What Sin?

Sister Connie Werkheiser sings the song, "What Sin?" and it's always such a blessing. God's mercy and forgiveness are without boundaries. 1 John 1:9 says,"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I got to thinking about the Sea of Forgetfulness and tried to look it up. There is no such "place" mentioned in the Scripture, but these next two verses describe what God does with our sins when we repent and confess: "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19). "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. 10:17). These two verses, combined, describe the Sea of Forgetfulness we often hear and sing about.
Here's the words to the song, "What Sins?" by Morgan Cryar, from the album Love Over Gold.

It happened so long ago
And I cried out for mercy back then
I plead the blood of Jesus
Begged him to forgive my sin
But I still can't forget it
It just won't go away
So I wept again, "Lord wash my sin,"
But this is all He'd say

CHORUS

What sin, what sin?
Well that's as far away as the east is from the west
What sin, what sin?
It was gone the very minute you confessed
Buried in the sea of forgetfulness

The heaviest thing you'll carry
Is a load of guilt and shame
You were never meant to bear them
So let them go in Jesus name
Our God is slow to anger
Quick to forgive our sin
So let Him put them under the blood
Don't bring them up again
Cause He'll just say

REPEAT CHORUS

Lord, please deliver me from my accusing memory
Nothing makes me weak this way,
Then when I hear you say

Some people are guilty of going deep sea diving in effort to dredge up another person's buried sins. If God chooses to "remember them no more" then how dare we? To do so would put us in danger of being like the man described in the story of Matthew 18:21-35:
"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."
In this story, the man who had been forgiven of his debt in the beginning later had his judgment reversed and he was thrown into prison himself because he refused to forgive another person's trespass. We must remind ourselves: "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses" (Mark 11:26).
Help me, Lord, to forgive those who refuse to forgive; to love those who do not love; to have mercy on those who show no mercy--help me, Lord to be like You.