01.02.2021

Does the Bible tells us to forgive and forget?

Question:
There is a popular evangelical phrase “Forgive and Forget”, many  Christians struggle with this phrase in their development in faith and biblical study. Does the Bible tells us to forgive and forget?

Bible passages:  
Hebrew 8:12, Isaiah 43:25, Psalm 51:1-3, Matthew 10:16, 1Samuel 24, 1Samuel 26:7-25, Romans 12:17-21, Matthew 18:23-25

Discussion:
The Bible study commenced by reading these passages: Hebrew 8:12 and Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

Common comments on the topic are:
- It is easy to forgive but it is difficult to forget;
- Though you have forgiven, painful memories might stay or remain;
- One need to safeguard oneself against being hurt by people that has the nature of offending others;
- It is easy to forgive and forget your spouse because you have become one union - one flesh;
- It is easy to forgive and forget your children or siblings if they offend you because of love.
Going back to Heb 8:12 “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

God forgives when we repent and remember our sins no more.  At the same time if we sin, it makes God remember our wrong doings of the past. Exodus 32:7-10 after God led the Israelite from Egypt, in verse 9 … the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people”….
Another example of God being angry on Isrealites sinning repeatedly 2Kings 17-7-17. Verse 14-15….”But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God.”
Verse 15 “They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.””

In conclusion:
God wants us to be perfect as He is perfect. He knows every situation that comes our way and He knows what we can handle.
God wants us to get to the level of forgiving and forgetting. But we could remember previous sins or wrong doings if something comes up again. This is similar to God forgiving the Isrealites and God remember previous sin when they go back to sin.

To be continued….