I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more. Isaiah 43: 25, NIV
A woman was having visions of Jesus When church authorities heard of her claims, a bishop was commissioned to examine both the woman and her revelations.
'Is it true, ma'am, that you have visions of Jesus?' asked the cleric.
'Yes,' said the woman.
'Well, the next time you have a vision, I want you to ask Jesus to tell you the sins that I confessed....'
The woman was stunned.
'You actually want me to ask Jesus, to tell me the sins of your past?'
'Exactly. Please call me if anything happens.'
Ten days later the woman notified her spiritual leader.
'Please come,' she said.
'Did you do what I asked?'
'Yes, bishop..'
The bishop learned forward with anticipation. His eyes narrowed.
'What did Jesus say?'
She took his hand and gazed deep into his eyes.
'Bishop,' she said.
'These are his exact words: I CAN'T REMEMBER' (The raggamuffin Gospel, pp116, 117).
Fictitious? Perhaps. Truth? Indeed.
For a century ago these words were written, "if you give yourself to Jesus, and accept him as your Saviour, then sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous....and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned" (Steps to Christ, p.62; italics supplied).
"I am he who remembers your sins no more." So speaks God. So speaks grace. And so we must speak and act, if we would experience genuine community. For you see, a "graceless" community is an oxymoron. For it is no community at all. A "pious fellowship," perhaps - but it is not community, genuine community. For only grace can resurrect community.
And that is why the chosen must keep returning to the foot of the cross. For the truth about grace is that I will never extend to you, fallen as you are, until I experience it in me, fallen as I am. The cross always precedes the Resurrection. I can't resurrect you until grace has restored me. "Peter, do you love me?" "Oh, Lord, you know that I love You." "Good. Now go and love the fallen back to Me."
And they will come back to him when you and I extend to them forgiveness, He has already extended to us. "I can't remember." Great news - for it is when we say the same to each other that we resurrect our brother, we resurrect our sister, and we revive our community!
Taken from
The Chosen: God's dream for you by Dwight K Nelson
"Forgiveness is the fragrance a flower leaves on the heel of the one who crushed it."
