Will We Have Regret in Heaven
Part Two
In the first part of this post, we started wrestling with a question someone brought to me: how can we possibly rejoice in heaven while still carrying the regrets of our earthly lives? It’s a fair question, and the person who asked it gave three reasons they assumed regret simply couldn’t exist there. They believed: 1. There would be no more tears, 2. That regret is itself a sin, and 3. That our sins will be remembered no more forever.
We managed to work through the first two of those reasons together. When we looked at the “no more tears” passages, we discovered something worth pausing over, namely that the image of God wiping away every tear may actually assume there is something there to wipe. We also spent time with Isaiah 65:17 and its promise that “the former things will not be remembered.” Rather than reading that as literal amnesia, we saw that it uses a familiar Hebrew idiom, the very same kind of language we find in Isaiah 43:18-19. The point of that idiom is eclipse, not erasure. The old sorrows lose their grip on us, but they are not deleted from existence as though they never happened.
From there, we tried to untangle regret itself, because it turns out to be a far more layered idea than simply “wishing things otherwise.” We worked our way from simple regret and agent regret toward lament, and then we drew a careful line between lament and sinful complaint. What we found was that the line is not crossed by how loudly we cry out to God, but by whether we are turning toward Him or away from Him. None of those categories, taken on its own, is a sin.
What I have not done yet, of course, is actually answer the question. That is what this second post is for. In this post, I want to take up that third statement, the claim that our sins will be remembered no more, and then we will finally arrive at the heart of the matter and ask whether we will, in fact, experience regret in heaven.
God will not remember our sins
When we think of the idea that God will not remember our sins anymore, there are a few verses that come to mind.
34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” - Jeremiah 31:34, New Living Translation
12 And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” - Hebrews 8:12, NLT (Quoting Jeremiah 31:34).
12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. - Psalm 103:12, NLT.
When we read these verses, we might tend to think that God simply forgets our sins. After all, that’s what it means to not remember, right? Well, not quite. In these passages, there is a deeper context. The context for both Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8 is the New Covenant.
Let us consider what the new covenant is. It is, as expressed above, grounded in Judaism (8:10). Consequently, any adequate understanding of Christianity must grasp its Jewish roots and the implication of those roots for Christian belief. It is about the internalization of religion, not merely the external practice of religion (8:10). God’s laws are written on the minds and hearts of true Christians. As such, transformation and intrinsic motivation form powerful, foundational elements of Christian life and living. The new covenant is about relationship with God (8:10–11), not merely service for God. Finally, the forgiveness of sins forms the basis for this new covenant relationship (8:12).1
When we look at the new covenant and what the Bible says in Hebrews 8:12, as quoted from Jeremiah 31, we see the Bible is talking about the forgiveness of sin. As Christians, our sins are forgiven because of our trust in Christ. When reading these verses, we must not think that God does not remember our sins in the idea that he has forgotten what we did, but we must understand that because of His grace through Jesus, He does not hold our sins against us. God is omniscient. He doesn’t literally forget anything. The verb “remember” (זכר in Hebrew, μιμνῄσκομαι in Greek) in a covenantal context carries a relational and judicial sense, meaning to “hold against,” “act upon,” or “bring to mind in judgment.” When God says He will not remember our sins, He is promising not to count them against us. He is not announcing a divine memory lapse.
When we add the passage from Psalm 103, we see King David using a metaphor describing how far removed our sins are from us. The reality from all these verses is that our sins are no longer between God and the believer. That means that our sins are not keeping us from God. The distance isn’t about God’s knowledge of sin, but about the separation of us as sinners from the consequences of our sin.
These passages, when taken together, establish that God’s divine forgiveness operates on two levels at the same time. God’s omniscience remains intact because he knows all things. However, his treatment of our forgiven sins changes. We can also see this in Psalm 32:2.
2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! - Psalm 32:2, NLT.
When you read Psalm 32:2, you see that God has cleared the record of guilt. The sin still exists, but God declines to hold it against the sinner. So the forgiven sinner experiences the practical reality of a God who, although he is all-knowing, chooses to stop prosecuting their offense.
Regrets at Judgment Day
In thinking about this idea, I believe a lot of it boils down to what is going to happen on judgment day, what type of accounting we will have to give, and whether that account will cause us to have regrets. So, how do we answer those questions? First, let’s look at what Scripture says about judgment day.
36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.
37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” - Matthew 12:36-37, NLT.
So, here we see Jesus telling his disciples, the Pharisees, and the crowd of people that we must give an account for every idle word we speak. These verses come after Jesus has healed a demon-possessed man who was blind and couldn’t speak. If you recall, the Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Satan. It is during this same exchange that we have Jesus mentioning the “unpardonable sin” of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. So Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees by telling them that they are evil, but they speak what is good and right.
