Joseph - Forgiving, Forgetting and Perfection

Joseph went through many trials and suffering because of his brothers’ jealousy and the evil they did to him. When Joseph became ruler of Egypt, he named the first son born to him "Manasseh".

Genesis 41:51 NLT Joseph named his older son Manasseh,* for he said, "God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father's family."

Footnote:

* Manasseh sounds like a Hebrew term that means “causing to forget.”

When Joseph’s brothers came to him (Genesis 50:15-21), repenting of the evil they did to him, it appears he had already forgiven them.

Genesis 50:20   But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive. {See: Romans 8:28}

When Jesus was on the cross, he said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

When God forgives, he forgets.

Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.

Jeremiah 31:34 … I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Paul spoke of knowing Christ and becoming “perfect”. (Philippians 3:12 “perfect”) “Perfect” includes the meaning of spiritually mature, full grown.

In the midst of Christ’s sufferings, and at his death, Christ forgave. In verse 3:13, Paul spoke of “forgetting”. When God forgives, he forgets.

Philippians 3:10   That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 

Philippians 3:11   If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

Philippians 3:12 ¶ Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 3:13   Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…

Philippians 3:14   I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Becoming “perfect” includes becoming forgiving and forgetting others evil towards us.

Matthew 5:44   But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 

Matthew 5:45   That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust… {Note: sun and rain are BOTH blessings from God}

Matthew 5:48   Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.