Oct
9
Written by:
Bob Flynn
10/9/2008 5:59 AM
To be makários, blessed, is equivalent to having God's kingdom within one's heart...Makários is the one who is in the world yet independent of the world. His satisfaction comes from God and not from favorable circumstances. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary, General Editor: Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D.)
"BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED." (NASB)
"Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. " (KJV)
""Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight." (NLT)
""Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;" (NET)
A psalm of David. Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! (Psalms 32:1-2 NLT)
We can see that his verse begins a direct quote of Psalm 32:1-2. David's sin was a "knowing" disobedience to the law. He did not sin in ignorance. "Is, Are, Have Been" forgiven means a completed act of remission.
Remission: Forgiveness; pardon; that is, the giving up of the punishment due to a crime; as the remission of sins. Matthew 26. Hebrews 9 (Noah Webster)
This was David's experience. He had been forgiven! In literal translations of Psalm 32, we see that the object is singular, "blessed is he." The Romans citation of the Psalm, this is expressed in the plural to take in all sorts of people (thought the NLT does this in both Psalm 32 and Romans).
Oh, give me back my joy again; You have broken me—now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. (Psalms 51:8-9 NLT)
You forgave the guilt of Your people—yes, You covered all their sins. Interlude (Psalms 85:2 NLT)
LORD, if You kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But You offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear You. (Psalms 130:3-4 NLT)
"Comfort, comfort My people," says your God. "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the LORD has punished her twice over for all her sins." (Isaiah 40:1-2 NLT)
I will cleanse them of their sins against Me and forgive all their sins of rebellion. Then this city will bring Me joy, glory, and honor before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see all the good I do for My people, and they will tremble with awe at the peace and prosperity I provide for them. (Jeremiah 33:8-9 NLT)
Where is another God like You, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of His special people? You will not stay angry with Your people forever, because You delight in showing unfailing love. Once again You will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under Your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! You will show us Your faithfulness and unfailing love as You promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago. (Micah 7:18-20 NLT)
Some people brought to Him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Be encouraged, My child! Your sins are forgiven." (Matthew 9:2 NLT)
"I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown Me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love." Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven." The men at the table said among themselves, "Who is this man, that He goes around forgiving sins?" And Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 7:47-50 NLT)
"Happy are they whose sins are covered - With the veil of divine mercy. If there be indeed such a thing as happiness on earth, it is the portion of that man whose iniquities are forgiven, and who enjoys the manifestation of that pardon. Well may he endure all the afflictions of life with cheerfulness, and look upon death with comfort. O let us not contend against it, but earnestly pray that this happiness may be ours!" John Wesley
Blessed:
G3107
μακάριος
makários; fem. makaría, neut. makárion, adj. A prose form of the poetic mákar (n.f.), blessed one. Blessed, possessing the favor of God, that state of being marked by fullness from God. It indicates the state of the believer in Christ...The believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit because of Christ and as a result should be fully satisfied no matter the circumstances. Makários differs from the word "happy" in that the person is happy who has good luck (from the root hap meaning luck as a favorable circumstance). To be makários, blessed, is equivalent to having God's kingdom within one's heart...Makários is the one who is in the world yet independent of the world. His satisfaction comes from God and not from favorable circumstances. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary, General Editor: Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D.)