I don’t know about you, but there are many times when I say or think some things I should not, even though I am trying to live a life that is glorifying Christ. The idea of having to give an account of every idle word I have ever spoken is not something I am looking forward to. But this is not the only time we see Scripture speaking about judgment.
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. - Hebrews 4:13, NLT.
5 But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead. - 1 Peter 4:5, NLT.
So, Scripture is clear that God is going to judge everyone, but when does that judgment occur? Well, that judgment occurs in Revelation 20.
12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books.
13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. - Revelation 20:12-13, NLT.
Most of us have probably heard of the Great White Throne Judgment, but fewer have heard of what’s called the judgment seat of Christ, and the difference between the two is exactly what we need to sort out. What we are seeing here is known as the Great White Throne Judgment. This is the final judgment before the lost are cast into the lake of fire. This judgment takes place after the millennium and after Satan, the beast, and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire. Notice in verse 12 that the Book of Life is also opened. This is the book that determines where a person will spend eternity: with God in heaven or in eternal punishment in the lake of fire.
“Although Christians are held accountable for their actions, they are forgiven in Christ and their names were written in the ‘book of life from the creation of the world’ (Revelation 17:8). We also know from Scripture that it is at this judgment when the dead will be ‘judged according to what they had done’ (Revelation 20:12) and that ‘anyone’s name’ that is not ‘found written in the book of life’ will be ‘thrown into the lake of fire’ (Revelation 20:15).”2
While there is disagreement among Christians as to whether there are multiple judgments (Matthew 25:31-36, 2 Corinthians 5:10, and Revelation 20:11-15), or that these are three parts within the Great White Throne Judgment, we can be certain that there will be judgment. So, where does that leave the Christian?
The Judgment Seat of Christ
When we look at the accounting of our deeds in Matthew 12, we might not know what to make of this. After all, how do we reconcile Matthew 12:25-37 with the above passages on how God will not hold our sins against us? Well, for believers, the accounting of our actions serves a different purpose than it does for unbelievers. As Christians, we are held accountable for our actions, but we are forgiven because of the redeeming work of Jesus, and our names have been written in the Book of Life from the creation of the world.3
8 The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction. And the people who belong to this world, whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made, will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died. - Revelation 17:8, NLT.
In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul brings up judgment:
10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. - 2 Corinthians 5:10, NLT.
As Protestants, we believe that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. So what is Paul talking about? If we have to give an account of everything we have done, isn’t that work-based? Well, no.
“The best explanation is to see this judgment not as contributing to our salvation, but as corroborating that we have been saved. Good works are the evidence of true faith. The final judgment will attest for the believer that the good tree has indeed borne good fruit (Matt. 7:15–20).”4
This idea aligns with what we see in the Book of James.
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? - James 2:14, NLT.
18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” - James 2:18, NLT.
26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. - James 2:26, NLT.
When the books are opened, the books will show whether there is corroborating evidence for our names to be written in the Book of Life. Dr. DeYoung writes:
“It matters how you are living your life. There are no carnal Christians. There are weak Christians, struggling Christians, doubting Christians, less-sanctified-than-they-want-to-be Christians, but not carnal Christians wholly given over to the lusts of flesh, careless about the things of God, and disinterested-in-the-means-of-grace Christians. We don’t earn our way into heaven by a weighing of our deeds, but when our name is in the book, there will be a record of general faithfulness in the books that are opened on the last day. The Christian is not a perfect person (on earth), but he is a changed person.”5
So, the judgment seat of Christ is not a judgment on whether our names are in the Book of Life and we enter heaven, but a record of what we did on earth. So, this leads back to the idea of having regrets in heaven. I don’t know about you, but there are a lot of things I don’t want to be shown, so this idea is very uncomfortable for me. Paul speaks about this judgment in 1 Corinthians 3.
13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.
14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.
15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. - 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, NLT.
Paul tells us that the judgment seat of Christ will be about measuring our works, but remember what he says in verse 15. The builder will be saved. This is not a salvation issue. But this is about rewards. Remember, God is a just God. Think about this: we know that some people live more devoted lives to Christ than others. I don’t think that is a controversial take. So, if we are standing before a just God and you were fully devoted to Him and got the same rewards as someone who lived their life for only themselves and trusted in Jesus on their deathbed, would you think that the reward was just? I know I wouldn’t.
Now, please do not misunderstand what I am saying. We do not trust Christ and serve Christ just to go to heaven instead of hell, and just to get rewarded. We serve Him because He is the creator and the Risen King who is exalted above all. We serve Him because we deserve hell and destruction for our sin, but because of grace and His atoning sacrifice, we are made right with God again. Nevertheless, if we were all rewarded the same, that would not be fair. That is what the judgment seat of Christ is about.
