. It can involve us, our loved ones, relatives, friends, job, or at most anything that is meaningful to us.

The verses continue with “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” If you check this in Bible commentaries, this verse speaks of an eternal removal of sin in us by God. The removal here means the eternal effect or punishment of sin which is eternal damnation or the so-called second death in hell. Theologian Albert Barnes comments it this way: “As far as the east is from the west – As far as possible; as far as we can imagine. These are the points in our apprehension most distant from each other …so the meaning is, that we cannot imagine our sins could be more effectually removed than they are. So far hath he removed our transgressions from us – That is, he has put them entirely away. They are so removed that they cannot affect us anymore. We are safe from all condemnation for our sins as if they had not been committed at all. Compare the notes at Isaiah 43:25; notes at Isaiah 44:22.” Another theologian and Bible commentator Adam Clarke puts it this way also, “As far as the east is from the west – As the east and the west can never meet in one point, but be forever at the same distance from each other, so our sins and their decreed punishment are removed to an eternal distance by His mercy.”

(Second of three parts)