The Permanent Record

Several years ago, Bob Green of the Chicago Tribune came up with a theory about what's wrong with the world-- he calls the “Death of the Permanent Record.” (I remember referring to his column several years ago in a sermon; I couldn’t find the column on the web, but I found a jillion sermons that refer to it. I can’t believe people stole my sermon idea… after went to all the trouble to steal it from someone else!) Anyway, Green recalls that grade-school children used to live in fear of having bad behavior noted on their permanent record. That was the threat, “You don’t want this on your permanent record.” Green suggested that a lot of bad behavior was avoided, not because kids were good moral beings in the good ol' days, but because they did not want their actions written down and preserved on their permanent record.

Today we have decided that there is no such thing as a permanent record. In fact, we believe that no one has a right to even keep track. Never mind skippinmg school or smoking in the boys room, the record of serious felonies are expunged at age 18; there is no permanent record. Witth today's emphasis on our rights to privacy, if a schoolchild were ever threatened with something going on his permanent record, he would probably file suit under the Freedom of Information Act and gain possession of his files before recess!

Does Green have a point? Where there is no fear of a lasting record, people tend to do what they think they can get away with. But the problem with that is this-- there is a permanent record. And the record is kept by God.

• But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. (Matt 12:36).
  
• So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Rom 14:12).
  
• Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare(Heb 4:13).
  
• But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:5)
  
• And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. (Rev 20:12).

According to scripture, there clearly is permanent record. There will be a final day of reckoning, a day upon which all accounts will be balanced… and then closed. Our words and deeds will be called into account, and we will have to accept responsibility for them. If we really believed that, then that would change the way we live our lives now. Remember Peter's take on the implications of the reality of the end of time?

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. (2 Peter 3:11-12a)