We all forget things from time to time. Students forget answers to questions, husbands forget anniversaries, and employees forget certain tasks. These things are trivial, but what about if someone were to forget their conversion? Peter penned: "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins" (2 Peter 1:9).
Peter uses the word "remembrance" four times in his second epistle. While we may not remember the exact date, place, or even the preacher who baptized us, we cannot forget our promise to the Lord at conversion. What are some symptoms of spiritual memory loss?
Sinful living (Deuteronomy 32:15-18). Israel had forgotten God. Their wicked lifestyle was evident of that. Jeremiah recorded that God's people had memory loss for a long time (Jeremiah 2:32). Hosea's declaration was no better (Hosea 4:6; 8:14). Sometimes the more time that passes since our conversion, the easier it is to fall into sin. Sinful living starts when men forget that they put sin away (Romans 6:4-6), for no person in their right mind would want to be enslaved to the thing that made them dead (Ephesians 2:1-3). We must be armed and prepared for battle (Ephesians 6:10-17), else we go away from grace like the Galatians (Galatians 5:4). Beautifully, God has given us a memory tool to help us (Psalm 119:11); let us keep it in our hearts every day.
Apathetic Hearts (Revelation 2:4). The church at Ephesus lost her first love. Sometimes we lose our first love and have a lack of motivation when we forget the blessings of being saved. Evangelistic efforts dwindle, association between brethren shrinks, and attendance may even sway. Jesus offered the cure to Ephesus when he said, "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen" (Revelation 2:5). Remembering our place, blessings, and responsibility will prompt us to share with others. It was the prodigal's remembering that prompted his repenting (Luke 15:17-19). We should remember that we are
Justified (Romans 5:9).
Not condemned (Romans 8:1).
Loved (Romans 8:35-39).
Blessed (Ephesians 1:3-7).
Heirs of heaven (Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:13).
Tasked with a job (Mark 16:15-16).
Memorizing the above may help us stay motivated. We want to stay zealous of good works (Titus 2:14), but we cannot do that if we forget our contract.
Misunderstanding God (Hebrews 12:5). The Hebrew Christians were in danger of apostacy. They were being tried for their faith and had forgotten who God was and what He did through hard times (Hebrews 12:6-11). Spiritual memory loss makes one believe wrong things about God. We may think:
God hates us.
God is always unhappy with us.
God is always ready to punish us.
God accepts sinful choices.
If memory loss harms us here, we need to read God's biography (Exodus 34:6-7; Micah 7:18-19). As the Hebrew Christians needed to return to the fundamentals (Hebrews 5:12-14), so do Christians need to refresh themselves on the first principles.
While everyone will forget something, we should not let that something be our Christianity. God does not forget us (Isaiah 49:15), so let us not forget our conversion or Him.
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