Do we remember our forgiven sins after death?

[freedomforall]

Has anyone wondered if forgiven sins are remembered by the offender after death?

Christ says, "D&C 58: 42
42 Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

But what about us?

This was discussed in a Gospel Doctrine Class a couple of years ago, and I was asked to seek the answer.

I will present the answer in a later post. Let's see whose response or comment parallels the answer I received, at that point.

[bobhenstra]

After we repent and are forgiven, the Lord says 'He'll remember our sins no more" I suspect, we won't either.

Bob

[mattctr]

Here's my initial thought upon reading the question: I believe it is about becoming. Once, we have our sins taken from scarlet to white as snow, having been washed in the blood of Christ through our acceptance of and obedience to Him, those actions will no longer be counted as sin unto us. They will be remembered as sin no more. God knows all; all things are before Him; past present and future. If we have repented, we are made clean, and our sin is no longer our sin, for we will have been freed from it's stain and become a different creature. Again, this explaination is just a first impression. I am 100% open to reading what others might offer.

[Nan]

I believe we will remember them. That remembrance helps us to not choose them again. However there will no longer be shame or guilt attached. That leaves when we repent.

[Original_Intent]

I agree with Nan. I think we will remember them, but we will be cleansed of the guilt. I think we will be able to look back and see how we were strengthened by the repentance process.

I think when we have our own spirit children, that if we did not remember our own sins at all, it would make us less than perfect heavenly parents.

[NoGreaterLove]

I believe the atonement is more encompassing than that. I believe that the sin no longer exists anywhere, not in Gods mind, not in my mind nor in the victims mind. Sin has no part in purity. So when one is purified by the atonement of Christ by his infinite grace, the sin has no place to exist. It has to depart. Darkness can not exist where light is.

[Original_Intent]

NGL,

I was conceived out of wedlock. My parents repented and have lived exemplary lives that I can only strive to emulate. I am certain they have been forgiven of their sin. I will be there son forever. Are they not going to remember their own mortal existence? Will a false memory be implanted that I was conceived after marriage (hmm that would be a lie and as you say, no room for an unclean thing in the celestial kingdom.) Or will it be looked back on as a simple historical fact but due to repentance it will not be looked at with any stigma of wrongdoing attached because they repented and were forgiven! And they will feel no remorse because there is no need - the price has been paid! But the fact that we stumbled and recovered does not mean that we will forget that we stumbled.

As we go on to become Gods does that mean that we have to say with a straight face I never made a mistake? (at least none that I remember?) Come on, let's not get silly over this.

[bobhenstra]

NGL,

I was conceived out of wedlock. My parents repented and have lived exemplary lives that I can only strive to emulate. I am certain they have been forgiven of their sin. I will be there son forever. Are they not going to remember their own mortal existence? Will a false memory be implanted that I was conceived after marriage (hmm that would be a lie and as you say, no room for an unclean thing in the celestial kingdom.) Or will it be looked back on as a simple historical fact but due to repentance it will not be looked at with any stigma of wrongdoing attached because they repented and were forgiven! And they will feel no remorse because there is no need - the price has been paid! But the fact that we stumbled and recovered does not mean that we will forget that we stumbled.

As we go on to become Gods does that mean that we have to say with a straight face I never made a mistake? (at least none that I remember?) Come on, let's not get silly over this.

Silly?

(JST Isaiah 65:16.)

16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.

17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

18 But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

20 In those days there shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days; for the child shall not die, but shall live to be an hundred years old; but the sinner, living to be an hundred years old, shall be accursed.

21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat; for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

23 They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.

[Original_Intent]

Very thin, as usual, Bob.

Every scripture I could find on the subject says that the LORD will remember our sins no more. I think it is crystal clear that this means that they will not be brought against us at the judgment bar. Are you suggesting that we are going to get some kind of mind wipe of anything we have ever done wrong? That's not what the scripture says to me, and once again you have gone searching for a scripture for the purpose of proving your argument rather than seeking the truth.

