Remembering No More

Try as I might, I can't forget! I think back on my life. It started with lying, then cursing. At times I disrespected my Mom. I wished that my Dad was dead when I failed to get the freedom I desired. I shop-lifted, I stole money from friends, I desired what belonged to others, I fornicated, I became intoxicated a couple of times. I can think of few sins that I failed to do! Did I murder? Yep! I did so in my heart! Did I break a commandment? There are none that I didn't break! I'd like to forget all this, but in remembering how sordid I have been makes me appreciate mercy even more.

Philippians 3:13 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before..."
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

So while I remember these sins and know that I deserve death for them, and that Jesus redeemed me by is own death, I should put the past behind me. In effect it's not what I have done, because they are forgiven, but what I will do! Jesus has already died for ALL MY SINS, even the sins I have yet to do, but I have only repented for my past sins. Those are behind me now!

Hebrews 8:12 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."

Since I repented for what I have done, God has chosen to forget what's behind and for those sins of which I have repented. God can "forget", not because he has a weak memory, but because he is all powerful and what he wills can be done! If I could forget I would not be ashamed. Likewise, if I could forget, I would feel no blame! It's imperative that I remember one thing: Christ died for ME! I must remember that it is I that should have died.

What in the world was Paul speaking of? He was a mass murderer and the objects of his iniquity were Christians! I bet Paul would have loved to have forgotten that, but he was no worse than I am with the exception he actually carried out what I only dreamed of doing. Because Paul's fine was paid for by Jesus, he was no longer a criminal. He had a new start! "All things have become new"! to him, but for all Christians as well. As such we are to "forget the things we left behind"!

Are we to be as God? Since God has the power to forget do we?  It's a matter of perspective!

Genesis 19:15  "And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26 But his (Lot's) wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Why not look back? If a person looks back with remorse it's one thing, but if one mentally and emotionally relives sinful pleasures it's another! Lot's wife was saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, both of which were pleasure palaces and dens of iniquity. Lot's wife didn't look back with shame, but with a fond memory of what would be no more! Because of that she died that day, but she died the second death as well. That pillar of salt is all that remained of what was once life!

In the movie Oh Brother, Where Art Thou this conversation ensued:

"Pete: Well I'll be a sonof______. Delmar's been saved.
Delmar O'Donnell: Well that's it, boys. I've been redeemed. The preacher's done warshed away all my sins and transgressions. It's the straight and narrow from here on out, and heaven everlasting's my reward.
Ulysses Everett McGill: Delmar, what are you talking about? We've got bigger fish to fry.
Delmar O'Donnell: The preacher says all my sins is warshed away, including that Piggly Wiggly I knocked over in Yazoo.
Ulysses Everett McGill: I thought you said you was innocent of those charges?
Delmar O'Donnell: Well I was lyin'. And the preacher says that that sin's been warshed away too. Neither God nor man's got nothin' on me now. C'mon in boys, the water is fine."

Later on  this exchange took place after an altercation:

"My name is George Nelson, get me?!
She didn't mean nothin' by it, George.
George Nelson! Not Babyface!
You remember! And you tell your friends!
I'm George Nelson.
Born to raise hell.
Well, that was some fun, now, wasn't it, George?
Yeah.
And Delmar says "Almost makes me wish I hadn'ta been saved."

Delmar looked back! Not in sorrow, but with fond memories. In effect Delmar deserved, if he had been a real person, to die as did Lot's wife. Furthermore, since the preacher did the "saving" the salvation was a farce.

Delmar and Mrs. Lot looked back and shouldn't have. Since both were allegedly "saved" they should have been "new persons'. They should have "forgotten the things that were behind", but they didn't do that! Since the efficacy of their salvation is in question, guess what? God didn't forget either!

Sometimes people, even sincere Christians, look back on when they were the "old person" and reminisce. They are stirred by pleasurable memories. Satan is enticing them to return to the fold, and if they don't watch out, that's what will happen.  As Delmar said  "Almost makes me wish I hadn'ta been saved." If angels rejoice when one soul is saved, just think of the party Satan has when the ransomed one is stolen!

And now we'll look at Forrest Gump!

[when the bullies from school were chasing him]
Jenny Curran: "Run, Forrest! Run!"
Jenny Curran: [hearing that Forrest is going to Vietnam] "Listen, you promise me something, OK? Just if you're ever in trouble, don't be brave. You just run, OK? Just run away."

Forrest was told to run from bullies. Jenny told Forrest to run from the enemy in Viet-Nam. Neither are we to look back. We must run from the past since we can't seem to forget it: However, we can't run fast enough to get away from the bully Satan. We submit to God and let Satan do the running!

James 4: 7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

And while Satan is fleeing you, still don't look back! "Run, Forrest, Run!"