Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs
Neither should you (1 Corinthians 13:5)
Have you heard the one about how God is recording everything you say and do, and on Judgment Day he’ll show all your dark, dirty secrets on a big TV screen?
It’s a frightening thought—but it’s a fiction.
God is not like that.
God is love, and love keeps no record of wrongs.
Not a diary, not a videotape, nothing.
If he’s making a movie of your life, it’s a highlight reel, not a horror flick.
God keeps no videotapes, but we may have quite the collection. They play in the dark cinema of our minds rehashing our regrets, broadcasting our bitter memories, and showing our secret shame.
The dirty tapes of our lives cripple us. They suck the color out of our days and the sleep out of our nights. They keep us from entering the house of grace and enjoying the banquet of God’s favor.
“I cannot come in,” we say. “I’ve done some bad stuff.” And God replies, “I hold nothing against you.”
“But haven’t you seen what I did?” And God replies, “Haven’t you seen what Jesus did?”
Your videotapes don’t belong to you. Jesus purchased them with his blood. If they start playing in your head, change the channel. Look to Christ who is the star of a better movie. And be happy.
Happy are those whose wrongs are forgiven, whose sins are pardoned! Happy is the person whose sins the Lord will not keep account of! (Romans 4:7–8, GNB)
Source Stuff Jesus Never Said
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Paul, is your book, STUFF JESUS NEVER SAID, available in South Africa?
It’s available worldwide – anywhere the USPS delivers to. Please click the book link at the bottom of the post for more info.
I bought my copy on Amazon: Kindle books.
The books is available on Amazon, but not on Kindle format.
God helps!
You see some preachers are saying that we need an accounting for sin and that it’s biblical. It’s surely a relief when they don’t use this against you and you realise it’s all for a good purpose. However, I don’t believe it’s too good to be true to believe that this is Jesus’s heart. God helps! I know nothing can stand against Jesus and his gospel. His goodness and his grace! God helps!
Well, that’s a bit of an understatement. ;D
What a wonderful truth unveiled, what a relief. Over the top good news indeed!
On your header picture? The bloke leaning to the right of Jesus (as we look at him) has a cigarette in his mouth. Surely, Jesus would have said something to him about that? In love, of course…. 😉
I’d be interested as to what you think Jesus would have said to a smoker….in love.
Maybe he would say,
“I know you can’t get the victory over(insert battle here) but I have, Trust in me and you can do all things as I strengthen you.
Stop trusting in yourself, you are not your own solution, Trust in Me(repent)”.
Repentance isn’t the act of being sorry for the fruits of sin and then stopping the “sinning”.
Repentance isn’t the successfully pruning of the fruits of sin
Repentance is a change of mind about who you trust in when you have failed.
Amen! This also goes well with Hebrews 8:12 and 10:17. He has no memory of your sin. If God keeps no record of sin and has no memory of it, what does this say about ministries who do and even make it their main area of focus?
I am happy that He dies not remember our sin. However, I am speaking about repentance. It is s Godly sorry for sin and a turning away from it, right? Now, we have all sinned. Jesus died for our sins to be forgiven, right? He offered that same forgiveness to the Romans who crucified Him, right? But suppose the Romans who crucified Him did not accept His forgiveness, will they still enter heaven as saved, when they did not, or whoever, does not take that God’s offer of forgiveness and Grace?
While God is kind to give us grace, He does not just take people to heaven who did not accept, and thereby show appreciation or value of grace. He does not force acceptance. If I invite you to my beautiful home (when I had one), but you refuse to attend, did you benefit by not attending? No. But I remain a kind person to you, don’t I? So does God. While He forgets our sin when we renounce them, He is not oblivious of the fact that we did not renounce them, if we dud not renounce them. He cannot be dishonest. He us honest and just, to forgive us. And if we don’t accept, He honestly knows that, too.
I agree with you that the gift must be accepted, but once we do accept, it is finished. There is no need for God to deal with your sin once you have accepted His gift because it is already completely and forever dealt with. Also, as was mentioned in another comment, Biblical repentance is to change your mind (you can verify this by looking at the definition of the word in the original Greek). It is a change from looking to myself for any form of sufficiency to relying on God for my sufficiency. This is what “God gives grace to the humble” means. Biblical humility is relying on your Heavenly Father.
