This morning I ran across a sermon the wonderful Frank Pollard preached a dozen years ago with the intriguing title “Forget my sin; remember me.” The text, Psalm 25:7, says precisely what the title conveys:

“Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your lovingkindness remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord.”

Forget my sin. Remember me.

Some of the best news ever encountered for sinners–that would be people like you and me–is that when God forgives a sin, it is forever erased from the eternal record.

I called the cell phone company the other day to ask if they could retrieve a message I had deleted by mistake. “No,” the man said. “Once you delete it and close that transaction, it’s gone.” Gone where? “Just gone. Like it never existed.”

“Your sins and iniquities I will remember no more.” That outstanding promise from Hebrews 10:17 can also be found in Hebrews 8:12 and in Jeremiah 31:34. By recording it in three places, God clearly meant us to get that message.

One of the many things Dr. Pollard did well in his preaching was tell a good story. Here are three he used to make this point, that God forgives and forgets our sin.

1) Alice in Wonderland said, “It’s a poor memory that works only backward.” God’s memory works in both directions, Frank says.

2) Husband: “Why are you always reminding me of my past mistakes. You told me that you would forgive and forget.”

Wife: “Well, I don’t want you to forget that I have forgiven and forgotten.”

3) A Boston woman who spread rumors and slander against her pastor and severely damaged his ministry moved to another city, and in a church service there, had a real encounter with Christ. She felt so sorry for the way she had treated the former minister, she wrote him a lengthy letter of apology. A couple of days later, she received this telegram: “Forgiven, forgotten, forever.”

That’s how God treats our sin which has been given to Him in repentance.

Remember me.

We recall the thief on the cross calling for Jesus to “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

In reading through the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, I was struck by the times this man of God asked the Lord to “remember me.” (5:19; 13:14,22,31)

Surely, that is a common yearning, for the living God to remember us.

(Can I throw in a silly cartoon here? Years ago I saw this one and still love it. The family has gathered in the lawyer’s office for the reading of the will. The attorney is saying, “And to my nephew Bob whom I promised to remember in my will…Hi there, Bob.”)

Two more passages that speak to this subject so eloquently.

Israel complained that God had forgotten them. The Lord was rather insulted and responded, “Forgotten you? Can a woman forget her nursing child? Can she have no compassion on the son of her womb?”

Then, remembering the fickleness of human nature, the Lord said, “Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.” (Isaiah 49:14-16)

The Lord could not forget me if He wanted to. Every time He looks at the scars in His hands, there I am.

Marijohn Wilkins, writer of so many Nashville songs you know, was flying over the east Tennessee mountains following a snowstorm. The landscape below was breathtakingly white. She took out her pen and began to write about heaven. One line from the refrain made the song forever memorable:

“And the only thing there that’s been made by a man Are the scars in the hands of Jesus.”

That’s why He cannot forget me.

In fact, according to the writer of Hebrews–whoever he or she was–if God were to forget me, it would amount to sin on His part.

“God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love that you have shown toward His name in having ministered to the saints, and in still ministering.” (Heb. 6:10)

One of these days, He will appear and take His place on His great judgment seat. One by one, humanity will come and stand before Him. Scripture leaves no doubt about that. (Romans 14:10-11)

That’s a fearsome thought for such a one as I to stand in the presence of such glory and holiness and righteousness. I’m trembling; my knees knock; I’m speechless. The complete record of my entire life is open before Him. I’ve committed enough sins to send several good people to hell. If I get what’s coming to me, the news is not going to be good.

An angel calls my name. The Savior looks up, catches my eye, and breaks into a smile. He speaks.

“I remember you, Joe.”

And all is well.

He has forgotten all the ugliness. It was paid for with His blood (I John 1:7). He remembers me. He and I have walked across many a valley and up many a mountain in these years.

You see why we make so much fuss over the gospel of Jesus, don’t you? There’s nothing in its league, no better news on the planet.

Please let this be your reminder to come to Him now while there’s still time. Tell Him in prayer that His blood was for your sins, too, and that you repent of them. Ask Him to make you a child of God, to enter your life, and give you a new heart. Begin living for Him now, and I can surely promise you that you will have nothing to fear on that day when we all will stand and give account of our lives before Him.

This oft-repeated illustration speaks eloquently to this subject. In the early American west, travelers on wagon trains crossing the prairies were often horrified to see wildfires coming their way, destroying everything in their paths. Many a train was consumed and lives were lost in those fires. Finally, someone got smart. When a fire was spotted in the distance, someone set a back fire to burn off a few acres behind the wagon train. Then, they pulled everything onto that burned-over plot. The onrushing fire went right around them and on its way.

Scripture teaches us that one day, the fires of God’s judgment will fall on this earth. When that happens, nothing will be spared, no secret will be hidden, no one will escape. However, there is one place where God’s judgment fires have already fallen: the cross of Jesus Christ.

Everyone whose faith and trust are in the Lord Jesus, everyone counting on His death, burial, and resurrection for their atonement, everyone in Christ will be safe.

And remember, once safe, always safe. Because God’s memory works in the future as well as the past. Give thanks, believer!