What does God do with our sins?
In one of the many memorable sections of his Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin compares God’s revelation of Himself to His creatures to a parent or a nanny who speaks to children on a level they can understand. Just as we “baby talk” with infants, so God condescends to our feebleness, stooping “far beneath his loftiness” to “accommodate the knowledge of him[self] to our slight capacity” (Institutes, 1.13.1 ). Calvin refers to how the Bible speaks of God’s body parts, such as His mouth, eyes, ears, nose, hands, and feet. God does not have a body like men, but He refers to bodily aspects of His being in His communication to us so that we can better grasp the truth about Him. The same accommodating manner of expression is found in the various similes and metaphors used throughout the Bible, particularly regarding how God treats the sins of His repentant and believing people. These word pictures paint the grace of forgiveness in unforgettable imagery so that we might better