LJP, wish I knew the Greek behind the English words of the Bible. I think you are right. It feels right. No one should feel a need of second guessing God. That’s something that my spiritual disease of confusion had lead me to do for the past 40 years, second guessing God’s word. Thanks for the word of life.
LJP, it says that they are sin conscious and they dishonor the finished work of Christ. In the “church” that I used to assemble at they would ask you to bring your crap to mind and confess it before doing what the Son of God said to “do this in remembrance of me”. That’s why every one bows their heads. It is religious ceremony instead of speechless privledge to them. Messiah told His buddies to “BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES”. I am Bewaring! And I will NOT join in the scandal of their circus anymore.
Bradford, I’ve experienced the same mess myself. I believe the benefit to having these first hand experiences is being well aware of avoiding the death it produces. Blessings
Got you, Bradford. After the dirty works have been done to us, depriving us for so long of that spiritual bread and spiritual drink, I wonder if I am not in need of spiritual healing, personally. I just believe that I do need it. I have felt that wonderful grace comes to my heart and then bounced off my heart, just like a ball from a stone wall, due to being bound in confusion, not being sure of where I stood with God. That I think, is a real life of hard core sinning, and for 40 years. Lord have mercy. And give me grace to heal me so I can redeem all those wasted 40 years.
Yay! That’s Good News!
This is so true, but so few know it! It can’t be both ways! I prefer to believe what He says!
Hallelujah!!!
Dear Pastor Ellis:
You are correct, Sir, with regards to the penitent and repentant sinners, who have responded, appropriately so, to God’s gift of grace. There is no condemnation
If God has book keeping in heaven, it is not against the penitent and saved from sin, through Jesus Christ.
But what if some people just don’t repent, by choice, when convicted of sin? It would seem there must be a justifiable account.
The Lord of infinite knowledge and wisdom must account that some, and those specifically, who have refused to accept the grace of our Lord, and Jesus Christ, having been given fair and liberal warning.
I trust that I have rightly understood, and have rightly processed my response to your new post. Thank you kindly.
The Bible is very clear that God is done with sin (Heb 9:26). “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them” (2 Cor 5:19). Because of Jesus, sin is not the issue. The issue is Christ, as you say.
Big amen, in the end it isn’t what’s up with all your sins? It’s hey what have you done with Jesus? Did you accept His free gift or reject it? I see it as two big mountains with a gulf between them (sin, the gulf) and God did something about it (the Finished Work) and built this smooth and secure bridge to cross. Yet some say, no thanks let me build my own bridge (works, dead religion, error). Preach Jesus not sin, that’s what the Apostles and Evangelists did in the book of Acts. Look at the results…
Hey Berris I just wanted to let you know that they the way you express penitence and believing the gospel is not penitence in regard to turning from sin etc. this is works based salvation. Mark 1:15 says repent and believe the gospel. The Greek word for repent and repentance is of the meaning ” change of mind”. So we need the what to change our mind about and that is given in the next sentence. Believe the gospel. So we are to change our mind about our thinking of salvation and righteousness to Gods way. Which is a gift. God grants the repentance needed through your believing on Christ Jesus. Penetince is what John the Baptist preached. Hope this helps your thinking brother. If I missunderstood your wording I apologize lol
Thanks Stephen. Being bound in confusion for 40 years on this matter I am not so surprised that I still may show some of the old school and confused teaching ingrained. But I welcome the truth any time, as it only sets me freer than I thought I was before. May God continue to help me. Thank again.
, Stephan:
Please consider that it is the gospel that changes our minds.
What is it that our minds change from? From our sin and from our sinful course of life. This is a result of God’s revealed love. It is His love that is healing us from our sin problem. That is why the Holy Spirit confers unto us the gift of repentance, with which to repent. For we could never repent on our own, as simple as that may seem.
We were all born into and under the sin of Adam, and that came with implications.
The first problem is a spiritual law; that by the one man Adam all are condemned.
The good, bad and ugly people, the best people and the ugliest people all had the same problem.
No one can stand before God justified, the corresponding justice must prevail. Death
Enter Jesus. . . by the flip side of the same law which condemned all men, now then,
because of one righteous man all live. This is awesome news.
Because Jesus can stand Justified before a terrifying black and white, totally holy judge, we live.
When we are born again we have accepted Jesus as our 1st born and we become 2nd born under him.
Justice is demanded of the 1st born when the 2nd born cannot pay.
Hey (first born born)Nicodemus, “you must be born again”.
We need to trust in Jesus, trusting in ourselves is sin.
