A certain businessman was notori- ous for saving almost everything that came across his desk—especially correspondence. Consequently the files in his office were bulging. One day his secretary asked if she might dispose of all the old, useless material. The man was reluctant, but finally said, “Well, all right, but be sure you make a copy of everything before you throw it away.”

That’s the way some Christians handle their sins. They know that Jesus paid the penalty, but somehow they can’t let go of the guilt. It’s as if Christ’s suffering were not enough, and they must contribute some of their own anguish by continually lamenting their failures. They want to keep copies of everything they’ve done. How foolish!

The apostle Paul wanted nothing of this. He accepted the removal of all his guilt before God as an accomplished fact because Christ’s death had marked Paid In Full over his account. The memory of earlier days remained vivid, but it didn’t weigh him down.

Everything that happens to us is retained in that remarkable filing system called ‘memory’. A wise forgetfulness based on Christ’s atoning sacrifice can keep all guilt feelings from cluttering up our life.

Author

Dennis J. DeHaan

Topics

Our Daily Bread