Forgiven! + Family Worship This Sunday
Good morning Immanuel! We have a harder time forgetting our own sins than God does.
“For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).
I often leave home and forget something I need, like my lunch or my coffee (and yes, I need my coffee). Or I’ll walk into a room and completely forget why I am there. If I go to the grocery store for more than two items, I need a list, or I will forget something. Forgetfulness comes easily, and it is always accidental. We don’t try to forget stuff; we just do, and it’s frustrating.
This sort of frustrating, absent-minded forgetfulness raises a question: what does the Bible mean when it talks about God forgetting our sins? We know he is perfectly wise and knows everything, so how does He forget? He doesn’t do anything by accident. If He did, we would be in deep trouble.
The Bible tells us that God intentionally erases our sins. He blots them out (Acts 3:19). When the Bible tells us he will remove them “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12), it means he will utterly remove them. So God’s forgetfulness is a promise that says to us, “because Jesus has paid for them already, I will never think about your sins again or hold them over your head, ever.”
Friends, we have a harder time forgetting our own sins than God does. We cling to them longer and view ourselves as marked by them. But if we trust Jesus, God doesn’t look at us and see our sins. He looks at us and sees the righteousness of His Son. He forgets our sins completely.
September 3, 2023 - This Sunday at Immanuel
Sunday Morning
LABOR DAY WEEKEND FAMILY WORSHIP - All are welcome to join us for worship on Sunday during our 9 am and 10:45 am Family Worship services! Classes for babies through 3-year-olds will be available in iKids. Children aged four years and older are invited to join us in the worship center!
Seminars
9 am: Studying the Bible Together, led this week by Tony Shepherd in the Church Office
9 am: Exit Signs: The Gospel of Christ in the Book of Exodus, led by Dr. Russell Moore in the Cafe.
9 am: Student Seminar led by Vince Greenwald in the gymnasium (grades 5-12)
Engage
On the Horizon
DISCOVER RECEPTION - New or newish to Immanuel? Formerly known as the Discover Luncheon, the new Discover Reception is an opportunity to connect at 10:45 am in the cafe for an overview of Immanuel and a time for Q&A. Our next Discover Reception is September 10. RSVP here.
TGC23 NATIONAL CONFERENCE - Thinking about attending the Gospel Coalition National Conference (September 25-27)? Immanuel folks are privy to a $20 registration discount using the code COUNCILCHURCH. Immanuel’s very own Barnabas Piper, Sam Allberry, and Ray Ortlund will be a part of the event lineup for TGC23. Register today and save!
Praise God for this truth, and thank you for showing it to me for what it is. It often feels so easy to overlook, not today!