Finding Forgiveness / OCTOBER 2007
Psalm 51 

Edward R. Murrow -- United States Information Agency. "I believe that we ought to report all the news, warts and blemishes, as well as the sunshine.
What David did:
-- Seduced another man's wife
-- tried to cover it up
-- arranged for her husband to be killed

Ps. 32:4

David confronted by Nathan, the prophet. 2 Sm. 12:7

There are fives steps to forgiveness:

I. Faith / Asking -- Ps. 51:1
A. Do not ask for justice, but mercy
One lady said "These pictures don't do me justice." The photographer said "Lady, you don't need justice, you need mercy."
B. God doesn't deal with us on the basis of who we are or what we have done, but who He is.
C. The horizon always disappears in front of us, though it is ever with us. God's love and mercy is like that.
D. And to think of it, we are standing in the center of the love of God.

II. Honesty / Confession -- Ps. 51: 3-5
A. Terms:
1. Iniquity -- to twist or pervert
2. Transgression -- to rebel deliberately
3. Sin -- to miss the mark
B. David's three-fold confession:
1. "My sin is ever before me."
2. "Against You and You only have I sinned"
3. "Behold, I was shaped in iniquity" -- I not only did wrong, but I am wrong.

III. Prayer for Cleansing -- Ps. 51:6-9
A. Purge -- a Priestly term for declaring a leper clean
B. Wash -- a Laundry term for cleaning a garment
C. Blot -- a Scribal term. They didn't have acid ink, so the ink was just on top of the papyrus. You could take a wet cloth or sponge and get rid of it by wiping it off.
I am reminded of Ebenezer Scrooge. What can sponge away the writing of this stone?
D. Create -- there is nothing clean in my heart now, so create it anew.

IV. Genuine Sorrow for sin -- Ps. 51:17


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