Sin produces fruit, pruning the fruit is not repentance.
Relying on Jesus is repentance.
Thanks Richard. I have preached to myself and to the rocks and trees on such texts from the Bible, but nobody ever preached to the refreshing of my soul such words of life and beauty, to validate me, that I was on the right page—though some have tried, but were reluctant, thinking they had to be careful not to let me get away with sin in my life. They deprived my youthful, longing, craving soul of the bread and water of life, for 40 years. I had no one to talk to about my inner pain. I suffered it silently. But my ex-wife could have seen and felt it. For what what in me touched her life, too.
Dude… the bible is amazing, Truth is freeing, Jesus is – impossible to put into words really, but I’ll go with – calculatingly wonderful, the Gospel is real, love and Grace do abound, and you and your site E2R are pointing to, leading to, and revealing Christ as Lord, Savior, Friend, and Father of humanity.
“Haven’t you seen what Jesus did?” – WOW!! Is that not Christianity in a nutshell? Continually seeing clearer and clearer what Jesus did?
Thank you for all you do brother!
I agree with your article totally.help me interpret these two passages please 2.Cor 5:10 Rom 14:12.
Graciously
Barry
Please check out the Archives > Scripture Index.
“Your videotapes don’t belong to you. Jesus purchased them with his blood. If they start playing in your head, change the channel. Look to Christ who is the star of a better movie.” Beautifully worded!
I remember the Chic tracks with God viewing the movie LOL!
Now if only the body of Christ would treat each other like this instead of taking mental pictures of someone at their lowest and then replaying it! Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,Philippians 2:3
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:16-17
Paul, where can i get STUFF JESUS NEVER SAID in Ghana?
Please click the link for the book above for full info.
This an amazing and liberating truth Paul. Thank you for this post. So often I get hung up on my sin and failures and listen to the lies of the deceiver that God is angry or withholding his love. I have to stand on the word and faith that fellowship with God is not broken and he is merciful to my unrighteousness and my sins and lawless deeds he will remember no more. I’m currently reading about Gods love in your book The Gospel in 10 words. Thank you for sharing the True God and the True gospel with us Paul. God bless
Amazing grace how sweet the sound….
That is life message.Thank you pastor Paul
LJP, thanks. I would rather know that The Lord does not remember my sins once they have been dealt with. Tell me this 40 years ago and I might have saved my marriage with my beautiful Ethiopian ex-wife. Yes, I think I know your thought, “What does this have to do with marriage?” And I say, “Everything.” Need I say more?
Well, maybe, just this for now: When I mentioned that I used to have a beautiful home once, that Ethiopian Ex- wife is what I meant. Though she has divorced me I have not been able to divorce her from the title I gave her as the greatest and most intelligent and tidy cook and house keeper on the globe.
And that is the honest truth. Only the Good Lord knows how much I missed her, not just for her cooking and house keeping, but also for the the gentleness and preciousness of her heart, without the interference of the great spiritual bully and enemy of mankind, Satan.
I should comment further, a little later on the issue of repentance you introduced. But I think that you are an honest student of the word of God. God bless you, Sir.
Thank you too. I’m always amazed how He puts together the pieces for me when I rely on Him. I don’t know what your future holds, but I know your Heavenly Father is able to do more than you ask or think and He loves blessing His kids. Grace and peace to you.
Thank you so much, LJP. Thank you so much.
Awesome post! Like Pinky above who left a comment, I remember the Jack Chick tract “This Was Your Life.” Somebody gave one to me as a little girl, and I remember becoming absolutely terrified at the thought that the secrets of my life would be totally exposed and broadcast in heaven. One past sin which the tract’s protagonist is guilty of committing, and which is replayed for him to view on the tape after he dies, is the great transgression of dozing off in church and not paying attention to the message. Another teaching I’ve heard along these same lines is that God’s angels are presently roaming the earth walking around with notebooks and transcribing everything human beings are saying to use against them in the future. After all, didn’t Jesus say, “You will be held accountable for every idle word.” This stuff used to send shivers down my spine.
I never ever even think about “confessing sin” to my Abba. All the people that I know will not let go of what Yeshua took away! It pisses me off. Remember the song “what more can He say, than to you He has said”. Why, Why do people throw in Abba’s face what He says “I Will Remember No More”! Why? Why? It is religion. It is a foul system that is going on in thousands of buildings every Sunday.
