“It can’t be true that my future sins are already forgiven!” This was the protest I heard one day after somebody heard me teach that all of our sins are forgiven. I read her the passage from Colossians 2:13-14. Then I asked her these questions, which I encourage you to answer as you read them.1. How many of your sins did God know about before you were born? (All of them.)
2. How many of them did He record on your certificate of debt mentioned in the passage in Colossians referenced above? (All of them.)
3. How many of your sins did Jesus pay for on the cross? (All of them.)
4. How many of them were future at that time? (All of them.)
5. How many sins was He referring to when He said, “If is finished”? (All of them.)
6. At the time you were saved, how many of your sins did God forgive?
If you didn’t answer number six by saying, “All of them,” I encourage you to ask yourself if you’re being intellectually honest. Would it make sense that God would see and note all of our sins; that Jesus Christ would bear all of them upon Himself; that He would declare from the cross that payment had been made for all of them and then, after all that, God would only forgive you for some of your sins — namely the ones you had committed up to the point in time at which you were saved? Don’t make the mistake of trying to put God in the “time box.” He won’t fit. He has forgiven you for every sin you will ever commit, past, present and future. The verse clearly says that He has “forgiven us all our transgressions,” not just our past ones.
For many years I believed that in order to stay in a state of forgiveness before God, it was necessary that I ask Him to forgive me for each sin which I committed. This kind of faulty theology raises some serious questions. What happens if I don’t ask Him to forgive me for a specific sin? Does it remain unforgiven until the day I die? What happens then, when I go into eternity with an unforgiven sin? Nobody can go into heaven with unforgiven sin (Imagine being eternally separated from God for calling somebody an idiot in another car on the interstate and forgetting to ask God for forgiveness.).
On the other side of the issue, consider this question: Is there anything that you know is the right thing to do that you aren’t doing? James said, “Therefore, to the one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, it is sin” (James 4:17). Do you see the dilemma? If all our sins aren’t forgiven, then we had better make sure we are living a perfect life because not only do we have to deal with sins which occur when we do wrong things, but we also have to be worried about the right things we haven’t done. This would be enough to give the Christian a nervous breakdown!
"Then, are you saying that since His grace has covered our sin, we can go out and do anything we want?" I hope somebody is asking that because, if so, it shows I've made grace clear here. You're not the first one to ask that question. Read Romans 6:1-4 to see how Paul answered the question when it was asked of him.
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ReplyDeleteSo awesome. ...And even CRAZIER than all our past, present and future sins being forgiven - that's only half the story! It was just the means to the end of an indwelling, relational, righteous, Life in Christ!
ReplyDeleteSteve,
ReplyDeleteExcellent observation of what is the obvious truth of Colossians and Romans. The denomination I grew up in told me that "unconfessed sin" broke off fellowship with God because He can't look upon sin.
Your article address sin (small "s")and Jesus took care of those fallen behaviors by forgiving Sin (capital "S") which was the root of my problem. Praise God!!!
We don't have to 'worry' about things right we haven't done, just start..doin' them and to completion, accomplished. Do what's at hand in the desire to show passion for life in God (what's right,) through the Son. Great awesome blog. Dave Candel
ReplyDeleteHallelujah! Some would say Steve you have gone to far. The truth is we probably are not going far enough. The beauty and manifold grace is not something we can pull down to a human level to analyze but it pulls us up into the very depth of God's heart of love the length and breadth and depth of which we are only scratching the surface. It is like the little child that walked up to the ocean cupped some water in his hand and said look daddy I have the ocean in my hand. Really now.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhy Ephesians 4:30 say that I can GRIEVE the Spirit of God if all my sins (past, present, future) are allready forgiven by Him?
ReplyDeleteThe word of God says that you are forgiven of your sins. There are still the consequences of being disobedient here on earth. David lost his son, Moses did not get to see the promise land, Samson lost his strength, and there are many more examples. Your earthly father always forgave you but many times corrected. How much more would our heavenly Father expect and be grieved by our disobedience. Thankfully his grace, mercy, and love are of great abundance.
DeleteI hope this helped. God bless.
The hardest thing for mankind to do is not look at themselves. This is exactly what religion promotes as they have you centered upon yourself and what you do or not do. It was a huge struggle with me for years. I was constantly mourning my sins of omission and commission. I was constantly judging my salvation by what I was doing or not doing.
ReplyDeleteSteve, I used to think that if I did not focus upon my sins, the law, my works then I probably grow carnal or would simply excuse my sins. Knowing now how my sins have been washed away to the point that they are no longer an issue has actually done the opposite of what I expected would happen. Not focusing upon my sins or the law has done wonders for my walk.