“The judgment seat of Christ fulfills God’s impartial justice, since not all believers live with the same degree of devotion to Christ. Christians are individually accountable for what they do in this mortal body. One day all believers will stand before their Lord, who will impartially evaluate their lives and reward them accordingly. Paul knows that he too will have to stand before Christ with nothing to hide, and he will have to explain his life. This “fear of the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:11) motivates him (as it should motivate all Christians) to intensify his devotion to pleasing Christ.”6
So, Will We Have Regret in Heaven
I know this has been a long topic, but I felt it was necessary to look at the different aspects baked into this complex question. What I am going to write is what I, Andy Brown, believe Scripture says. You might have a different take, and that is okay. So, let’s run this through from the beginning.
I believe Scripture teaches that we will have memories in heaven. We can see that in the Book of Revelation.
9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony.
10 They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” - Revelation 6:9-10, NLT.
These martyrs are crying out to the Lord to avenge their deaths. They clearly remember why they are in heaven.
We also have the story of the transfiguration.
3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.
4 Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” - Matthew 17:3-4, NLT.
Peter, James, and John saw Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah. Moses and Elijah lived centuries earlier than the disciples, but they recognized them. This shows that we retain our distinct identities and are recognizable after we die. I’ll give you one more example from Scripture.
27 “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home.
28 For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’
29 “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’
30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’
31 “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” - Luke 16:27-31, NLT.
This is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. If you remember, there was a rich man who lived in luxury and a poor man named Lazarus who was covered in sores who sat by his gate. They both died, and Lazarus went to sit beside Abraham, and the rich man went to the place of the dead (vv. 22-23). At the end of the parable, we read these verses. Notice that the rich man remembers his five brothers and Lazarus. He also thinks he knows what will persuade his brothers, with that being someone risen from the dead.
Before I draw a conclusion from these passages, I want to be honest about something. If you look closely, all three of these examples describe what theologians call the intermediate state, or the in-between time after we die but before we are raised at the resurrection. The martyrs in Revelation 6 are souls under the altar, still waiting. Moses and Elijah appear before the final resurrection. The rich man and Lazarus are in the place of the dead, not yet in the new creation John describes in Revelation 21. So someone could fairly ask whether these texts tell us anything at all about our final, glorified home.
I think they do, and here’s why. If memory survives even in that in-between state, when we are absent from the body and awaiting the resurrection, it would be strange to claim it suddenly vanishes once we receive our glorified bodies and enter the fullness of God’s presence. The whole hope of the resurrection is that it is me who is raised, the same person, with my history and identity intact, not a stranger wearing my name. The continuity of identity is the entire point. So if anything, the case for memory is stronger in glory than in the intermediate state, not weaker.
So, I believe Scripture shows we retain our memories. Even if we didn’t, the verses on judgment show that our lives will be shown, so we would remember then. Given those verses and the verses about judgment, I believe we will have regret in heaven. I think that we will regret not living our lives fully for Christ. I believe we will regret making certain decisions. I believe we will regret how we treated people. However, that is not the end of the story.
12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. - 1 Corinthians 13:12, NLT.
Paul writes that, right now, we see things imperfectly, but we will one day see things with perfect clarity. This is where I think the verses we looked at in part one come into play.
17 For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes. - Revelation 7:17, NLT.
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” - Revelation 21:4, NLT.
I think that once we get to heaven, we will remember our earthly stories, including our failures, but we will see them fully bathed in grace, with all their sting transformed into worship and gratitude. Nobody has lived a perfect life and has been 100% faithful to Jesus and to God. We are sinful beings, and it is impossible to earn God’s favor by our own righteousness.
However, I believe that once we see Jesus face-to-face, we will see things perfectly and understand how God sees things. He will wipe away tears from our eyes, and because we will see things fully bathed in God’s grace, our regret will be temporary, not eternal. That distinction matters because it isn’t just that God comforts us in our regrets but that He fully heals what was broken. The risen Christ kept His wounds. His wounds are real. They are remembered and visible, but they are no longer wounding. When we begin seeing clearly for the first time, there is genuine regret; that regret is among the very tears God wipes away. What remains for us afterward is memory without sting, a scar that now provokes worship instead of grief. Because God will wipe the tears from our eyes, and there will be no more sorrow, I am not going to dwell on the fact that I will have regrets in heaven, but I will dedicate what life I have left to maximizing the work God has called me to do. So, how can we rejoice while still carrying regret? Our rejoicing and our regret don’t sit side-by-side forever. Our regret is the last tear wiped away. What is left is pure worship of our risen King and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I hope this has been helpful in trying to understand the idea of having regrets in heaven. It is a deep subject, but one I hope I have shed some light on to help you better understand how Scripture works together and how we can dig to find answers to our questions.
George Guthrie, Hebrews, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998), 286.
Got Questions Ministries, Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2002–2013).
Ibid.
Kevin DeYoung, Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024), 357.
Ibid.
J. Daniel Hays, J. Scott Duvall, and C. Marvin Pate, Dictionary of Biblical Prophecy and End Times (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2007), 236–237.