FORGIVENESS: A NEW BEGINNING

A tree looks dead through the long winter's night
Standing barren of leaf and wrapped in white
But a wonder occurs with the spring's early light
Tiny buds appear that were once hidden from sight

Rising from rest they shake slumber away
Unfolding their faces to the sun's warm array
Tirelessly growing through each passing day
They're eager to join life without further delay

Soon these buds became flowers in full bloom
No longer remembering the dark winter's gloom
Once death had encased life just like a tomb
But life broke free like a baby from the womb

All people are held just like winter's tree
Trapped by sin and its deathbed infirmity
But a wonder occurs when we bend our knee
God's forgiveness buds and brings liberty

Rising from death the forgiven cast it aside
Reaching toward heaven their arms open wide
With God's infinite love they did just collide
And can victoriously live if with Him they abide

Soon these buds became flowers in full bloom
No longer remembering the dark winter's gloom
Once death had encased life just like a tomb
But life broke free like a baby from the womb

Introduction/Explanation:
When I wrote the above poem I was sitting on the porch staring at the trees in the backyard thinking about the effects of sin in a person's life. It was still in the early days of spring and thus every tree looked more dead than alive; they were all missing their leaves and their only adornment was a spotted greenish-white moss on the trunks. To my eyes it looked as though the trees were dead. My casual glance saw no signs of life. However, when I looked again, this time with careful examination, I saw tiny green buds on the tips of the tree branches. Then it hit me, these trees were not dead but rather very much alive and, by the end of spring, they would once again clothe themselves with green leaves and beautiful flowers. It is much the same with a Christian caught in sin; they appear to be dead due to their lack of spiritual "fruit." However, after repenting and asking for forgiveness-though the process may seem slow-they begin to again show signs of life and will eventually bring forth sweet-smelling flowers and fruit in abundance. Therefore, take heart and don't become discouraged when it seems as though you going through a spiritual winter because of some sin that you committed. God is ready and willing to forgive you when you ask and He will never leave nor forsake you when you call out to Him. Keep this truth in the back of your mind as you read through the remainder of this lesson.

Question:
If you were asked to describe God-His nature and character-with only one word but was not given any time to think or prepare a "theologically sound" answer what would you say?

While such things as omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent do correctly describe God they are, to the finite human mind, hard to grasp and make God seem foreign, distant, and unreachable. To often we as Christians tend to place a vast canyon between ourselves and God, which Jesus eradicated upon the cross some two thousand years ago as symbolized by the tearing of the temple veil in two.

Mark 15:37-38
"37With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. 38The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."

The Temple, rather than a picture of intimacy and fellowship between God and man, was a profound illustration of their separation:
§ Out of all the nations upon the earth only one was entrusted with God's Temple.
§ Out of the twelve tribes of Israel only one was able to serve as priests.
§ Out of the tribe of Levi only those who were direct descendents of Aaron could serve.
§ Out of Aaron's descendents only men of the right age could serve actively as priests.
§ Out of the eligible priests only a small percentage could serve in the Temple at one time.
§ Out of those serving in the Temple only a handful could enter the Holy Place.
§ Out of those few, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year.
§ Finally, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies only after a complicated ceremony of purification, only with a sacrifice of blood, and he performed his duties quickly in constant fear for his life.

However, now:
§ Every Christian-regardless of nationality, age, or gender-is a priest of God.
1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10
"As you come to him, the living Stone-rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
§ Every Christian can enter into the very presence of God freely and without fear.
Ephesians 3:12
"In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."

Unfortunately, regardless of their position, many Christians fail to take full advantage of this new freedom in Jesus Christ. They sulk, stray, or stay out of God's throne room thus acting more like beggars and criminals than enjoying fellowship with God as His child.

The next question that should come to mind is "why?" Why would anyone not take full advantage of the opportunity God extends to and desires of His children?

The answer, I believe, lies in a fundamental misunderstanding of God, His nature, and His character. Our perception of God-true or false, for better or for worse-will "color" or influence how we react to Him. For example, if God, in our eyes, is a distant Judge handing out sentence after sentence then we are naturally going to move away from Him; and all the more if we do something deserving of punishment. This faulty thinking will lead to the faulty habit of only focusing on God's rod of discipline while failing to see His staff of protection. God actively seeks out the lost sheep that have strayed from the flock and, when He finds them, He doesn't beat them or break their legs so that they can never again wander away. Rather, God gently picks us up, carefully places us upon His shoulders, and then rejoices once we are back within His fold (Luke 15:3-7).

