Stop Remembering What God Chose to Forget - Javan Smith - Charis Daily - Season 17 Ep. 4

Main ideas, concepts, and lessons

• God wants believers to practice “selective memory.”

  • Many people view selective memory as negative (for example, spouses remembering each other’s faults).
  • The video reframes it as positive and “God-like”—a choice aligned with God’s new-covenant way of seeing.

• The New Covenant includes God’s promise not to associate sin with believers.

  • From Jeremiah 31, the new-covenant promise includes:
    • God putting His law into people’s minds and writing it on their hearts.
    • Direct knowledge of the Lord (no longer needing priest/prophet mediation as in the Old Testament).
    • A key promise: God will “forgive” and “remember their sin no more.”
  • The video stresses this promise applies only to those “in Christ Jesus.”
    • God chooses to view the believer based on what Jesus accomplished (forgiveness through His blood).

• “I will not remember” is not the same as “I will forget.”

  • The speaker argues God does not forget (God is not forgetful).
  • Instead, God chooses not to remember in the sense of no longer bringing sin up as a barrier.
  • Practical implication: if God has decided to treat sin as paid-for and removed, believers should stop treating it as an ongoing accusation.

• New-covenant forgiveness took effect through Jesus’ blood.

  • The covenant is instituted at the Last Supper/Passover:
    • Jesus says the cup is “the blood of the new covenant… for the remission of sins.”
  • The video describes the covenant as being ratified by blood, not just by God’s later decision.
  • Supporting emphasis:
    • Zechariah 9:11: “by the blood of your covenant” God releases prisoners.
    • Hebrews 12:24: Jesus is mediator through the “sprinkling of blood.”
  • The speaker also connects this to biblical “voice” imagery (e.g., Genesis: Abel’s blood cried out; Jesus’ blood speaks better things because the price is already paid).

• Communion (Lord’s Supper) is a practical “selective memory” exercise.

  • Communion should be done “in remembrance of me” (Jesus).
  • The purpose is to remember Jesus and His sacrifice, not to repeatedly recall personal sin for condemnation.

• A major correction: communion should not be used for self-condemnation.

  • The speaker addresses misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 11, where some believe self-examination requires dwelling on faults in order to partake “worthily.”
  • Core claim:
    • You cannot become worthy by your own effort.
    • Instead, “worthiness” relates to recognizing the Lord’s body and the finished work of Christ.

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Method / instructions (detailed bullet points)

A) How believers should practice “positive selective memory”

• Acknowledge God’s covenant promise that He will not treat forgiven sin as an ongoing barrier.
• Stop agreeing with condemnation:
  • If God says “I will remember no more,” believers should release what they keep replaying.
• Let go of what you can’t stop remembering:
  • The thing you keep praying about due to lingering guilt.
• Align your “memory-view” with God’s:
  • The speaker frames this as agreement with God (“How can two walk together unless they agree?” / Amos 3:3).

B) How to partake of Communion “worthily” (according to the video)

• Do communion in remembrance of Jesus, not in remembrance of sin.
• When you examine/test yourself:
  • Do not test yourself by focusing on your faults and transgressions.
  • Do test yourself through “the prism of the cross” (what Jesus did and what you now are in Christ).
• Discern the Lord’s body:
  • Recognize that the elements represent His body/blood, not your self-worth.
• Understand “unworthy” participation as:
  • Taking communion while not discerning the Lord’s body, leading to self-condemnation.
• Reject the mindset that you must become worthy through confession and self-accusation.
  • The speaker states that consuming the Body and Blood is what makes participation appropriate—Jesus’ sacrifice provides the basis, not your performance.

C) Ongoing discipline after communion / in everyday life

• Because it’s easy to forget forgiveness, believers should deliberately remember:
  • The “benefits” of God’s forgiveness and covenant mercy (Psalm 103, cited)
  • The reality that believers can lose awareness of how much they’ve been forgiven (2 Peter 1, cited)
• Apply the same selective memory toward others:
  • Instead of replaying others’ wrongs, remember them in the way you want God to remember you.
  • Example used: Joseph and his brothers—Joseph remembered the dreams rather than the drama.

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Speakers / sources featured

Speaker

• Javan Smith (host/teacher)

Referenced teachers / authors

• Andrew Wommack (author of the booklet mentioned: Grace—The Power of the Gospel)

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Biblical books / texts cited

• Prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31)
• Jesus (Matthew 26; Last Supper/new covenant)
• Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 11)
• Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 8, 10, 12)
• Psalm 103
• 2 Peter 1
• Amos 3:3
• Zechariah 9:11
• Genesis (Cain/Abel; voice of blood)
• Joseph’s story (Genesis 42:8–9; Joseph remembered dreams rather than drama)

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Other named individuals/figures (within the biblical narrative)

• Cain
• Abel
• Joseph
• Joseph’s brothers
• The “house of Israel” and house of Judah (in Jeremiah’s context)