"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile."
Psalm 32:1-2
Part 2
Yesterday we learned that we all have personal issues with transgressions, sin, iniquity, and guile. Let’s see how God has provided help with these.
What needed to be done with each of these sin issues?
Transgression is borne away.
Where man has stepped across God’s boundary, these transgressions must be forgiven. In order to take away (bear away), the transgression, there must be a “vicarious sacrifice.” That is, a sacrifice must be given to have the transgression forgiven. Unfortunately, man has not the ability nor the resources to pay for his transgressions. He needs someone willing to pay the debt for him, in his place. The Old Testament “scapegoat” fits the picture here. By the sacrifice for the sin of the guilty, the transgression is borne away by another. This is what Jesus did for each of us. We could not pay the debt of our transgressions, but Jesus died in our place. He is the vicarious sacrifice for each of us, dying for us when we should have paid for our sin.
“Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors,” (Isaiah 53:12).
Sin covered.
Sin is always hideously ugly, and it must be hidden, covered over, put out of sight. The Old Testament idea of the atonement was just that, a covering for sin. The sacrifice “covered” the vessel containing the sin. Jesus came as the perfect offering for sin and removed it completely!
“Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah,” (Psalm 85:2).
Iniquity pardoned.
The happy man is the one in whom God does not impute iniquity. God doesn’t charge one man with another man’s sin, He reckons to each man his own sin to him. But note that the point here is that when God forgives sin, He doesn’t even charge that forgiven man’s sin to him! He is pardoned.
“The act of pardon does not change the facts in the case, or ‘make him innocent,’ but it makes it proper for God to treat him as if he were innocent.”1 (Barnes)
Guile confessed.
When God’s Spirit works in our hearts to deal with our sin He helps us with the old guile, our fleshly propensity to deceive, lie, and “duck and cover.” We no longer choose to handle things after our Genesis three natures, but we strive to deal honestly with our own hearts, with God and with others. We now openly, honestly confess our sins to the Lord. We strive to live in truth.
“I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah,” (Psalm 32:5).
If it were not for Jesus’ sacrifice for us we would still be bound by our sins. His work in our place has made all the difference.
“To God be the glory, great things He hath done!”
1. Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.