How Should I View my Sin as a Believer?

Last night at prayer meeting Nathanael read,
"12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us." from Psalm 103

I realize I did not feel like my sins were removed from me as far as the east is from the west.

Geoff read, "9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." from I Jn 1

Had I actually confessed my sin to God and asked him to forgive me? Or was I just wallowing in despair because of my sin? Over the last days God had convicted me of my sin in my friendships, in my parenting, in my desire to take credit where credit is NOT due. But what did I do about it?

I came home and got down on my knees again and clearly confessed my sin and asked God to forgive me. Then I turned my attention to God's word...

A verse kept coming to mind, "...our righteous acts are like filthy rags." [Isaiah 64:6 NIV} I felt like the love I had shown to someone didn't count because it was tainted with my sin. And I don't mean not count in the sense that I feel like I am earning my salvation, but I wondered if I was really loving this person if it was tainted with my sin. Did they receive it as love? or feel the same way I did?

I thought this was in Romans 3 so I went there. Romans 3 is talking about people before they believe in Christ and are in Him. So I thought this did not apply to me. But how should I view my sin as a believer?

I know way too many times I confess and go on and do not fear God, recognize His holiness, tremble before Him, and I take for granted the fact that Jesus died for sin...if He hadn't, I would bear the penalty of my sin.

But on the other hand, "9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." He forgives us and cleanses us. And Jesus took the penalty of sin:

John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

 2 Corinthians 5:21" For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." I was thinking that God sees us differently now in Christ. That when He sees us, He sees Christ's righteousness. But I can't find a verse right now that says that exact thing. But I know there is a change. John 1 says."12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."

I also was thinking about this: 

10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers[b] has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 

Even though this is talking about Satan accusing us before the Father, I think I have felt that accusation from him over the last weeks.

So after all this I am still left with a question: what is the proper response to sin as a believer in Christ?

Wow! I'm so glad this blog is called Kimberly's Musings. At least you know what you might be getting into!