Those who love the Lord also love seeing lives that have been changed by Christ, they never hold past forgiven sins against anyone. In fact born born-again believers rejoice when they see a life changed by Christ.
It is interesting that those who hold forgiven sins against others have never repented over their own sin. Perhaps this is why they need to keep mindful of the past forgiven sins of others to avoid facing their own sins in the present.
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
Those who are jealous and superior acting love to see others as beneath them. In order to do this, they must concoct flaws in others. The sins the accuser holds over others' heads often were not even against them personally, but they love to think that they are superior by using past forgiven sins against those they wish to dominate.
I recall a woman many years ago who told another woman; "Remember how you used to be?", without giving any specific sin she was recounting, she was attempting to diminish her target by pretending that the sins of the past still counted. But worse yet, she was pretending that she never had any sin in her own life that needed confessing. Sadly this woman who was the accuser was a Christian.
Those who are authentic believers know what God saved them from and would never hold sins against others who have repented. It is only the devil that does these things, and it is the devil using the mouths of those who want to seem superior.
Romans 3:23
"23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
When we encounter those who believe they have never sinned, who think they are above others who have sinned, are in a worse place than the repentant sinner. These people often believe that someone who had sinned has no right to correct anyone ever.
We are dealing with those who may even read their Bible but do not obey what is in it. The Pharisees were of this sort, SELF-righteous, in their own eyes they were perfect.
Philippians 3:13-14
"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Those who love to accuse the brethren are impervious to correction, instruction or truth when it convicts them of their own sin.
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Satan is the father of lies and the accuser of the brethren. He goes before the Father in heaven to accuse us, but he works on earth in the hearts of evil men to accuse us. What is the purpose, one simple purpose is to discourage and silence us. If they can make us feel false guilt about past forgiven sins they might be able to silence us, or at least in their own minds.
When the tool of Satan, that is the accusers comes to act superior or dismissive, we can simply do as Christ did, saying: "Get thee behind me Satan."
Luke 11:42-44 "…42 Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! You love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without even noticing.”…"
Proverbs 16:18
"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."
Modern Pharisees thunder around the town like pillars of righteousness but God sees them as dead men's bones.
You will never see these modern Pharisees admitting their flaws, frailties, or sins, they have a far too high opinion of themselves to do so. When someone is like this they remain spiritual and emotional children until they repent from it. If they would repent from their pride God would do a work in their heart.
Those who love the Lord more than they love themselves are likely to confess often, openly admit the needs of their soul and grow in holiness. Let's keep close accounts on our soul to remain close to Christ.
James 4:8
"8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
