Ps.32:1 "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit."
There are a couple of things that interest me about these verses. The first is in verse 1, "whose sin is covered." The levitical sacrifice could only cover one's sin; it could not remove it.
Heb.10:4 "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."
Hence, these sacrifices were a shadow looking forward to the reality of Christ, the Lamb of God whose blood sacrifice removes sins consequence.
Heb.10:10 "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."
What a time we live in. A time Israel could only look forward to. A time in which the separation of God from man due to the rebellious sin of man has been restored!
The 2nd, in verse 2, "in whose spirit there is no deceit." That is an interesting statement. We tend to cover up our inadequacies, whether weakness or sin, to soothe ourselves with accomplishment or deaden these feelings with substance and distraction. Self-deception is self-protection. Yet, blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. Look at that! The one gives way to the other.
God does not count our sin against us
We are forgiven, accepted, and loved. This is the reason we have no reason to hide. To protect. To pretend. We can put it all on the table and fully disclose our failure, wounds, and brokenness. I am accepted not because of what I've done or because of what I don't do but rather because God chooses to accept me. I am accepted!? No deceit. No pretense. There is no reason for it. The most powerful, all-knowing creator of heaven and earth knows me, loves me, and accepts me in spite of, yea, because of me. As Ps.139 proclaims, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it."
The person and work of Jesus in my life is true freedom! Freedom from within and from without. Can I wrap my mind around the implications of this? God's acceptance of me and the freedom thereof can change the dynamic of every relationship in my life! When fear is removed from love, words are true, "need" is refocused from mine to theirs, and control is replaced with empathy. Interesting, God's blessings are always playing out to the benefit of another. Only a God slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love can do that. Is there anything this world offers that compares?