I sent some poor soul an email this morning as I shared how a sign that says, "Don't Touch! Wet Paint" will cause many people to stop and touch that wall to see if it is wet. This is exactly what the law does to us. I told him that if the sign was not posted then fewer fingers would have paint on them. When I removed the law and sin from my focus then I found myself sinning less. Weird how this works. My focus is Christ and beholding Him transform me into His image. Viewing my sins or the law transforms me into the dirt it proclaims me to be. I found my former belief in Lordship salvation actually is the teaching that promotes a license to sin since it can never change the heart. Only grace will teach a man to deny all manners of ungodliness and never the law.
I enjoyed what I have read here. Keep the faith!
Easy - one way you can grieve the Holy Spirit is by failing to believe the truth about the finished work of Christ on the cross and knowing that your sins are all forgiven.
ReplyDeleteThe definition of sin is "to miss the mark." We miss the mark when we fail to believe and rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Everything else that leads us down a wrong path comes from that shortcoming..."falling short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23)
ReplyDeleteAmen Pure Grace Believer; Things are not the way they "seem". I used to say take what the world says turn it inside out upside down and you will have the truth. There is a way that seems right but it leads to death. I am glad to hear of your revelation of freedom. I ask people who focus on theirs sins is it working for you? If it is not setting you free, guess what? IT IS NOT THE TRUTH! John 8:32 Inverted :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Easy: Remember that your spirit is joined to God's spirit (1 Cor 6:17) Once we are in Christ we come under the dominion of a new law "the law of the Spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus" Rom 8:2 We are now able to "feel" the very heartbeat of God. 2 Cor 6:16
ReplyDeleteSo, What was Jesus teaching us when He was asked to teach us to pray and He includes us asking forgiveness for our trespasses as we forgive others?
ReplyDeleteGreat question, Sateena. Jesus was speaking to those under the Law. (Remember that the New Covenant didn't become effective until his death on the cross.) So things changed after the cross. Before, under the Old Covenant, people forgave to be forgiven. Under the new covenant of grace, we forgive because we ARE forgiven. It's strange that people who insists that Jesus WAS talking to us today in everything He said never argue that we should pluck our eyes out or cut our hands off, etc. like he said in the Sermon on the Mount. :) Bottom line: We must rightly divide the word of truth - in other words, properly interpret Scripture.
ReplyDeleteI posted the previous comment after I watched your Sunday Preaching and you actually said plainly that we don't need to ask for forgiveness. I thought that is what you were alluding to here, but wasn't sure until I watched the Sunday Preaching vid.
ReplyDeleteI thought maybe you might use hermeneutics in your explanation. So, since Jesus did his teachings to those before the law, are we to dismiss everything that Jesus taught? Are we not to pray like he taught? Do we not acknowledge God's ways before our ways? Are we not to be concerned with the world before we petition for our needs? Are we not to ask Him for a daily provisions? Should we even talk to God at all?
It just seems that this not confessing or acknowledging to God when we miss the mark is missing the mark on the RELATIONSHIP we have with him. I hope that we don't approach all of our love relationships in this manner. This just seems a little too cut and dry.
I'm glad you watched the Sunday Preaching broadcast, Sateena. It's hard to give lengthy and full explanations in a short space like a blog. To answer your concerns, I take the words of Jesus seriously enough to use principles of hermeneutics in understanding His meaning. Allow me to ask you a question: Do you believe that everything Jesus said should be applied to you? You are correct in understanding that I believe that not all his words were directed to New Covenant believers, but rather some were directed to those under the Law. So, let's start with the question I've asked: Do you believe that you are to personalize and apply all that Jesus said to your own life?
ReplyDeleteActually, I take the words of Jesus very seriously in my life. He is God. I also understand how he taught through parables and other ways. When He says, do it this way, then I believe it should be done that way. I also understand that understanding scripture is not to just take a verse and apply it. It's about reading it in context. I think when we throw out what he says in the prayer about trespasses, then the whole passage should be thrown out. It's a complete thought he is communicating. I'm not advocating throwing out the way he taught us to pray. Yes, I take very seriously what Jesus taught and read it in context and try to understand his way of teaching by his words. Like hating your family is not literal, or cutting off body parts... If we look at those passages well with God's spirit in us, then we will understand well what Jesus was teaching.
ReplyDeleteThat is totally off the subject of your posted blog and that is an interesting rabbit to chase. But I'd really like to stick to the aspect of relationship to a God who loves us so much he has extended this grace gift to us. In a relationship such as that, I don't believe that when one who has that love gift would just blow off something he knows good and well that is not a pleasing thing to do or something that does not glorify God. In any love relationship, that love will compel us to say, "Hey man, I really messed up and I really don't want to do that." I don't believe that the love grace that God so lavished upon us will cause us to say to ourselves "Boy am I glad I have no responsiblity to talk about this with my beloved". I don't think that is a healthy love relationship.
