Forgiveness - What does it involve?
You have thrown all my sins behind your back.—Isa. 38:27 Todays text could be rendered: “You have removed all my sins from your sight.” This word picture shows that Jehovah takes the sins of repentant ones and throws them out of view. This statement could also be rendered: “You have made [my sins] as if they had not happened.” The Bible further emphasizes this point in another word picture, recorded at Micah 7:18, 19. There Jehovah is spoken of as throwing our sins into the depths of the sea. In ancient times, it would have been impossible for someone to retrieve an object that had been hurled into the depths of the sea. By means of these word pictures, we have learned that when Jehovah forgives us, he relieves us of the burden of our sins. Truly, as David said, “happy are those whose lawless deeds have been pardoned and whose sins have been covered.” (Rom. 4:7) That is true forgiveness! But, to be forgiven in this way - we must show true repentance.