Episode Overview

Theme:
In this episode of Things Unseen, titled "I Will Remember Their Sins No More," Sinclair B. Ferguson reflects on the liberating promise at the heart of the New Covenant: God’s pledge to forget the sins of His people through Christ. The discussion explores how this divine “forgetfulness” offers peace and freedom from the paralyzing shame and guilt of past sins, encouraging listeners to dwell in the assurance of God’s forgiveness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Paradox of Forgetting and Remembering

• Sinclair opens the episode by highlighting a contrast:
  While the past week has focused on remembering, today is about forgetting—more specifically, about something God Himself chooses to forget.
  • Quote (00:19):

    "It's a good idea to round out the week by thinking about something that we actually need to forget."

2. God’s Covenant and the Promise to Forget Sins

• Scriptural Foundation:
  • Ferguson recalls the promise of the New Covenant found in Jeremiah 31:34 and reiterated in Hebrews 8:12:

    "I will remember their sins no more."

  • Isaiah 43:25 is also cited as God blots out and forgets our transgressions.
• Key Insight:
  The only thing God claims to forget is the sins of His people—an assurance grounded in Christ’s atoning sacrifice:
  • Quote (01:23):

    "He has blotted them out with the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ."

3. The Struggle with Guilt and Shame

• Human Experience of Sin’s Memory:
  • Ferguson sympathizes with listeners who are “haunted by the memory” of their past sins, using King David as a biblical example.
  • David’s memory of sin was, at times, a “fiery dart” that paralyzed his sense of fellowship with God.
• Pastoral Encouragement:
  The need is not just to know intellectually, but to remember daily that God blots out and forgets our sins.

4. Illustration: Gilts vs. Guilt

• A Play on Words:
  • In the UK, “gilts” refers to government-backed securities—reliable investments.
  • The devil, Ferguson suggests, also invests in “guilt”—not gilts—capitalizing on our failures to plague us with shame.
  • Quote (03:04):

    "I think the devil is also an investor in gilt-edged stock. But not G I L T. G U I L T."

• Satan’s Dual Tactic:
  The accuser minimizes sin before the act, but maximizes guilt afterward, aiming to drive believers into despair (referencing John Calvin).

5. The Example of Joshua the High Priest (Zechariah 3)

• Vivid Picture:
  • Ferguson recounts how Joshua, clothed in “filthy garments,” stood accused by Satan.
  • God rebukes Satan, removes Joshua’s soiled garments, and clothes him in pure vestments.
• Application to Believers:
  • Quote (05:12):

    "What a picture that is of the believer, clothed in the filthy garments of sin—but now, through Jesus Christ, clothed in the pure vestments from head to toe."

  • Ferguson invites listeners to imagine standing before God, to hear:

    "But I don't see any sin. I see only purity."

6. Total and Restorative Forgiveness

• Reassurance:
  God removes sin “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm reference). If God promises to forget, believers should not let guilt linger.
  • Quote (06:09):

    "Does God really forget your sin as you trust Him? Yes indeed."

7. Call to Live in the Freedom of Forgiveness

• Crucial Takeaway:
  The most important thing we can remember is what God has chosen to forget—our sin.
  • Quote (07:01):

    "Perhaps the thing we need to remember most of all is the one thing the Lord tells us he remembers no more."

• Peace and Assurance:
  Ferguson closes by encouraging listeners to enjoy guilt-free, “paralysis-free” Christian living, knowing that God loves them with an immensity beyond comprehension.
  • Quote (07:38):

    "There is nothing more glorious than to be living a paralysis-free Christian life in the presence of the Heavenly Father..."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On God’s Selective Forgetfulness

  "The only thing that God says is he forgets is your sins." – Sinclair B. Ferguson (01:12)

• The Devil’s Investment in Guilt

  "The devil is also an investor in gilt-edged stock. But not G I L T. G U I L T." – Sinclair B. Ferguson (03:04)

• Clothed in Christ’s Righteousness

  "I have taken your iniquity from you and I will clothe you with pure vestments." – Sinclair B. Ferguson, paraphrasing Zechariah 3 (05:25)

• Divine Assurance

  "I see only purity. I've covered your sin with the blood of Christ and clothed you in Christ's righteousness." – Sinclair B. Ferguson (06:02)

• Living Free from Guilt

  "There is nothing more glorious than to be living a paralysis-free Christian life in the presence of the Heavenly Father..." – Sinclair B. Ferguson (07:38)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:19 – Introduction to the theme of forgetting versus remembering
• 01:12 – The only thing God forgets is your sins
• 03:04 – Gilt vs. guilt: The devil’s tactic
• 04:18 – Joshua the high priest and the removal of filthy garments
• 06:09 – Assurance that God truly forgets forgiven sin
• 07:01 – The need to remember what God forgets
• 07:38 – Closing pastoral encouragement on living freely

Tone and Style

Sinclair B. Ferguson’s style is warm, pastoral, gentle, and personal—blending deep theological insight with vivid illustrations and a tone of reassuring hope. He speaks candidly about the reality of struggle, and with a spiritual depth that encourages listeners to rest in the grace and forgiveness found in Christ.

Summary Provided for Listeners Who Missed the Episode:
This episode beautifully underscores the heart of the Gospel: that God, in Christ, not only forgives but fully forgets our sins, liberating us from perpetual guilt and enabling us to live joyfully in His presence.