With this in mind, let us investigate who God is by examining His nature, character, and actions as recorded within Scripture with the intent and purpose of adjusting anything that needs adjusting.

Question:
What is God?

While God has many different attributes I believe it is safe to say that they all flow out of one main characteristic, which is the heartbeat of God: love. You can't miss this love when you read John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Therefore, to answer the question of "what is God" John-who was responsible for writing a gospel, three epistles, and the book of Revelation-simply states that, "God is love" (1 John 4:8, 16). In his first epistle John mentions love no less than 35 times in five short chapters with 21 of them appearing in the fourth. This is a dead giveaway as to the theme of not only the book but also, more specifically, the chapter. As John, led and inspired by the Spirit, speaks of love he cannot help writing twice that, "God is love." Perhaps as he penned those words-which portray God's character perfectly-John thought back to the short time he spent walking with Jesus and how right before His crucifixion Jesus showed, "the full extent of His love" by washing His disciple's feet (John 13:1-5). This was the "full extent of His love" because Jesus-God in human flesh-came to earth and performed the duties of the lowliest servant. Only pure, unconditional, and unending love would compel the King of glory to take on Himself the duties of a servant. [see Philippians 2:1-11]

While this statement of fact-"God is love"-helps somewhat with relating to Him and His actions toward us we are still left with a vague sense of uncertainty especially considering the contemporary usage of this word. Unfortunately, some 60% of married couples in the U.S. have heard the phrase "I love you" only to find a divorce waiting for them; this "love" is definitely not what God is. Another problem with the English word for "love" is that we will say that we love God and then two sentences later say that we also love spaghetti or some such trivial thing; this "trivial" love is also not what God is.

Question:
Therefore, with the above two things in mind, what exactly does the word "love" within the phrase "God is love" actually mean? What can we discover about God's character from such a statement?

To begin with, the Greeks used three different words with three totally different meanings in order to describe different levels of love. The first, eros, denoted an erotic, physical, or selfish type love. The second, phileo, signified a brotherly, friendly, or mutually equal love. The third, apape, indicated an unconditional, unending, self-sacrificing love. The word used 21 times by John in the 4th chapter of his first epistle-including the statement that "God is love"-used the Greek word agape (noun) or agapao (verb). Therefore, the love spoken of by John is of the unending and self-sacrificing type.

While this helps to bring further understanding, more can be learned about God's love toward mankind by looking at additional references to the Greek word agape in the New Testament. Perhaps one of the most famous is Paul's "love chapter" found in his first epistle to the Corinthian church.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
"4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails."

Through simple deduction-since God is agape and agape is the things just mentioned- the following statements can be made about God's character:
§ God is patient (1 Tim 1:16; 2 Pet 3:9, 15)
§ God is kind (Isa 54:8; Jer 9:24)
§ God does not envy (Ex 20:5; Ex 34:14)
§ God does not boast (Isa 53:7; Matt 26:63)
§ God is not proud (Matt 11:29; Phil 2:5-8)
§ God is not self-seeking (John 13:1-5; Heb 12:2)
§ God is not easily angered (Ps 78:39; Ps 103:13-18)
§ God keeps no record of wrongs (Ps 130:3-4; Micah 7:18-19)
§ God does not delight in evil (Pr 15:9; 1 Pet 1:15-16)
§ God rejoices with the truth (Ps 31:5; John 14:6)
§ God always protects (Ex 14:26-28; John 10:28-29)
§ God always trusts (Ps 20:7; Isa 26:4)
§ God always hopes (Ps 31:24; Isa 40:31)
§ God always preservers (Ps 42:8; 2 Thess 3:5)
§ God never fails (Heb 13:5; 2 Cor 1:18-20)

Hopefully you can identify with several items on this list of things that God is. They should help cement His unchanging nature in your mind. Above them all, however, never forget that, "the Lord is full of compassion and mercy" (James 5:11). The following excerpt from Psalm 78 loudly attests to this fact. Here, the Psalm writer is reminiscing about the exodus from Egypt into the wilderness and then the successive 40 years of wandering in that wilderness due to disobedience. As you read, observe all that God did for Israel and yet all the complaining, whining, and defiance Israel had for God. If I were God, my patience would have run out with these people and the Psalm would have ended at verse 33, yet it continues and verses 38 and 39 speak clearly of God's love for His children regardless of their hard-hearted and hard-headed actions.

Psalm 78:32-39
"32 In spite of all this (see vs 1-31), they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe. 33 So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror.
34 Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again.
35 They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. 36 But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; 37 their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant. 38 Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. 39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return."