Yes, I find the idea that sinful acts of our lives will be erased is silly. Does God really lose all remembrance of sin? Will he forget the crucifixion, or the martyrdom of Joseph Smith and others? Now those that are guilty of most sins I believe that thru repentance their sins will not be brought against them at judgment due to the atonement. Their actions will not be presented as evidence of why they should be assigned such and such degree of glory. But again, despite your scriptural cherry picking, I find it insane that we will all just have this fuzzy memory of our earth life that is only comprised of memories that in no way were related to sin. I am not saying we will have sinful thoughts, of course not, but I do think we will have memory of sinful acts as historical facts.

I am sure this is just something we will have to agree to disagree on.

[bobhenstra]

As you wish!

Bob

[Original_Intent]

Lol I love you too Bob.

[freedomforall]

I feel I need to bring us back in focus. There is no question that God remembers our sin NO MORE once remitted. However, keep in mind that, it's not that He forgets the sin, rather, He does not hold the sin against us. Because through the Atonement, once we have sincerely repented Christ takes our sin upon Himself, removing our guilt in the process.

The question is: After death, do we, the sinner, remember our sins even after being remitted?

There have been scriptural quotes presented here telling us what God does concerning our remitted sins . . . that He remembers them no more . . . but the focus is on what we remember.

Several people here have answered in the right direction.

NAN and OI were on target, and matctr came real close.

Here is the answer:

Post resurrection memory

In the book, “Answers to Gospel Questions” by Joseph Fielding Smith, the statement is made on pages 42-43, Vol 5 as follows:
“Matter cannot be destroyed. A body may be burned in the furnace or at the stake; it may be eaten by sharks in the great ocean, or in some other manner be consumed, but we have the assurance through the teachings of our Redeemer that resurrection will be universal and not one soul shall be forgotten and his body left in the grave. We are assured that the particles, all that are essential to the body, will be brought back again to their proper places”…. ‘moreover, memory will likewise be maintained . . ..’

I wrote to Brother Stephen E. Robinson concerning this question. He teaches religion classes at Brigham Young University, where he is also chairman of the Department of Ancient Scripture. He has at least five articles in the Ensign magazine. He has written many books including “Are Mormons Christian?”, “Believing Christ”, “Following Christ” and “The Testament of Adam”. He says this as follows:

“If God knows everything (2 Nephi 9:20, Moses 1:6, D&C 38:2), that must include any mistakes he may have made as a mortal being. And if we are exalted and become as God now is, we must also know all things—including our own mortal history, complete with our former sins. Memory is eternal; guilt is not. If there is anything we remain ignorant of in eternity, we are not as God is, and have not been exalted”.

And think about this: if we didn't remember our sins, how would the wicked have a bright recollection of all their guilt?
Those of whom have been cleansed from sin will not have such a feeling; they will have perfect joy even after remembering their former sins.

And to add to this I ask, Is our intelligence in our spirit or in our natural or mortal body?

[give_me_liberty]

I agree with what Nan and OI have said. We will remember our sins, but that isn't a bad thing in any way. We will not feel any guilt, but we will remember the lessons we learned and how we became closer to God through repenting for our sins. Repentance is a memory I would not want to forget anyway.

If we can't remember our sins, then how can we remember our repentance for those sins? If we can't remember our repentance, how can we remember being forgiven for our sins? If we can't remember any of these, how can we fully appreciate the Atonement? It doesn't make sense to me that we would completely forget them, because as a whole, if we have fully repented, it is a good memory of becoming more like God. Just my opinion.

[freedomforall]

I agree with what Nan and OI have said. We will remember our sins, but that isn't a bad thing in any way. We will not feel any guilt, but we will remember the lessons we learned and how we became closer to God through repenting for our sins. Repentance is a memory I would not want to forget anyway.

If we can't remember our sins, then how can we remember our repentance for those sins? If we can't remember our repentance, how can we remember being forgiven for our sins? If we can't remember any of these, how can we fully appreciate the Atonement? It doesn't make sense to me that we would completely forget them, because as a whole, if we have fully repented, it is a good memory of becoming more like God. Just my opinion.

Exceptional reasonong, and a few good points.

[give_me_liberty]

Thanks for your post freedomfighter, it brought up a few great points, especially the quote from Bro. Robinson. Lots of great research on the topic.

[obamohno]

I imagine i'll remember as much after death as I do before birth.