Memory
Definition
Memory is a vital function of the mentality of the soul related to one’s capacity for life, happiness and absorption of doctrine.
It is the mental capacity of retaining unconscious traces of conscious impressions and of recalling those traces to consciousness with attendant perception.
Memory includes the power of retention and recollection. Therefore, memory is a combination of retention and recollection. Memory obviously is a part of capacity for life.
Memory is also the function of the mentality of the soul in identification and perception of what has been previously learned.
Memory also includes the concept of people living in your soul. It is the perpetuation of thinking about people you love.
Another purpose for memory is commemoration, which is the perpetuation of knowledge of people or any event.
There are principles of memory such as the communion table. This is when we recall through the ministry of the Holy Spirit those doctrines pertaining specifically to the uniqueness of Christ and His work on the cross, and we relate it to our entrance into the plan of God.
Memory is a part of personal love toward God,
Ecclesiastes 12:1
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”
You should store good memories as a defense against reversionism (backsliding).
Psalm 145:7-10
They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
9 The Lord is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.
10 All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, And Your godly ones shall bless You.
The mature believer is a pleasant memory to others.
Philippians 1:3
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
Proverbs 10:7
The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot.
Communion (the Lord’s Supper) is designed to remember the Lord until the Rapture.
Luke 22:19-20
And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
1 Corinthians 11:23-25
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Memory and thanksgiving are also related. Bible doctrine in the memory center of the soul must have number one priority,
2 Peter 1:12,13
Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.
13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,
Repeated Bible teaching produces memory of doctrine. Stability comes from remembering the doctrine you have learned.
Memory of discipline for backsliding produces misery, while memory of supergrace blessing produces happiness,
Lamentations 3:16-24
He has broken my teeth with gravel; He has made me cower in the dust.
17 My soul has been rejected from peace; I have forgotten happiness.
18 So I say, “My strength has perished, And so has my hope from the Lord.”
19 Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness.
20 Surely my soul remembers And is bowed down within me.
21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.
22 The Lord’s loving-kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”
Doctrine in the memory center is designed to orient the believer to logistical grace.
Psalm 103:2
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not His benefits.”
The importance of doctrine in the memory center is taught in
Psalm 119:16, 83, 93, 109, 141
16 I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.
83 Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Your statutes.
93 I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me.
109 My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law.
141 I am small and despised, Yet I do not forget Your precepts.
Proverbs 4:5
Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
You cannot apply doctrine unless you remember it. Acquire doctrine, but don’t forget it.
Memory is also used as an anthropopathism.
Memory is ascribed to God to encourage the believer about divine faithfulness. God has not forgotten you.
Negative aspects of memory.
Judging and maligning other believers destroys the blessings of memory.
Read Job 13:2-12
For the unbeliever, memory has regrets beyond death.
Luke 16:25
But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
Too much drinking causes a ruler to forget his responsibilities,
Proverbs 31:4-5
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
5 For they will drink and forget what is decreed, And pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
The memory center has the job of recalling sins,
Numbers 5:15
The man shall then bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring as an offering for her one-tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall not pour oil on it nor put frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of memorial, a reminder of iniquity.
Hebrews 10:3
But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year
This is necessary for the use of rebound.
The exercise of the fifth cycle of discipline blots out memory.
Exodus 17:14
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”
Reversionism (backsliding) is not remembered.
Job 18:17
“Memory of him perishes from the earth, And he has no name abroad.
The backsliding believer does not remember the Lord, especially when under the sin unto death, unless he changes his attitude.
Psalm 6:4,5
Return, O Lord, rescue my soul; Save me because of Your loving-kindness.
5 For there is no mention of You in death; In Sheol who will give You thanks?
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