As Far as the East is from the West

     One of the more mysterious aspects of the gospel is that through Christ, God chooses to “forget” our sin. We as humans simply do not hold this ability to willfully choose to forget something. If anything, the more we try to forget something, the more it gets embedded into our mind. But as God is infinitely more powerful and able than we are, He is also infinitely more able to forget. The blood of Christ justifies us so well that it literally wipes our record clean.

     Forgiveness is a powerful and transformative force that has the power to heal relationships, restore hope, and bring about reconciliation. In the Bible, forgiveness is a central theme that runs throughout both the Old and New Testaments. Psalm 103:12 says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." This verse is a beautiful image of the extent of God's forgiveness. The phrase "east is from the west" suggests an infinite distance, indicating that God's forgiveness is complete and total. When we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, God removes our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west. We can trust that our sins are forgiven and forgotten, and we can move forward in freedom and peace.

     Isaiah 1:18 also speaks to the promise of forgiveness: "Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." This verse uses a vivid image of the contrast between scarlet and white to illustrate the power of God's forgiveness. Scarlet is a deep red color that is associated with sin and guilt, while white represents purity and righteousness. The promise of forgiveness in this verse is that God can take our scarlet sins and make them white as snow, cleansing us of our guilt and restoring us to a state of righteousness.

     Both of these passages speak to the promise of forgiveness and the power of God's mercy to transform our lives. As we reflect on these verses, we can take comfort in knowing that our sins are not too great for God to forgive. We can trust in God's promise to remove our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west and to make our scarlet sins as white as snow. When we ask for forgiveness and turn to God, we can experience the freedom and peace that comes from being reconciled to God and to others.

     Let us be reminded of the infinite distance that God puts between us and our sins when we confess and turn to Him for forgiveness. Let us also be encouraged by the promise that God can take our scarlet sins and make them white as snow, restoring us to a state of purity and righteousness. But the real question is, “Are we asking for forgiveness?”