Isaiah 43:25. I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
“For Mine own sake.” That is the foundation of the gospel and the well-spring of hope to the sinner. All begins in grace, all is carried on by grace, and by grace the whole scheme of redemption is perfected. Man wishes to find something in himself by which to move the unchanging One. My tears, my penitence, my suffering, my sacrifices, my faith, my religion: these are some of the considerations to which even the believer is prone to cling in the hope of influencing his God or regaining His favour.
But “for Mine own sake” puts all these delusions aside. In the fathomless depths of the divine compassion; in that mercy which is like a great deep; in that grace which is to be measured, if measured at all, by the sufferings of the Son of God – in these alone we find a foundation for hope. Man is utterly set aside. He is laid in the dust, and God alone is exalted to the throne. In no case will He, in no case can He, give His glory to another, and least of all when blotting out iniquity and restoring the soul to purity again.
1Taken, with editing, from Tweedie’s volume, Glad Tidings of the Gospel of Peace.
Mark, moreover, how this Almighty condescension speaks: “I, even I, am He that . . . will not remember thy sins”. As if the Omniscient One could forget! As if He who is the same yesterday, today and for ever could change! Now, when all this is said or done to reassure the sinner, may he not boldly come for pardoning mercy? Or if he still refuses under any pretext, may not the God of pardons renew the complaint: “What could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it?” O my soul, may it be otherwise with you! Commit yourself in well-doing to Him who delights to pardon, and He will cause you to delight “in the abundance of peace”. “Put Me in remembrance, let us plead together,” are the gracious words of God. Plead then in faith, and God must change before your hopes can fail.