We, like Israel in Psalm 78, often keep on sinning, fail to have faith in God, and only give Him lip service rather than obeying with our hearts. However, rather than destroying us completely, God shows His mercy towards us time and time again.

How quickly we forget God's infinite patience, unfailing love, endless forgiveness, boundless grace, and ceaseless mercy by slipping back into the finite and human mode of thinking. While it is true that God's love is not a free license to sin (Rom 5:20-6:2, 6:14-18), we tend to the mix up the fact that God pours out His love upon us rather than His wrath. I know how quickly I tire and grow frustrated with myself for stepping into the same old sin trap over and over again. If I'm not careful-again, in my human way of thinking-it's easy for me to believe that the same is true of a perfect and holy God, but even more so. What I mean by this is that by the time I am tired of my sin God must be furious and ready to blow a gasket. However, thankfully, just the opposite is true. God's love is an infinite well that will never run dry because it flows from His very nature and being. God can no sooner stop loving us than He can stop being God, but this is not to say that His love and our disobedience does sometimes call for discipline (Heb 12:7-11).

With this in mind, let's define several reoccurring terms with, again, the hope of a clearer understanding of God's nature.

This set of definitions coincides with the Greek:
§ Grace: God's free unmerited love and favor
§ Mercy: God's kindness towards the miserable joined with a desire to help
§ Forgiveness: To abandon or send away

To me, this set is a simpler and easier to understand version of the above definitions:
§ Grace: Getting something that I don't deserve
§ Mercy: Not getting what I do deserve
§ Forgiveness: When the All-knowing become All-forgetting

After defining these terms take a look at the following verses:

Hebrews 4:16
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

NOTE:
In Hebrews 4:16 we do not approach a throne of fear, condemnation, punishment, judgment, or even justice but rather a throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive not what we deserve (mercy) but find what we don't deserve (grace) to help us in our time of need.

Ephesians 1:7-8
"7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."

NOTE:
Through Jesus' blood shed upon the cross we now have an all-knowing God who becomes an all-forgetting God (forgiveness), which is the result of God giving us what we don't deserve (grace).

Ephesians 2:3-5
"3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved."

NOTE:
Even though we were sinners doomed by our very nature to punishment in hell, because of God's infinite love He didn't give us what we deserved (mercy) but instead gave us what we did not deserve (grace).

Observe what one little-known prophet had to say about sin and forgiveness:

Micah 7:18-19
"18Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. 19You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea."

Examine what is said about God in the following two Psalms:

Psalm 130
"1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; 2 O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. 3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. 7 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. 8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins."

Psalm 103:8-14
"8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust."

As comforting and reassuring to the repentant sinner as these two Psalms are, perhaps the greatest illustration of God's love, mercy, and grace is found in Luke 15:11-24. This passage of Scripture has been dubbed "the parable of the prodigal son" and is taught by none other than Jesus Himself.

Luke 15:11-24
11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

Observe what J. Dwight Pentecost has to say about this section of Scripture in his book The Words & Works of Jesus Christ:
This question then arises: What is God's attitude toward those who have departed from Him? The answer comes as the parable of the lost son unfolds. The son remembered the privileges that had been his when he was back in his father's house. He determined to return to his father. In his mind he developed a plan. He would offer his father a confession: "I have sinned against heaven and against you" (Luke 15:18). Then he would offer his father a proposition: "I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men" (vs 19). He would not ask his father to restore him to the privileges of sonship immediately but would request the opportunity to demonstrate his trustworthiness. He supposed that he could work his way back into his father's good graces. With this in mind he started for his father's house. But his father saw him before he reached home. We read, "While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him" (vs 20). The father was far from his house because he was continually seeking his son and waiting for his return. The son was not greeted with hatred, rebuke, or reproach, but rather with compassion. In his eagerness to restore his son to his fellowship, the father ran to him and demonstrated his lavish love by throwing his arms around him and kissing him. There was no possibility that the son could feel that he, a sinner, was hated. Rather, he was loved, even when separated from his father. The son began with his confession: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son" (vs 21). What the son said was true. His relationship to his father, however, did not depend on his worthiness or on his actions but rather on the fact of his birth. And his position in the family was not secure because of his worthiness but rather because of the constancy of his father's love. The father cut off the son's confession. The son was never permitted to offer himself as a servant and work his way back into his father's good graces. It would not have been possible for him to work his way into his father's good graces, for he had never fallen out of his father's love. He had separated himself from his father's fellowship but not from his father's love. The evidence that he was restored, not as a servant but as a son, was apparent in the commands given to the servants who attended the father. The son was clothed with the best robe. This robe signified the inheritance that belonged to the son as his birthright. Such was the robe that Jacob put on Joseph (Gen 37:3). A ring was put on the son's finger. A signet ring was the sign of authority. By it the son could transact the father's business in the father's name. Further, sandals were put on his feet. A servant did not wear sandals. Sandals were a sign of sonship. The father evidently had been anticipating the son's return. The father commanded that the fatted calf should be killed to provide meat for a feast. He stated the reason for the celebration: "This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (vs 24). The son was dead in that he was cut off from the father's love, fellowship, and home; yet he continued to be a son. The celebration revealed the father's joy at the return of his son.

