AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST

The trouble with us is that when we live a pretty good and clean life, we are blind to what even our smallest sin cost the Lord Jesus Christ...it meant the cross. I am very sad to say that I believe that many Christians are standing in a strange self righteousness, thinking they are pretty good people without much to be sorry for. It may seem to be true. But we have drifted so far away and spend so little time in God's Word that we hardly recognize sin much anymore.

Therefore, we have such a small concept of sin. We tell a lie. We should be bowed before God, sorry that we disobeyed and that we did something to hurt our relationship with Him. We are mean to someone. Maybe, just maybe, just maybe a couple of days later, we send up a quick "I'm sorry." It was a little thing and we feel okay...but the awfulness of sin is never considered. The reality of sin, even though it may be mentioned from the pulpit, is a lost Christian truth. Sin does temporary damage to the wonderful relationship we have with the Lord.

A couple of weeks spent searching for and dwelling upon the prayers of confession of the men of God in the Bible will change your heart...Nehemiah, Ezra, Daniel, David. The Psalms are brimming with contrition and honest admission of great sin. Today on my Bible tapes the prayer of Ezra touched me once again. He clothed himself with sackcloth and fell upon his knees and spread his hands up to the Lord. Have you ever done that? Have you wept over your sin or over the sin of you and your spouse as a couple? Ever? We think we're okay, or not too bad, but we must readily and sincerely admit our guilt and then experience God's forgiveness.

I'm thinking about an old hymn. I learned it while attending Moody years ago. Listen. "No, not desparingly, come I to Thee; No, not distrustingly, bend I the knee. Sin has gone over me, yet is this still my plea, Jesus hath died. Ah, my iniquity crimson hath been, infinite, infinite, sin upon sin; sin of not loving Thee, sin of not trusting Thee, infinite sin."
How glad I am to have lived in the era of this song and others like it! How I love, "Lord, Have Mercy." I can tell you why: Because I have been a "big" sinner and have experienced "big" forgiveness. Jesus said, "He who is forgiven much, loves much." Oh, that we understood the truth about sin! We would love Him more and we would forgive others without hesitation.

So...years ago...while doing "what was right in the sight of God but not with a perfect heart," God pursued me until I learned about chastening and repentance and forgiveness. I am forgiven much, therefore I love much. And let me add, if you gossiped or lied or blew your stack or had a jealous spirit or stole or complained or any other "little" thing, you need to be sorry for your sin. Sin is big. "Little" sin is big. It beats you up and it ruins churches and families. It makes you sick physically and it separates friends. It builds a wall, brick upon brick, between you and the Lord even if you think you are okay.

Confession is so awesome. Finally grasping God's forgiveness and happening upon the verses that speak of his compassion and forgiveness and mercy and love and kindness will change your life. (Check out Exodus 34:6) God is not only faithful to forgive us our sins but He is also just. He said He would. Therefore, He does.

Here is a song I wrote in this time of stumbling upon the truth of God's forgiveness. I have sung it, oh, so often, through the years...sometimes for my own sake, sometimes to the Lord and sometimes to the devil. It's all Scripture verses telling what God says about His forgiveness. Ken loved this song...he loved the music and the accompaniment but he mostly loved the message.

AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins….


As far as the east is from the west,
So far have my transgression been removed.
They are buried in the depths of the deepest sea,
Never to be remembered anymore.

As a thick cloud covering the sky above
So has God blotted out my sin and shame;
Cast behind His back, mercifully forgiven,
Through the power of Jesus name.

Lord, I’m clinging to Your word
Counting on Your justice to forgive,
Believing that my sin is truly gone
That Your precious blood is cleansing as I live.

Come now and let us reason, saith our God
Though your sins be scarlet, they shall be as snow
Though they be as crimson, they shall be as wool
They are nailed to His cross I know.

He hath made Him to be sin who knew no sin
Now the righteousness of God I am.
He hath clothed me in fine linen, fine linen clean and white
Washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Lord, I’m clinging to Your word,
Counting on Your justice to forgive,
Believing that my sin is truly gone
That Your precious blood is cleansing as I live.

As far as the east is from the west,
So far have my transgression been removed.
They are buried in the depths of the deepest sea,
Never to be remembered anymore.