Isaiah 43:25Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Knowing that a person is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, we believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Him" (Galatians 2:15-16). Therefore, do not presume that you can clear yourself of wrongdoing through sacrifices and rituals; rather, understand that I am the One who erases your transgressions and chooses not to remember them. We are justified not by our own righteous deeds but by the abundant mercy of Him who desires to overlook our sins (Titus 3:5). This singular truth offers salvation to those who dwell on earth, whose minds may be weak and inclined toward condemned actions, as it is written: "the inclination of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Genesis 8:21). Even the revered David, recalling human shortcomings, wisely articulates: "If you should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You" (Psalm 130:3-4). Thus, the God of all compassion demonstrates His grace by lifting guilt and transgressions from those ensnared by them, through His divine mercy and forgiveness. However, He does not permit the forgiven to grasp the grace of the one who justifies them. We find that this has been beneficial for the saints engaging in the struggle. The blessed David reflects this when he states, "I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me" (Psalm 51:3), and again, "I acknowledge my sin, and I am sorry for my iniquity" (Psalm 38:18). Therefore, the Lord declares, “I will not remember your offenses, but you shall remember them, and let us be judged. You shall confess them, and you will undoubtedly be forgiven,” as it is said, "He who is right in his own eyes is a witness" (Proverbs 18:17); and once more, "Do not be ashamed to confess your sins" (Sirach 4:30). This instruction was disregarded by the haughty Pharisee, whom the Savior portrays in the Gospel. He prayed in the assembly, displaying great insolence, exclaiming, "O God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector; I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess" (Luke 18:11-12). He refrained from speaking of his own sins and was thus condemned as proud and dishonest, for no one is without stain, and all of us falter in many ways (James 3:2). In contrast, the tax collector was aware of and confessed his sins, standing afar off, beating his breast, and pleading, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13). It is this person who is justified for admitting his sins and not concealing his intrinsic filthiness, allowing him to be cleansed.

I will erase the old record written against you, and your sins will be forgotten, which I will remit to you in baptism, provided you believe. Remind Me then that if you can justly present any argument, I will listen favorably, so we may deliberate together, and you may prove that I have not acted according to what you deserved. This sentiment is expressed more fully in Micah: “My people, what have I done to you? And in what way have I wearied you? Testify against Me. For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage; I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” (Micah 6:3-4). In the fiftieth psalm, David tells God, “That you may be justified in your words, and may prevail when you are judged” (Ps. 50:6). Thus speak, if you have grounds to justify yourself. The implication is that I will not speak first against you lest you claim oppression due to many words; rather, you will speak in your defense if you have anything substantial, that you may find your suffering undeserved. But to clarify that my mercy does not stem from your merits, but rather from My goodness, I reference your forefathers for you to understand that you are born into sin. Your ancestors were the first to sin in the wilderness, representative of all Israel. Abraham, your forefather, is also seen as guilty of sin when he replied to the Lord who promised him the land for his descendants, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” (Genesis 15:8). He also states that your mediators have turned away from Me: Aaron and Moses at Meribah, who served as intercessors between Us (Num. 20). To ensure we grasp that this explanation is not forced, it is followed by: I regarded the leaders of the holy ones as unclean, which is echoed in the psalm where it is sung: they were consumed at the rock of their judgment (Psalms 140:6). It is noted that they were counted as unholy because they did not enter the promised land. Consequently, Jacob faced death and Israel was brought to shame, leaving none of those who exited Egypt to enter Judah except for two; their corpses were left in the wilderness. Therefore, the Seventy, who added their own transgressions, say first regarding their sins that they may be justified. God calls them to repentance so they might recognize their offenses and attain forgiveness. It is also written elsewhere, "The lot causes contentions to cease, and parts between the mighty" (Proverbs 18:18). It is said of their leaders and ancestors that they defiled the sacred things of the Lord by neglecting to observe the law of God, instead adhering to human traditions and commandments. For their transgressions, Jacob perished, and Israel, exiled from their homeland and wandering the earth, was delivered to ruin.