How Far God Has Forgiven

I was awestruck. While reading the following verses from Psalm 103:8-14,“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will He keep His anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

“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. Like as a father pitieth His children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.”

I viewed the patience of God. I’ve been reading these verses (and the entire chapter itself in fact) for many, many times already but it was on one of those blessed mornings spending in the Word of God, that I was able for the first time, to take to heart with deeper sobriety what it means to be forgiven by God, or rather how far  He has forgiven us. I’ve also known the  forgiving character of God and His patience.  Let me discuss to you some points that caught me:

1. Verses 8-10: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.”

It talk about the quality and kind of mercy God has. He is not easily angered by our shortcomings as the phrase says, “slow to anger.” While meditating on this, I was able to put the picture in my mind that God is not hot-tempered as we are sometimes. Reflecting on this, I felt guilty at those times when I am easily irked by honest mistakes people commit around me. Yes, I do. I’m ashamed at my reactions when I’m just a sinner too, redeemed of that ‘punishment’ due to me also if not because of Jesus Christ. God, in His loving kindness and mercy, is considerate of us. Even in shortcomings that we repeatedly commit, not to mention sometimes intentionally. Even in our unrighteousness, He’s still there. I, then, have no right to be considerate.

In verse 9, it continues “He will not always chide.” Let me use the synonym “lambaste” and “lecture” for the word “chide.” Have you remembered those times when you’ve committed a fault and somebody was so irritated of your mistake, nagged to the top of his lungs with you, while you run covering your ears trying to dodge from that lambasting, lecturing voice, because you want to save your ‘eardrums’? Familiar, right? We don’t like that, right? That’s what we get here in the world when we’ve done a wrong thing or at fault—condemnation. But God says, “He will not always chide.” So different and so far from what we experience here on earth with people. But God is so loving that He doesn’t do that to us. He’s not that clanging, grumpy, obnoxious ‘watchdog’ who’s at your guard of every mistake that you commit. In fact, He remembers about your sin no more. He keeps no record of wrongs. This is spoken in the continuing verse “neither will he keep his anger for ever.”

The following verse 10 continues with “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.”  For me, this is a very powerful message. God has not run after our sins anymore nor avenges our sins. Isn’t that gracious! Where and who could you ever think of who does that? As humans, we easily seek revenge when somebody has wronged us. We throw back at those who erred us. God is truly amazing because He is the only one who can perfectly forget our sins without sowing bitterness in the heart!

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 eternal removal of sin in us by God. The removal here means the eternal effect or for that, punishment of sin which is eternal damnation or the 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. “

3. Verses 13-14: “ Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”

This is the reason for everything. This explains everything and summarizes everything. God is our Father in heaven and just like an earthly father (fathers and parents alike, you understand this), he has compassion on his children.  The motivation of all is love—love for His children, who fear Him. God understands that we are human and that we are have limitations. While there is the call to holiness and purity, God knows that we are frail and weak. He knows that we have boundaries and are finite beings. God in His infinite wisdom, remembers that we will and we will sin. Thus, He removed condemnation from us and offers the free gift of salvation which is through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Disclaimer: While God is a gracious God, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy, we are not to abuse it (Romans 5-6). Advertently, God is just. Take  a look at the Israelites’ life (Old Testament). See the results of their sins. God’s mercy and grace are there to lead us to repentance, and not for misuse and abuse.