This article is the best treatment of that issue I’ve ever seen. You will see something closer agreeing with what you are saying bradford on most of Paul’s forgiveness posts. But this one shows grace to those in a predicament.
Roshan,
I want to validate your righteous indignation here. I have been indignant over the same central issue for 40 years of my precious life, but I had no one to validate that I was right; therefore, without that validation I thought that somehow I may have been wrong, although I still did not really believe I was wrong to think that I was already set free, “cold turkey” by God’s mercy and grace. Imagine for a moment having to live for 40 years without such a validation from professed Christian human beings who are supposed to be recipients of the same grace of God which I craved so much to set my inner soul free, to be all I could have been the past 40 years.
And even now, many who know of my condition would not believe me if I tell them that it was this confusion and foisted double mindedness, lack of confidence in the grace of God due to human cynicism towards Grace, that caused me to loose my precious wife from Ethiopia.
They would flat out refuse to see the connection, and go right ahead to blame me, the victim, for the destruction of my marriage and teaching career, instead of blaming Satan and our general failure to love one another properly with the ministry of God’s grace.
I now believe that only God’s pure GRACE can carry me the rest of my journey. Yet, may God help my unbelief.
Sorry, Roshan. I meant to address Bradford, whose righteous anger I felt and resonated with. But I also read the article you provided. Thank you. Better late than never. So, although I should have read your provided article 40 years ago, I am glad that you still published the glad tidings of peace to us. I just can’t help to wonder what it would have been like having that grace abounding freely in my life for a full past 40 years. I would be a better harmonica player for God, I know, as I promised Him at age 15. I would have been able to keep my wife, who divorced me over one year ago. I would have been wise enough to avoid stupid student loan debts, just by being happy in Jesus Christ, with that precious, golden knowledge that all my sins were washed away from my life. And so much more benefits I forfeited and blessings I let turn into a curse, in the past 40 years of my life. Great Father in Heaven, forgive my ignorance and my great stupidity, once more; in Jesus Name I pray. And will you please to restore the years to me, that the locusts have eaten, Lord God?
You’ll read a lot of amazing promises here and it will give you the impression that there is no pain at all, but whether there is or isn’t, keep saying or thinking two things to yourself and others “Lord I believe! Help my unbelief!” and “God has done everything (He is good and He loves me)”. Turning to God is much more helpful and easier than turning from sin. Because I have learned that sin is not the issue, appreciate God’s good grace and finished work and unmerited favor is! Those who haven’t seen that work and aren’t grateful sin because they don’t know what he’s done. Those who have, are. The problem is not that we didn’t make the good news too good. It’s the problem that we haven’t made it good enough.
Yes I have had issue and life is full of surprises, but my real testimony is that God is love and He loves me.
The power not to sin is found in Romans 1-5, KJV or NKJV and The Message.
And yet for those who have never had assurance that they are even “in”, none of this matters.
The gospel is not the ultimatum that you must accept Jesus. The gospel is the blessed announcement that Jesus accepts you. Who announces it. Well I don’t have my tights on but I just made the announcement. haha. seriously there’s great news here for people who are unsure. how about resting in that.
Bless your heart Roshaneaso:
I beg to differ, but slightly:
Certainly, God first loves us. And that love is like a tree, say, a mango tree for example, that bears its mango fruit. In our spiritual case that fruit is the fruit of our responding love. Love is based on the principle of fruit bearing. A principle operates without force or coercion, just like our heart beating. We do not make it beat; we can’t. But we can exercise and eat healthy, right? Not only can we do these things but we may also value them, and would therefore enjoy the doing of these exercises, and their benefits.
We do remember that Jesus comes to the heart as a gentle guest, knocking. And He would not enter in, until, unless invited freely by each individual. Jesus is divinely disposed, ready to accept us. His Hands are reaching out to us. But He cannot go any further without us willingly reciprocating. Love is the easiest thing to reciprocate. But He definitely loves us. He can go no further than love, in terms of having a relationship with us. The initiative love like a tree, must have an appropriate reaction, fruit. God is somebody to seek until we find Him, with all our heart. We cannot know Him without loving Him. And that love motivates us to draw nearer to God. Such is the power of true love, which is God.
You are very right but I would tweek that with just one thing. When you called upon the Lord to be saved, you’re old self died as well. I don’t know where you are yet or if you’ve even started, but The Gospel In Ten Words is in my view much of what the journey consists of. It’s a beautiful love story. And while you may not have all the answers, Jesus does. He says you HAVE been sanctified. And you have a new creation identity. Now that you’re New, Do you know who you are? You’re behavior can be renewed in your relationship with God. But you yourself are all new and pleasing to God.
