As Paul defined love in 1st Corinthians 13, he explained that love "keeps no record of being wronged" (verse 5). The words from this passage of Scripture have become so familiar to us that we may miss their significance if we move on too quickly. Love "keeps no record of being wronged." This is an upside-down, counter-cultural way of thinking and living. You see, we naturally keep records of what people have done against us. When someone hurts us again, our human nature wants to add that offense to our list of hurts. Instead of living this way, Paul tells us that Christ-like love has no record of wrongdoings against us. After all, this is the way that God has loved us.
The writer of Hebrews explained that God does not keep a record of our sins against us. In fact, He chooses to forget them once we have placed our faith in Christ and confessed our sins. That is why the Old Testament way of offering sacrifices is no longer necessary. Hebrews 10 reminds us of the way God's people received forgiveness in the Old Testament. During the time of the Old Testament, Hebrews 10 reminds us, sacrifices "were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship…Instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year" (verses 1-3). In a word, sacrifices were insufficient to offer forgiveness, so they had to be offered regularly. Even more, these sacrifices only served to remind God’s people of their sins. That is why Jesus came. He came to be a final, once-and-for-all sacrifice so that our sins could be forgiven and defeated through His sacrifice once and for all. Next, the writer of Hebrews quoted Jeremiah 31:33 and said, “The Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For He says, ‘This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.’ Then He says, ‘I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.’” And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices” (verses 15-16). God's new covenant with His people is given to us through Jesus, who was the final sacrifice for our sins. Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection signify to us that He has not only forgiven our sins but also chooses to forget and let go of them. This, my friends, makes all the difference.
We serve a compassionate and loving God. He showed us what forgiveness truly is, choosing not to keep a record of wrongs and hold our sins against us. May each one of us follow His example, choosing not to hold a record of what people, including our spouses, have done against us, but instead showing the radical and compassionate forgiveness of God that we, too, have been shown.
Have you been keeping a record of wrongs against you, whether it is your spouse or someone else in your life? Your challenge today is to let go of this record of wrongs. Instead, choose forgiveness, knowing that God has also chosen not to keep a record of your own sins.
1The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.
3 But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God,
“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
6 You were not pleased with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”
8 First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,
16 “This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
17 Then he says,
“I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds.”
18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.
