What counts and who's counting

It seems my articles in the Quay County Sun this year often have fallen close to holidays, which gives me plenty to write about, but I don’t remember it happening much in the past. Next Monday is Memorial Day, when we remember those who gave their lives in war to protect the United States of America, although the holiday was expanded to remember anyone who’s passed away. While I haven’t been intentionally keeping count, I checked, and this is my 20th year writing religion articles for the Sun. During that time, as best as I can count, I’ve mentioned Memorial Day only twice, but this article is going to be about what counts and who’s keeping count rather than Memorial Day, although both are about remembering.

Some things will be counted at some times but not at other times. Our sins are always being counted by someone. While the Bible doesn’t state any specific age, all people acquire an inherent knowledge of right and wrong anywhere between about 2 and 20, depending on the individual, and we remember many of the sins we’ve committed (Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-24; Numbers 14:26-32; Deuteronomy 1:39; Isaiah 7:16; 8:4; Psalm 51:3).

Satan always keeps count of all sins committed by Christians so he can use them to destroy us, but he doesn’t necessarily keep count of sins committed by non-Christians because he already has them (Job 1:6-11; 2:1-6; 1 Peter 5:8-9). Satan tries to destroy Christians by accusing us before God and to our face, hoping we’ll give up (Revelation 12:10-12). So, we must remember we’ve been forgiven and resist Satan’s onslaught (2 Peter 1:1-11; James 4:7-10).

God keeps count of sins to an extent (Matthew 16:27; John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:11-15; Jeremiah 17:10). Having our name written in the book of life is very encouraging because that’s when our past sins are completely hidden from God’s memory so he cannot see them to keep count (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 4:7-8; Ezekiel 18:20-23; Proverbs 10:12; 1 Corinthians 13:5; 1 John 4:8; 1:5-9; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 103:1-12; 130:1-8).

There’s a caveat for Christians who don’t continually live in the light where they have God’s continuing forgiveness, in that, their names can be blotted out of the book of life, just like their sins had been blotted out of the other books mentioned in Revelation 20, because God will forget the righteousness he’d extended to them (Romans 3:21-22; 1:16-17, 1-6; Galatians 3:26-28; 4:6-7; Romans 8:1-17; 6:3-10; Ezekiel 18:24-28; Deuteronomy 29:18-21; Exodus 32:31-33; 2 Peter 2:20-22). This being said, God is patient with us, giving us every opportunity to repent (2 Peter 3:1-10).

Jesus said if we love him, we’ll keep his commands and Peter followed up by saying we purify ourselves from sin through obedience (John 14:15-21; Luke 6:46-49; Mathew 7:21-27; 1 Peter 1:22-23; Acts 6:7; 2:36-39; 22:16; Romans 10:8-13). As long as we’re faithfully obedient, God remembers our faith that expresses itself through love (Galatians 5:5-7; Hebrews 6:10-12; 10:32-39; Revelation 3:5-6). Remember, that’s all that counts!

Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected].