Many Christians wonder if God keeps a record of the sins they commit. It is a valid question considering bible verses which indicates how God “blots out” our transgressions (Isaiah 43:25) while other passages reveals that every deed will be judged (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Does the Lord harbor an eternal laundry list of our wrongs? Or are they erased from memory when we repent? Let’s explore what Scripture teaches.
God Knows and Remembers Every Sin
To start, numerous verses confirm God’s omniscience extends even to the hidden sins of our heart.
Hebrews 4:13 declares:
“And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
David acknowledged in Psalm 90:8:
“You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.”
From Scripture’s opening account of humankind’s first rebellion, we learn nothing escapes the Lord’s detection. When Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves to hide their nakedness, Genesis 3:7 records matter-of-factly, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked.” No covering could obstruct the divine gaze.
Clearly, the Lord remains fully cognizant of every wicked deed or impure motive. But does God record this data for judgment, as if amassing incriminating evidence against us? Several texts indicate He does.
Specific Records Exist Documenting Our Sins
Besides God’s comprehensive memory, Scripture points to books, recordings and witnesses documenting people’s sins for end-time reckoning. Notice this sampling of verses:
- Revelation 20:12: “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”
- Daniel 7:9-10: “As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat…The court was seated, and the books were opened.”
- Malachi 3:16: “Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.”
- Matthew 12:36: “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.”
Recording people’s deeds serves the purpose of an accurate summation when time dissolves into eternity. But remarkably, Scripture reveals God erases the records of those who turn from sin through Christ!
God Blots Out Sins from His Records
Despite exhaustive records of humanity’s evil, the Lord extends mind-boggling mercy to repentant sinners. When we come to Jesus, pleading His shed blood for cleansing, God annihilates our sin-debts from existence.
This promise brought the psalmist ecstatic joy:
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. (Psalm 32:1-2)
Through faith in Christ, we stand blameless before the Judge. Paul celebrates:
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
Other versions render “does not count against them” as “does not impute.” This recalls when Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Though Abraham previously lacked righteousness, God erased that deficit, crediting Christ’s perfect obedience to Abraham’s account instead!
This transaction occurs for all who believe. Our sins get charged to Jesus at the cross while His purity credits to us by faith (2 Corinthians 5:21). God thereby “forgets” our sins, which means He removes them from the records as if they never occurred! We see this graphically portrayed when God promises through Isaiah:
I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. (Isaiah 43:25)
Through faith union with Christ, God expunges our sins from existence. Their stain disappears from His books as if never logged. Our debt erases as though never tallied. This explains why Scripture calls forgiveness a “blotting out” of sins (Acts 3:19). The liquidation leaves no trace behind of wrongs righted by Jesus!
Full Pardon Comes Through Complete Confession
To walk continually in this grace reality, Scripture directs believers to continually confess known sins (1 John 1:9). As Jesus’ blood cleanses confessed wrongs, we maintain fellowship with God, unhindered by accumulating transgressions. Record-removal hinges on honesty regarding where we miss the mark.
This explains why the person “in whose spirit is no deceit” (Psalm 32:2) qualifies for the blessing of sins not counted against them. God promises full pardon to those fully transparent about failures. Minimizing or hiding sins obstructs their removal from heaven’s journals.
As we yield areas of blindness for the Spirit to illuminate and confess what He reveals, we affirm alignment with truth. Jesus frees fully repentant hearts from every lingering spot or stain of sin. His cleansing word scrubs our soul-record squeaky clean!
Judgment Determines Final Status of Recorded Deeds
Despite erased records for followers of Christ, Scripture confirms the lost face accountability for every deed at judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10). The professed believer also faces assessment of works, not to determine salvation, but to reveal whether Christ’s redemption genuinely took root (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).
For unbelievers, books unaltered by Christ’s redemption tell the tragic story leading to death. For the wayward Christian, the review aims toward reclamation, purging worldly dross to restore the glow of union with Jesus. But for the faithful saint who walks in Spirit-empowered obedience, judgment merely confirms belonging to the Lamb (Revelation 21:27).
God Remembers Sins No More
In conclusion, Scripture paints a beautiful portrait of a God who remembers sins no more for those who turn to His Son. Jesus bore every recorded wrong doing of humanity on the cross as if they were His own. Through faith, the Father credits Christ’s purity to repentant souls while expunging their every sin from existence. Judgment holds no dread for those perpetually cleansed by the blood of the Lamb! Our Hope rests securely in the finished work of the One who removed our sins from heaven’s records as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). Blessed indeed is the one whose transgressions are thus forgiven forevermore!
