God's Forgetfulness
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.
CELEBRATING SUNDAY…
Sunday Worship: This past Sunday, Pastor Sam continued our series in James! Check it out here.
TONIGHT AT IMMANUEL - TRENDING QUESTIONS!
Join us tonight at 6:30 pm as Pastor Sam Allberry hosts a Trending Question: Ask Sam Anything Q&A. All are welcome!
ON THE HORIZON
Marriage Foundations Seminar - If you are preparing for marriage or are young in your marriage, join us on Saturday, November 9, from 9 AM - 1 PM in the cafe for a marriage foundations seminar. Lunch will be provided. RSVP here.
Next Steps - If you want to learn more about membership at Immanuel, our Next Steps Seminar is for you! You can join us on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 9 am to 3 pm at the Immanuel Cafe for our next class. RSVP HERE.