Will We Remember Our Sin in Heaven?
By Matt Fuller
“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. - Isaiah 43:25
What is it you most look forward to about heaven? Freedom from suffering, perhaps, or being reunited with loved ones you’ve lost. Certainly, we look forward to meeting Jesus face to face. But here’s a wonderful truth about heaven that I’m sure I don’t dwell enough: there will be no more sin in us.
We currently live our lives as “perfect sinners”. We are already perfectly justified and loved by God as our Father. That will never end. But sin will end. In the new creation we will be “simply” perfect. When Christ returns, our justification will be declared before all creation and we’ll be perfected.
The Bible happily gives us a variety of pictures of our future in glory and yet, the things we are shown about the new creation are only seen in comparison with this sinful earth. It’s surely going to be far greater than all we can ask or imagine!
Here are some of things we know will be true:
1. We’ll not battle against sin
Nothing impure will ever enter it … but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27) There is no sin in heaven and there can be no sin in us. We’ll all be given a white robe (Revelation 6:11) to show we’re without sin. Won’t that be wonderful?! No longer will we know the temptation to do wrong. No longer the frustration of falling into sin. No longer the misery of causing hurt. No longer times of losing in our battle. We will sin no more.
2. We’ll cherish Christ rightly
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2) How wonderful that I’ll never again have a devotional time that’s dry and leaves me unaffected. We will see Christ, hear his voice and respond passionately. It will be impossible to “go through the motions” of the Christian faith. Impossible to be half-hearted. Impossible to doubt.
3. We’ll delight in others truly
It’s frustrating that here on earth, there are Christians we don’t always see eye to eye with. They’re our brothers and sisters, yet we disagree on some issues and ideas. We’re a little nervous in their company; we’re careful with what we say in case we cause offence or irritate them. I’m so looking forward to being perfectly one in heart and mind. We’ll also fully enjoy the gifts others have without any hint of jealousy. The green-eyed monster is locked out of heaven.
So, will we remember our sins?
I’m not sure the Bible addresses this question directly, yet it’s one I’ve been asked plenty of times. How can we rejoice in being forgiven but not look back in pain at our sin? In the end, we trust the Lord with this question, yet I think we are pointed towards the answer.
There are many wonderful descriptions of how the Lord views our sin. It is blotted out, wiped out, not remembered and cast into the depths of the sea (Isaiah 43:25; Acts 3:19; Hebrews 8:12; Micah 7:19). But these are descriptions of the guilt and consequences of our sin. It’s not that the Lord has selective amnesia. He chooses to not remember sin. The point is that our sin and its consequences cannot be found because they have been dealt with.
Editor’s Note: Content taken from the article “Will We Remember Our Sin in Heaven?” written by Matt Fuller. You can read that piece in full here. All rights reserved.
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