Choose Not to Remember

I like questions.

In most cases they remind me how much I do not know

As such they force me to dig deeper into God’s word.

I recently had such a question posed to me.

Does God forgive and forget?

After considering the question carefully, I had to turn this into two questions.

Does God forgive?

Scripture makes it very plain that God does indeed forgive.

Daniel 9:9 (NET) - Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.

There are other examples from the Old Testament.

Micah 7:18 (NET) - Who is a God like you? Who forgives sin and pardons the rebellion of those who remain among his people? Who does not stay angry forever, but delights in showing loyal love?

I think my favorite examples come from the Psalmist and Isaiah.

Psalm 103:12 (NET) - As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.

Isaiah 1:18 (NET) - Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord. “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.

Forgiveness is possible through His Son.

Ephesians 1:7-8 (NET) - In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our offenses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight.

All of which is well and good.

But, what about the second part of the question?

Does God forget?

God is omniscient.

God is all knowing.

To me, forgetting is a human weakness.

We can forget everything from appointments to birthdays and anniversaries.

We even forget the promises we make.

That is why I have a difficult time saying that God could forget.

Fortunately, Scripture provides the better alternative.

Isaiah 43:25 (NET) - I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember.

It is the best of everything.

God forgives and chooses not to remember our sins anymore.

He chooses never to hold our past against us.

Shouldn’t we try to do the same with others.

Colossians 3:13 (NET) - bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 21, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 28, 2020