Isaiah 44:22

I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.

God does not bear grudges, why do we? When we were forgiven our sins they are no longer remembered. God doesn't say, "OK, I'll forgive you this time, but I'll be watching you very carefully from now on, and the next time you show the merest smidgeon of rebellion, you're out." Instead he says when the Devil accuses us of past sins, "What sins? I laid them all on my son Jesus and he paid the full price for them. They are extinguished."

Not to say we don't keep on sinning. Of course we do. This side of glory we will never be sinless, but if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity. That's why we keep short accounts with God.

It is not a license to go on sinning. If we saw it as such we would not have repented of our sins. Our sins offend us and we want them dealt with. Daily He deals with them.

So if we are dealt with with such love why do we continue to hold other people's sins against them?

You know the sort of thing. He's OK, but once he cheated on his wife. It wouldn't be safe to leave him alone with yours. She's got a bit of a reputation for stealing. Didn't she once get arrested for shop lifting? Well, we'll know where to go if any of the spoons go missing. He could never be a deacon - his first marriage ended in divorce. Thirty years ago he was caught kissing the baby-sitter. That would debar him from ever becoming an elder. I'm not happy with him leading the singing. Once upon a time he jilted my daughter. Her daughter had an illegitimate baby; we couldn't allow her to teach Sunday school.

God be merciful to me, a sinner.