Another issue is whether sin is really pleasurable. If it’s not then we’ve got to boldly speak the truth of God’s word (the New Covenant, the letters of Paul, after the cross is superior to the old which doesn’t help us, so says the Good Book) until our situation and mind line up with the Word. You are Loved, Forgiven, Saved, Accepted, In Union, Righteous, Holy, Dead to Sin, New, and Royal. You are not a minion (the old way) but a dearly loved son (the new way which is really as old as time itself…). Do to be was the old way. Be because it’s already done is how you can enjoy your marriage to Jesus, which is your best shot at recovery as the world calls it. (There’s really only one step in God’s reform program–and we didn’t take it. He did!)
so good to understand that God is love and He keeps no record of our wrongs
Good Paul! Can u help me with the parable of ten virgins??
Some interpret that one loosely. John Crowder wrote in his book Seven Spirits Burning, that Jesus comes for everyone, but the 5 virgins without just quit too early. If God can’t get us to focus on the evil, he’ll get us to focus on our inadequacy or inability. So if you’re looking to get into a wedding, friend you’re already part of the party! Happy reign.
Thank you roshaneaso can you kindly explain me little bit in detail. especially the part of slumber?
Reflecting on a previous discussion on TITHING, I wish to throw this question out to everyone and to anyone interested.
The book of Hosea 6:3 teaches that we as students in the school of Jesus Christ, will know, if, and as we follow on to KNOW the Lord.
While I cannot claim that I have never been deceived by the enemy, I claim that an open mind, with that Godly positive attitude determine our spiritual altitude, as well.
My question is, how do you understand MATTHEW 23:23 with respect to TITHING, though not limited to TITHING alone?
God keeps no record of our sins but what about disciplining us as mentioned in Heb 12::6-11, , I Cor 11:32, 1Cor 11:30. In I cor 11;30 it seems sickness was a result of sin. How does God discipline us as children in this life? How do we know we are not being punished for sin or if it is the devil or as in Jobs case God is allowiing the devil to hit us, but in the end saving our Eternal man? Also Paul himself had no bed of roses adn God would not deliver him from the messenger from Satan, a thorn in the flesh although he prayed.thrice.
You can find articles on those scriptures in the Archives>Scripture Index. Thanks.
Thanks Paul, I will definitely look them up!
God calls those of His Ecclesia while we are in our sin . He chooses us , acquits us, justifies us, sanctifies us and will glorify us when He gathers us before the wrath. We are separate from those of the Kingdom of God.This a physical calling. The Ecclesia has a spiritual destiny . The heavens must be reconciled, the angels must be judged. That is the job of the Ecclesia, the body of Christ. Once He acquits us of our sin He doesn’t allow any other sin to stick to us. No one can accuse us.There is therefore no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus.
“But haven’t you seen what I did?” And God replies, “Haven’t you seen what Jesus did?”
This is amazing. God is Love indeed.
I think your little articles are God inspired and excellent!
Thank you, William.
I’m not sure my misery comes from worrying about God’s forgiveness.
Every time my children struggle or behave in a way that is harmful to themselves or possibly others, I will feel it is my fault for all the mistakes I have made.
There is Grace and forgiveness but there are also consequences.
Thanks for this Paul good job.
Hey Paul , just wanted to see how would you reconcile , love keeps no records of wrongs , with “these things I have against you “ . I know the Holy Spirit convincing us of our righteousness and he remembers our sins no more . Thank you
Hi Jeffrey, I presume you are referring to Christ’s remarks to some of the seven Revelation churches. You’re timing is excellent as I have just finished writing a verse-by-verse commentary on these letters. As far as I know, it is the first 100% grace-based commentary on Revelation 2 and 3. (It’ll come out later this year.) Here’s a taste:
The Pergamenes had put themselves in harms way. Jesus loved them too much to stay silent.
That’s really good Paul. Love corrects, religion and the enemy condemn.
Love it Paul ! Would definitely like to hear about a in depth look in revelation (grace based ) . Haven’t seen one yet ! Thanks for the response ! Much love and many blessings !
I think God is very very happy to wipe our slate clean, I mean he is not compatible with sin anyway, so why would he want to remember it.