The Distance Between Us and Our Sins

God completely and irreversibly separates us from our sins.

“. . .as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12 ).

Photo by William Warby on Unsplash

When I was little, my older brother and I didn’t always (or ever) get along very well. We were always getting on each other’s nerves and causing a ruckus. This meant that in situations when we needed to be calm and quiet—like church—my mom usually had to separate us by sitting between us, one on her right and one on her left.

For a long time, that’s what I pictured when I read this verse: God put us on one side (east) and our sin on the other (west). “As far as the east is from the west” sounded like “within reach to grab an ear and give it a twist.” I didn’t understand the image of this passage.

God doesn’t just separate us from our sins; he does so completely and irreversibly. Our sins are not within arm’s reach or accusation’s reach. East and west aren’t adjacent; they are infinitely opposite. When Christ paid for our sins on the cross, he sent our sins completely and eternally in one direction, and he is taking us eternally in the other.

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ON THE HORIZON

NEXT STEPS: If you are interested in learning more about membership at Immanuel, our Next Steps Seminar is for you! You can join us on Saturday, March 1, 2025, from 9 AM to 3 PM at the Immanuel Cafe for our next class. RSVP here.

MARRIAGE SEMINAR: If you are preparing for marriage or are young in your marriage, Join us on Saturday, March 29, from 9 AM - 1 PM for a marriage foundations seminar in the cafe. Lunch will be provided. Please Register HERE.