The Forgive and Forget Command, for healthy Christian related relationships

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Dr Stephen M.K. Brunswick
Dept. of Theology, Priory of Salem

Forgive and forget, truly. Lord’s Prayer: “forgive us our sins as we forgive others”. Do you want God to keep a record of wrongs?

Christ’s philosophy is always (well, 70×7 times) quickly forgive and “forget” with all the heart, in love. If you want to do it slowly, then ok it may be you’re sitting under the curse, as it says forgive us as we forgive. How long do you want to sit under the status of being unforgiven? It doesn’t seem like a fun place to be.
True converted Christians don’t hold onto anything, just like God doesn’t and commanded us to include it in the daily prayer. On top of that, it is re-stated throughout the Scriptures, for example “forgive your brother 70×7 times” if they come to you and repent.
So for a believer it’s no issue, actually a relief! Perhaps if some lose sight of this, then after there being zero arguments for over a year, a couple may have a false idea that one was angry. However if one truly forgave , they also forgot purposefully and believed there were no issues, just love. 1Corinthians 13 “love hopes all things, love believeth all things… thinketh no evil.. seeketh not her own etc.”
The daily prayer re-affirms this understanding, in case any forgot. Otherwise we can’t truly say the words “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others” in honesty. It’s right up there with praying for “this day’s daily bread” etc.
We also don’t accuse other people of transgressing this command of God, but always assume they also forgave and forgot any mistakes, and that everyone else’s view is that everyone forgave and forgot, and had no grudges to each thing confessed. We trust all has been absolutely forgotten and deleted, no issues.
This is very Basic theology so you have something to stand on.
As it says “whatsoever is not of faith is sin”. Showing faith or trust in someone to keep their word, is also closely related to fidelity.
It also does get earned. Should we re-earn it each day? I think it depends how great of an accomplishment you made, because we can’t always be stuck on the a b c’s and will need at some stage to graduate to full sentences. Even God in the wilderness got wroth with the Israelites when they insulted God, to say that He wouldn’t feed them, although He just did some of the greatest miracles humans have ever seen. Rather than ask God, they insulted God. So it would seem God does expect a bit of faithfulness, and FAITH is a fruit of the Spirit. If God said operate a certain way, who are we to doubt? In Revelation 21:8 the people at the top of the list who get cast into the lake of fire are the “fearful and unbelieving”.
Everyone needs to hear this basic tenant of Christianity, and be transformed by the renewing their minds in His word. “let this mind be in you that is in Christ”. With faith everything is possible. He said you can do it. “As you’ve received Christ so walk ye in Him”. “Abiding in Christ” will mean we did indeed forgive and forget (especially if they confessed). He thought it was so important that He gave Himself up for it.
You may be wondering, did God delete all the mistakes and give us that way? Well He did say how he deletes the sins, it says He makes us purified “whiter than snow”, and “sins separated so far as the east is from the west”.
Our heavenly Father actually only sees His perfect Son in our place, and provides all the blessings as if we obeyed, and we just are supposed to step into it, abiding in Christ.
The problem is as people don’t recognize the perfect Christ nature inside of other believers, and call on that, they “miss out” on those blessings that have to do with it.
If they continue in “fear and unbelief” it says they will be cast into the lake of fire. However, those who believe that Christians did forgive, and believe they themselves are forgiven for their mistakes too, not going on in false guilt is very rewarding. Such kind have no baggage, these were at least at the daily prayer totally shedded off their soul, and going on in His liberty “as they forgave others, they are forgiven”. Such people who have faith that others also have forgiven, are very safe in the present and in eternity. He explicitly commanded exactly for the actions of faith in our fellow brethren that they will obey too. We’re not to live in doubt. As we obey such, it ensures we’re on part of the daily prayer section of His blessings, “leading us not into temptation, but delivering us from evil”. We have the true blessings and true peace, not like the world gives, but better. “reckon the old man dead, but alive to Christ” meaning we see only Christ operating in their life. Just like the Father only sees. “Love believes all things” 1Cor 13.
Disbelief is often connected with “damnation” and the lake of fire. Here’s another verse on that “…they are damned who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2Thes 2:12
I would like to leave this topic on a positive note, because there are indeed many overcommers. Many “Saints” who we are to continuously pray for, who are not classified as wicked etc.
St Paul said he prayed that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened on this point:
[Col 1:27 KJV] 27 “To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” Christ in you.