As you can see, I have highlighted and underlined three sections in Pentecost's commentary. I believe that these few short sentences represent in a clear and concise way how God views the repentant Christian. No matter how far a Christian may stray and regardless of what a Christian my do God the Father never stops loving him. And when the wayward Christian decides to return home to his Father, God is already waiting and watching and the instant that He sees His child returning He will run to meet him-not with words of condemnation but with words of compassion.

Again, notice the five key verbs of verse 20:
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Even though I risk sounding overly repetitive, I believe that it doesn't hurt to again repeat the significance of this verse:

In the response of the father I can see nothing but pure love flowing from him. To begin with, the father wasn't out tending to some other duty of his estate but was tending to the most important one; he was waiting and watching for his son. Then, when the father finally saw his lost son returning, he didn't wait on the porch with strong words of rebuke but was rather filled with compassion and ran to meet him. Upon reaching the son-still filthy, smelly, tattered, and torn-the father welcomed him home with affectionate hugs and kisses. Even the son's confession in the next verse is cut short by the father's command for the servants to bring a robe, a ring, and sandals to clothe his son. Finally, the father escorts his newly returned and restored son back into his house in order to enjoy a feast of celebration and rejoicing.

Unfortunately, as I have already said, many have a hard time picturing God the Father as loving, caring, and compassionate. One reason for this probably stems from negative memories generated from an earthly father who was abusive, cold, absent, unloving, uncaring, harsh, perfectionist, or selfish. And this list could go on forever. Scripture attests to the fact that one responsibility of the earthly father is to properly reflect God the heavenly Father. I believe that it is for this reason that Satan is trying so hard to destroy the family and more importantly the father's role in it. If Satan can twist, distort, and malign the earthly father's position he will also be able to do the same for the heavenly Father's, which will ultimately cause fewer people to desire a relationship with God. I must confess that Satan has been quite effective.

As an aside, there are three institutions created by God: the family (Gen 2), the government (Gen 9), and the Church (Acts 2). As a result, what three things do you think Satan and his demons are trying their hardest to destroy? Furthermore, Satan knows that if the family is destroyed the Church is only a step away and if the Church is destroyed the government is also only one step away. It is easy to see the destruction of these three things in communist countries, but it can also be seen in free countries like America. So many people-unbeknownst to them-are pawns of Satan by lobbying for the redefinition of family, homosexual marriages, co-inhabitation, abortion, and religious tolerance. If you look objectively at what is on TV, what is on the radio, and what is being printed in books, magazines, and newspapers you can't miss the anti-family, anti-church, and anti-government propaganda. Unfortunately, those who are not Christians-and even many who are-cannot see what is right in front of their faces.

As a Father, God's duty and responsibility-and in actuality His joy and delight-is, among other things, to provide for us (Matt 6:25-34), protect us (2 Thess 3:3), guide us (Prov 3:5-6), comfort us (2 Cor 1:3-5), and even at times discipline us (Heb 12:5-11). While stating the obvious it still needs to be said: if God is our Father than we are His children and God, like any loving father, will never leave nor forsake His children for any reason (Heb 13:5).

2 EXAMPLES OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS:
§ Old Testament: David
§ New Testament: Saul

DAVID
2 Samuel 11-Adultery and Assassination
David commits adultery with Bathsheba (vs 4). Bathsheba sends David word that she is now pregnant (vs 5). David, trying to cover his tracks, sends for Uriah under the pretense of getting a military report (vs 6-7). After the report David tells Uriah to go home and sleep with his wife (vs 8), but something happened that David had not counted on: Uriah chose to sleep at the entrance of the palace rather than enjoy the comforts of home when his fellow countrymen were at war (vs 9-11). David, not to be put off so easily, gets Uriah drunk the next night thinking that in his stupor he will forget his resolve and go home but he did not (vs 12-13). The next day David writes a letter to Joab-ironically carried by Uriah himself-which ordered Joab to put Uriah into the thickest part of the fighting and then pull back in order to doubly insure his death (vs 14-15). Receiving the message Joab does as David commanded and Uriah was slain (vs 16-25). David is now able to marry Bathsheba-the compassionate king marrying a helpless widow-and he is now able to avoid any questions about her child (vs 26-27), or so he thinks.

