All His Benefits, Part 1
The Benefit of Forgiveness
Part of a short series on Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live. O that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:2-5)
When I received Christ, I had no idea that this great salvation included benefits beyond the forgiveness of sins. The church tradition I grew up in never mentioned such things. I thought I was being saved from hell, which seemed like a pretty sweet deal. I somehow knew I was entering into a new life in Christ, but there wasn’t much good information about what that actually meant. I was happy to discover that the Christian life is packed full of benefits, both natural and supernatural. The blood which washes our sins away is also the source of these many benefits. The traditional English liturgy understood this well, praying that “by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of His passion.” This immediately begs the question: What are these other benefits?
This psalm opens with the declaration that God is the one “who forgives all your iniquity.” This is the cleansing that comes at the new birth. We confessed our sins and repented from them, turning around and traveling in a new direction. He responded by washing our sins away. This is the first great benefit of his passion. Verse 12 tells us that he has removed our transgressions from us “as far as the east is from the west,” which is a staggering statement. The prophet Micah rejoiced that God would “cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” and remember them no more. Some of the most powerful imagery in scripture about God forgiving our sin comes from Isaiah:
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
What happens when you sin after becoming a Christian? The Father knows we are simple creatures prone to sin. The Apostle John wrote to the Early Church, saying, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” This too is one of the benefits of Christ’s passion. He holds us firmly in his hand and will not let us go. If we wander away from his love, he comes looking for us, just like a shepherd searching for his erring sheep. Make sure to daily review your life. If you have sinned, ask God to forgive you and make things right again. It is important to tend to the fires that burn on the altar of your heart. If they grow cold, stir up the embers and ask God to fan into flame your love for him once more. He will do it.
Jesus taught his disciples this:
“Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”
In a like manner, he said,
“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
You should always remember that merely confessing your sins may not get the job done. Ongoing repentance is a matter of the heart. If your mouth says one thing while your heart says the opposite, you are just making noise. When your heart and your mouth are in agreement, then you are in a position to receive the forgiveness you are seeking.
If you have unforgiven sin in your life, and you don’t take care of the matter through repentance, it will cover you like a dark cloud. The other benefits of Christ’s passion may cease flowing down to you. Remember that key scripture:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
That dark cloud is a cloud of death, and you’ve earned it since wages are something you work hard for and receive by right. Think of it as a paycheck at the end of the week, only this time it’s a bag of worms, not a bag of money. You would be wise to approach the Lord every evening before you go to bed, asking him how things went during the day. Is there anything you need to repent of? Were you angry at someone? Did you say something inappropriate, careless, or hurtful? Did you take offense at someone? If you are faithful to ask the Lord these kinds of questions, he will be faithful to show you where you missed the mark and then forgive you for it. The scriptures tell us that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is a great promise. Don’t overlook your daily ritual of cleansing your heart before God. Otherwise, you may find that all the other benefits of his Passion are null and void to you.
The framers of the traditional liturgy were right to remind us that Christ’s passion brings us “all other benefits.” Forgiveness is the gateway benefit. Without it, we cannot access what else God has provided. With a clean heart and a tender spirit before God, the floodgates open. Healing flows. Redemption comes. Love and mercy crown our lives. Strength renews like the eagle’s. These are not extras or bonuses for super-Christians. These are the normal inheritance of everyone who walks in fellowship with God, keeping short accounts and maintaining a pure heart.
Next: All His Benefits, Part 2 - The Benefit of Health and Healing
About this series: Drawing from Psalm 103, these posts explore the rich benefits Christ’s passion has secured for his people. We’re discovering what belongs to us in the Inner Room.