“As far as the east is from the west”

is how far God removes our sins.  We, also, will find rest…

in following the example of Jesus, God’s Son,

who forgave from the cross, knowing God loved everyone.

“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”

was Jesus’ heartfelt prayer, despite what He was going through.

He came to seek and to save those who were lost…

and was willing to go to the cross to pay sin’s high cost.

“Their sins and lawless deeds, I’ll remember no more…”

are words of our God that we simply can’t ignore.

If the Almighty can forgive sins and then even forget,

then we should not be focusing on another person’s debt.

If we break one of God’s laws, we’ve broken them all;

this is stated in His Word, we have to realize and recall.

To judge a fellow, repentant believer is not for us to do,

but we’re to greet them, with love, as the Lord wants us to.

P. A. Oltrogge

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him: As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:11-13

“And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ And they divided His garments and cast lots.” Luke 23:33-34

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  Matthew 6:14-15

“Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

and see Matthew 18:21-35

“So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.'”  John 8:7

“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”  Ephesians 4:31-32

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”  Hebrews 8:10-12

“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.  For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.  So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.  For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”  James 2:10-26

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!‘” John 1:29

Artwork: Pixabay