(Phil 3:13-14)

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind & straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus…

Our minds are wired by God in an interesting… & often burdensome… manner. What I’m talking about has to do with what we remember & why it is so. Let me explain…

Have you ever watched a movie & a scene or two sticks in your mind for years? Usually they are scenes that scared us. Then week, months, or years later that scene will pop into our mind unexpectedly. Ever happened to you? But we can brush those off easily. But let’s get a little more personal…

Is there something you did you wish you hadn’t done? Something that is embarrassing… a thing you’re so troubled by you don’t/won’t talk about it even with close friends? But that event (Or series of events) return to you at the weirdest times to trouble you deeply?

Reminders of: How you mistreated someone. Sins you committed in High School, on dates, in college, during your job, or career, or in business, possibly something that even happened at church?

Reminders of: Lying… Immorality… Slander… Omission (Define)… Drunkenness… Anger… Secret sins no one knows about… Greed… Pride… Unforgiveness… Greed… Jealousy… etc

David struggled with past sin. Listen to Ps 25:6-7…

Remember your mercy, O Lord, & your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

Ps 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, & cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, & my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned & done what is evil in your sight…

Why did David pray this? Because he committed adultery & murder. His heart was devious. There were sins we don’t know about when he was a youth. I suggest these things lodged in David’s memory for years afterward. Been there?

Maybe I’m the only one here that struggles with past mistakes… but probably not. There’s a good chance if you do, you haven’t told anyone. So you struggle thru it until the next time it pops up or a new regret takes its place. For some they pile up… one memory leads to another & another & another.

Paul had significant past sin & secret struggles…

1 Cor 15:9 I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

2 Cor 12:7 To keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn (?!) was given me in the flesh (Memory?), a messenger of Satan to harass me (What you’ve done!)…

We don’t know what the thorn was, so my guess is as good as anyone’s. Could it be the memory of killing Christians? And so he pushed God’s forgiveness so hard… knowing others would struggle to embrace God’s absolute & total forgiveness?

I talked with a good friend about why God doesn’t let us forget past sin. He wisely suggested several possible reasons (From his own journey). These I present for your consideration…

Because God wants us to keep this memory to prevent committing the same sin in the future. The pain of past failure is a powerful deterrent to future failures. Because God wants us to rely on Him daily & not rest on past laurels. Because God wants us to fight against the flesh & not just cruise through life.

I will read three passages, then make some brief comments…

2 Cor 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.

Eph 4:22 Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life & is corrupt thru deceitful desires, 23 & to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 & to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness & holiness.

Col 3:7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, & obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 & have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

2 Cor 4:16. God does not abandon us to fend for ourselves! “Our inner nature is being renewed day by day,” BY GOD! How? 1^st, the Spirit lives in & renews us. 2^nd, The Spirit prays for us (Ro 8:26-27). 3^rd, Jesus prays for us continually (Ro 8:34b). 4^th, God does not leave our holiness to chance, He WILLS IT (Ro 8:29). 5^th, God NEVER leaves nor forsakes us (Heb 13:5).

Point of Encouragement. The Trinity is on your side! And Jesus calls to you! Mt 11:28-30

Come to me, all who labor & are heavy laden, & I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, & learn from me, for I am gentle & lowly in heart, & you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, & my burden is light.

Eph 4:22-24. Because of 2 Cor 4:16, you CAN carry out “put off the old self!” You can also “be renewed in the spirit of your MIND.” Thinking rightly, led by God, from Scripture. Then you can “put on” the new self, created in God’s likeness! THINK!! This is an eternal truth!!

Point of Encouragement. The lost can’t help BUT sin, that’s their nature! You have a NEW nature being worked into you by GOD. You participate w/ God to leave that which is old…

Col 3:7-10. Please turn to this passage…

In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, & obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 & have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

When saved, there is a change from the inside out. Sometimes dramatic, mostly subtle… but there IS a change. To “put away” is not hard but something a person WANTS to do! Look at vs 9… see the phrase “seeing that?” That means you sense, know, & observe a change yourself! WHAT?

Seeing sin bothers you (TV, world). When you sin, you’re convicted & repent quickly. You are drawn toward God. You think different than you once did. You yourself recognize you’re different!

Point of Encouragement: That you have an inner struggle against sin is a PROOF you ARE saved! Those not saved do not have a Christ conscience or consciousness. They will have worldly sorrow {Grief} but NOT GODLY SORROW {Grief} (2 Cor 7:10-11).

But how does all this help w/ memories of past sin… those things that keep bothering me?

Glad you asked! Don’t lose heart (2 Cor 4:16). The Trinity is w/ you always constantly praying & affirming you are loved! “But you don’t know what I’ve done preacher!” No, so turn to 1 Jn 3:19

By this we shall know that we are of the truth & reassure our heart before Him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, & He knows everything.

The only way anyone can “forget what is behind” is to strive toward Jesus Christ. THIS is what Paul wrote… all I’ve done is explain a little bit how to do what Paul wrote in Phil 3:13-14…

Everyone has regrets. They pop up often. We grieve over our sin against God & wounding others. We are tempted to doubt God’s love… that we’re forgiven… & sometimes our salvation. Unless…

Main Points Of Encouragement: God’s Truth destroys our negative thoughts & emotion!

1. 1 John 3:19-20!
2. Ro 8:1, “There is therefore now NO condemnation,
3. Mt 11:28, Come to Me, all who labor & are heavy laden, & I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you, & learn from Me, for I am gentle & lowly in heart, & you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy, & My burden is light.

Right now those who ARE saved & have struggled ARE encouraged! What they’ve heard is good news. These are things they WANT to mull over, think through, & embrace. These are things they WILL drive into their heart… often… and do so prayerfully.

The unsaved have one of two responses. First… they are drawn to the Gospel of Jesus Christ & want to know more & know Him! They will want Jesus Himself before anything else. COME!

The second response is either one of boredom, or half-way intellectual interest. But they are not moved deep down. They will see much of this as just a religious self-help. Not that big of a deal…

Which of these are you? That is the real question to consider and respond to…