2 Samuel 12-Confrontation and Confession
Perhaps a year had passed and David had probably forgotten all about his "close call" when in walks the prophet Nathan with a story (vs 1-4). The story is about a poor man with only one beloved sheep that was stolen away by a rich man who had large flocks but was unwilling to kill one of his own to feed a traveler. No doubt jumping to his feet in anger David pronounces a price for the rich man's deed and, ironically, sets the price of his own penance when Nathan pointed his finger at David and said, "Thou are the man!" (vs 5-12). David, struck to the core of his being confesses his sin and Nathan immediately reassures David that the Lord has forgiven him but the child would die (vs 13-14), which it eventually does regardless of David's pleading (vs 15-23).

Perhaps it was during the time of David's pleading for his infant son's life before God that he penned Psalm 51 and Psalm 32. Even after thousands of years and being translated from one language into another the reader can still sense the deep emotions trapped within. I can almost see the tears streaming down David's face to splatter upon the page, his heart's blood seeping from the wound in his soul.

Even with these two heavy sins laid against David's name, when God looked upon him this is what He saw, "I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart" (Acts 13:22). How is this possible? David was not only an adulterer but he was also a murderer who used his God-given possession as king to take what was not rightfully his. The only explanation is that the All-knowing became the All-forgetting when David threw himself upon God's mercy. And God, not hesitating for one moment, forgave him completely and looked upon him as if it had never happened.

Read Psalm 32 and observe what David has to say to God in verses 1-7 and then what God has to say to David in verses 8-9.

Psalm 32
" 1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"-and you forgave the guilt of my sin. 6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. 10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. 11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!"

Many Psalms have introductions to them. For the most part, they only give the authors name and a few brief instructions for those who would sing the Psalm or accompany it with music. However, some Psalms also contain additional information, which usually tells why, where, or under what circumstance the Psalm was written. The following is the introduction to Psalm 51:
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

Psalm 51
"1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. 14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

SAUL
Acts 7:58, 8:3-Murder Conspiracy and Wrongful Imprisonment
I find it interesting that the man who God chose to perform miracles, evangelize the Gentile world, and write 13 of 27 New Testament books had, at first, wanted nothing to do with Christianity except to see it exterminated. Paul, once known as Saul, is, in my limited human thinking, the last person God could, would, or should have used to do anything.

The first time that Saul appears in Scripture is at Stephen's stoning (Acts 7:58). He stood by and watched in complete agreement as the hypocritical religious leaders and the lying false witnesses struck down the one who had "the face of an angel" (8:1). Immediately after this we find that, "Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison" (8:3).

While still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples (9:1), Saul received permission from the high priest to go into the synagogues of Damascus and lock up anyone, man or woman, that he found following the Way. However, while traveling to Damascus, Saul met face-to-face with the One he was so tirelessly persecuting and was humbly converted (9:2-16).

Why is it, do you think, that Paul speaks so frequently about the grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness of Jesus Christ? In nearly every letter he wrote he not only opens it with the word "grace" and uses it frequently throughout but he also closes with the same word, "grace." It so permeated his life that it was as much a part of who he was as his own name and signature. He knew full well that God could have let him continue down the road of self-damnation that he had so willingly chosen, but instead God changed his life forever.

As a testimony to God's love Paul says this to Timothy:

1 Timothy 1:12-17
"12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Hopefully by now you have been able to see just how exceedingly loving, amazingly compassionate, incredibly forgiving, and overwhelmingly merciful God is. There is no sin that He cannot nor will not forgive if we ask Him for forgiveness (1 John 1:9). In truth the Bible is nothing more than an immense love letter to mankind. Again, no matter what the past may hold, with God's forgiveness, you can truly have a new beginning.

Interestingly enough, Scripture ends with the promise of God's grace upon His people. This grace is meant not only for the forgiveness of sin but also for the endurance of difficulty and adversity here on earth. In the last 9 verses of the Bible Jesus, speaking to John, says that He will return soon. The response of those waiting is an overwhelming "Come!" However, until Jesus does return verse 21 pledges that, "the grace of the Lord Jesus will be with God's people." Once Jesus does return there will no longer be a need for grace because we will become perfectly holy in every way just like our Savior! All sin and its consequences that now plague mankind will be eternally swept away. To this I also loudly cry "Come Lord Jesus!"

Revelation 22:12-21
12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." 17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.