PSALMS 103: 1-5
THREE TENSES OF FORGIVENESS
In Psalm 103 David lists a number of benefits God make available to any and all that will avail themselves of the opportunity they offer. Listen to his words as you read them and let them sink down into your heart and find a permanent dwelling place there. “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowned thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies, who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles.” (Verses 1-5)
I think David was an old man, maybe in the sunset of life, sitting one day reminiscing about where he had been and where he was now, realizing it was God who brought him to his present position. As he remembered all the wonderful things God had done for him, he exclaimed the words of this beautiful Psalm. I think as he began to ponder them in his mind I think he began to shout out loud, “Bless the Lord O my soul… and forget not all His benefits.” (V 1-2)
Please note that the very first benefit David mentions is forgiveness of sin, “Who forgiveth all thy iniquities.” I want to center our thoughts on forgiveness which is the act of forgiving or pardoning. These two verbs mean to refrain from imposing punishment on an offender or demanding satisfaction for an offense. The word pardon is stronger than forgiveness as it implies release from the liability for or penalty entailed by an offense without fault and without demanding punishment or redress. This is the way David perceived the forgiving grace and mercy of God.
I want us to look at the three tenses of forgiveness. They are A FORGOTTEN PAST, A CHANGED PRESENT AND AN ASSURED FUTURE. Let’s look at them one at a time.
FIRST A FORGOTTEN PAST
This is suggested in verses 8-14 where David talks of the mercy and loving-kindness of God. Verse 12 is the strongest of these verses that suggests when God forgives us our sin He forgets them. Notice how the Psalmist describes it, “As far as the east is from the west so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” This suggest that God puts our confessed sins in a place He cannot remember them anymore. Someone wrote a song that beautifully displays this thought of God not remembering our sins any more.
I remember the days when I was bent low with the burdens of sin and strife
Then Jesus came in and rescued me and gave me a brand new life.
Now as I thank Him day after day for washing my sins away,
It seems I can almost hear the voice of the blessed Savior say.
CHORUS:
What sins are you talking about
I don't remember them anymore.
From the Book of Life they've all been torn out
I don't remember them anymore.
When the flesh becomes weak, it's then I can speak to the Savior who's with me each day.
"Oh, Father, forgive me, hear my plea," and He washes my sins away.
Each time that I bow to give Him thanks for removing my guilt and shame.
He cannot recall what I'm talking about for His answer is always the same.
CHORUS:
What sins are you talking about
I don't remember them anymore.
From the Book of Life they've all been torn out
I don't remember them anymore.
I once read that there is a place and depth in the Atlantic ocean that if one of the most efficient submarines were to go to the bottom the pressure there would be so great that it would crush that submarine like a bulldozer would a child’s toy if it ran over it. But I’m glad to tell you that the sea of God forgetfulness is far deeper than that, and it is in that sea of forgetfulness God has cast our confessed sins.
Now some people just won’t forget the bad things a person has done and are quick to bring them up and remind us of them. Even Satan sometime brings up things from our past reminding us of them, but I have learned to tell him and others, yes, I did that or I said that, but thank God their under neath the blood of the Christ of Calvary removed as far as darkness is from dawn. So friends if and when someone brings something of your past up just tell them it’s under the blood of Jesus and that’s good enough for me.
The Second Tense of Forgiveness is a Changed Present.
Paul tells us if any man be in Christ old things have passed away behold all things become new. (2 Corinthians 5:14). To be forgiven is to become a Christian and to become a Christian one becomes a new creature. A Christian is a person that has been born again and to be born again is to have a new life.
Let’s look at some things that change when one is forgiven and becomes a new creature. First, the heart is changed. It is out of the heart the issues of life flow. The heart is the true person. The heart directs all of ones thoughts and emotions. The inclination of the heart directs the moral life and determines where one enters eternity. One will enter eternity in one of two places Heaven or hell. If the old heart remains unchanged the person will enter eternity in hell, however with the new birth one is given a new heart. God tells us in Ezekiel 36:25-26 that He will cleanse one of all their filthiness and from all idols by giving us a new heart and a new spirit within. He also says I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Now if God gives us a heart transplant our heart is changed.
Since the heart is changed when forgiven then the things that flow from the heart is changed. Things like our thoughts and emotions, the direction of life and where one enters eternity. In Philippians 4:8 Paul gives us some things a new heart dwells on. There he said the person with a new heart will think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtue, and praise. I know the devil puts thoughts in our mind, but the new converted heart will reject them as trash and unworthy of a forgiven person to think on.
Again, since the heart is changed and has a new way of thinking then the speech is changed. All the cursing, swearing, lying, filthy talking of any kind is gone. Instead, one talks of the wonderful things God has done for them. Gossip and tale bearing is gone along with slandering of one’s name and character.
Once more since the heart has been changed the places of attendance is changed. The Christian doesn’t enter the bar room, the dance floor, the movie theater, bad movies on TV are no longer watched. They don’t stay home from church to watch their favorite team play football or basketball on TV, not even the Super bowl. The church doesn’t dismiss worship services and have super bowl parties at church. I know this isn’t popular, but for the troubled in heart truth is never popular. The Church today isn’t changing the world; the world is changing the church.
When one has asked for and received forgiveness all these and many more things are changed. I ask you as you read these lines, have you been to Jesus for forgiveness and received forgiveness if not please hurry for time is running out.
The Third Tense of Forgiveness Is an Assured Future
We all have a future regardless of our station in life. What that future holds for you depends on you and what you do with the present. Present decisions determine future consequences. The song writer said I don’t know about tomorrow I just live from day to day. I don’t borrow from its sunshine for its skies may turn to gray. But I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand. No we don’t know what tomorrow may bring us, but with a forgiven and changed heart we can know that whatever the future brings the one who knows the future holds my hand.
