Does Ezekiel 18:22 imply that past sins are completely erased from God's memory? Passage and Translation “None of the transgressions he has committed will be remembered against him; because of the righteousness he has done, he will live.” (Ezekiel 18:22) The clause “will be remembered” translates the Hebrew verb zākar in the Niphal imperfect: “will not be brought to remembrance.” The idiom addresses judicial reckoning, not divine amnesia. Historical and Literary Context Ezekiel 18 answers the Judean proverb, “The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (v. 2), by asserting personal accountability. Verses 19-22 contrast the wicked who turn to righteousness with the righteous who turn to wickedness. The setting is covenant lawsuit language: God acts as judge, weighing deeds for life or death in the land (vv. 24, 30-32). Idiomatic Use of “Remember / Not Remember” Throughout Scripture “remember” functions legally: • “The LORD remembered Noah” (Genesis 8:1) – acted to deliver. • “I will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34) – cease to exact penalty. Thus “not remembered” in Ezekiel 18:22 means God no longer brings past sin into judicial consideration once genuine repentance and covenant righteousness are present. Divine Omniscience and Anthropomorphic Language Psalm 147:5 affirms God’s infinite understanding. Omniscience precludes literal forgetfulness. Scripture uses anthropopathism—describing God with human emotions or actions—to communicate relational truth. As a judge may expunge a record while still knowing the facts, so God chooses not to hold forgiven sins against the repentant. Canonical Harmony: Old Testament Witness • Psalm 103:12 – “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” • Isaiah 43:25 – “I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.” • Micah 7:18-19 – God “hurls all our sins into the depths of the sea.” These passages establish a pattern: God voluntarily “forgets” judicially by expunging guilt. Fulfillment in Christ’s Atonement Ezekiel’s principle anticipates the New Covenant ratified by Christ’s blood (Luke 22:20). Hebrews 10:17 quotes Jeremiah 31:34 to show that Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice fully satisfies divine justice: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” The debt is paid; God’s courtroom no longer admits the evidence (Colossians 2:13-14). New Testament Echoes • Romans 4:7-8 cites Psalm 32: “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” • 2 Corinthians 5:19 – “in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.” • 1 John 1:9 – confession brings cleansing, not mere cover-up. Philosophical and Behavioral Insight Human forgiveness often falters because memory fuels resentment. Divine forgiveness models perfect judicial non-recall: the offense is not factually obliterated but relationally neutralized. Behavioral research affirms that true reconciliation emerges when parties cease to weaponize remembered wrongs—mirroring God’s approach (Ephesians 4:32). Practical and Pastoral Implications 1. Assurance: the penitent need not fear past sins resurfacing for condemnation (Romans 8:1). 2. Motivation for Holiness: God’s gracious non-recall encourages present obedience, not complacency (Ezekiel 18:31-32). 3. Model for Human Forgiveness: believers are commanded to “forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13), releasing the demand for retribution. Conclusion Ezekiel 18:22 teaches not that God experiences literal memory loss, but that He decisively removes forgiven sins from His ledger, never to be used against the repentant. The doctrine harmonizes with the whole canon, culminates in Christ’s atonement, and offers believers absolute assurance while calling them to extend the same grace to others. |
    |