22 July 2006

A Grace-filled Remembering?

Two passages:

"Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known." Luke 12:2

"For I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more." Jeremiah 31:34

I don't think I'll ever forget Korby, speaking on the first one, saying: "You might as well go to private confession and reveal the sin; it will be revealed on the last day." But this is deeply troubling to those who are inclined to remember Jeremiah 31:34 and similar passages. How, if their sins are remembered no more, if they are cast behind God's back and into the depths of the sea, how will it be that all things will be revealed?

I think the answer is a glorious and grace-filled one: when the sins of his elect are revealed on the last day, it will not be to accuse them, to shame them, to condemn them. It will be to glorify His lavish grace! Much in the spirit of St. Paul who could boast: "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might disply His perfect patience as an example for those who were to believe in Him for eternal life." (1 Tim. 1:15,16) So when our sins are revealed it will not be blacken us, but to invite angels and archangels and all people to rejoice that it was indeed *a lost* coin that was found and made God's own: "So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places." (Eph. 3:10) Glory to Jesus Christ forever!

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