Seems Too Good to Be True

Scotty Smith:  A Prayer for Remembering God’s Forgetfulness

“Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. Heb. 10:17–18

Heavenly Father, what a heart-pounding joy it is to begin this day by remembering your forgetfulness. It’s not that you suffer from amnesia or dementia. It’s not because you don’t really take our sin seriously. It’s because you are filled with mercy and grace for your people.

Because of what you’ve done for us in Jesus, you promise never again to remember our sins and lawless acts against us. You will never again deal with us according to our sins or reward us according to our iniquities. For on the cross, you dealt with Jesus according to our sins and rewarded him according to our iniquities. Because the gospel is true, you now deal with us according to Jesus’ righteousness and reward us according to his obedience. What an exchange! What a salvation! What a God!

There’s no such thing as overkill when it comes to rehearsing or reveling in this good news. We cannot catechize our consciences or preach this gospel to our hearts too much or too often.

Indeed, “How are you (how am I) right with God?” “Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments and of never having kept any of them, and even though I am still inclined toward all evil, nevertheless, without my deserving it at all, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me. All I need to do is to accept this gift of God with a believing heart.” (Heidelberg Catechism, Question and Answer 60)

Father, this doxological affirmation almost seems too good to be true. We’re tempted to look for some “fine print,” or hidden qualifiers and contingencies, but there are none! Jesus has met all the conditions for us. Thank you for such a legal, lavish, and lively salvation.

Rescue us in those delusional moments when we forget your forgetfulness—when we act as though Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins wasn’t enough; when we think there is something more we can do to gain your acceptance, to enjoy your favor and to live in your delight. So very Amen we pray in Jesus’ matchless and exalted name.