Sateena, the point is not at all off the subject. I think you protest the point because it actually undermines your view and since you don't have an answer for it, you dismiss it. The exact point here is that ALL our sins are forgiven. You admittedly don't apply the "cut off your body parts" words of Jesus to yourself, yet you insist that His words about asking for forgiveness are to be applied. I think that decision comes from your own preconceived bias. You've acknowledged that we aren't to apply every word Jesus said in a literal way. My point is that when He speaks of asking for forgiveness, that is one of those times.
ReplyDeleteYour suggestion that I think we should ignore sins and not even mention it to God doesn't come from anything I've ever said or written. You are confusing asking for forgiveness with acknowledgment/confession of sin. Of course we admit when we have done wrong! But we don't do it in order to receive forgiveness. We admit it because it is our nature to be transparent and honest with our Father. To say, "I really messed up and don't want to do that" is exactly what a new covenant Christian with the indwelling nature of Christ would do. But saying, "Oh God, please forgive me" is another matter. His answer to that prayer would be, "I already did."
My Sunday Preaching broadcasts are primarily to encourage people, not to offer apologetics to those who oppose what I teach. If you would like more information I've written on the biblical teaching that all our sins are already forgiven, I recommend that you read my books, Grace Walk, Grace Rules and A Divine Invitation. I dealt with the subject of complete forgiveness in all three of those books.
I understand that this view of forgiveness may be new to you, but I encourage you not to instantly reject it simply because it doesn't fit with what you've always believed.
Thanks for clarifying. We agree. I don't think I'm opposing what you are teaching. I just needed clarification of what you were really saying. I got the impression that we have no responsibility in our grace walk with sin in the snippets you have shared that I have been able to hear or read. You have answered the question "What do we DO with sin?" Saying we don't have to ask forgiveness, to me, was incomplete. I appreciate you engaging me in this dialogue to clarify what we do do with sin in our life in relation to God. Acknowledge and Confess it is different than asking forgiveness when it's already forgiven.
ReplyDeleteI ordered Grace Walk about 3 weeks ago. Unfortunatley I will receive it in about 1 month.
I've really enjoyed finding your site and am encouraged by what I have been able to read. I've shared your site and many of your entries with many friends. I look forward to learning more of your insights in the Grace Walk.
If "Confess it is different than asking forgiveness", could you explain 1 John 1.8-10ss that had written after the cross?
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question, domain. 1 John was written to a mixed group. There were believers and there were gnostics, who were not believers. John was writing to both. The text you've referenced was written to the gnostics. Here's an article that my dear friend, Bill Gilham wrote about the subject. Since I can't improve on what he said, I'll just refer you to it: http://www.lifetime.org/john-bane-blessing-w-503.html
ReplyDeleteHmm...I thought it would convert it to a link. Just copy and paste the address into your address field and then go to their site to see it.
ReplyDeletehow bout these passages...matthew 6:14-15 matthew 18:23-25 romans 3:25 1john 1:9 2peter 3:14 james 5:15 2peter 1:9......thers more verses all thruout the bible but ill just give u these
ReplyDeleteand so if thats the case then everyone is going to heaven then because it says in 1john 4:12 that He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins not only for ours but for the whole world...and as what your saying here it includes the future sins
ReplyDeleterheylou - the fact that all our sins are forgiven doesn't mean that everybody is going to heaven. It's not unforgiveness that keeps people out of heaven. It's unbelief. The finished work of Christ is a reality but one must believe it and accept His acceptance to experience the benefit of it.
ReplyDeleteAs to future sins being forgiven, did Jesus deal with our sins on the cross? How many of them were future when He died?
rheylou - I'm sure you know that none of those verses are new to me. I've read them all. We both know what they say but what do they MEAN? (CAPS=italics here, not shouting) I encourage you to get my series "Dancing with Deity" where I deal with texts like these that seem to suggest that it's up to us to do something to be forgiven. They don't mean that or else the Bible contradicts itself and we know that's not the case.
ReplyDeleteNo offense to you Steve, but your last comment doesn't address scriptural references written AFTER the Cross. There are numerous verses that tell us to confess and ask for forgiveness for sin after initial salvation.
ReplyDeleteNOTE: The following quote is not intended to argue a point, cause disbelief, or prove anyone wrong. It is intended to raise questions to the popular belief of forgiveness of future sins. If it is true, then I need some holistic-scriptural clarification, and not opinionated explanations of individual interpretation or relative truth.
Here is a quote on another blog by someone simply named "Ron":
"Any sin committed after conversion can defile a Christian, bring him to his spiritual death and cause him not to inherit the kingdom of God. All of that would be impossible if his future sins were already forgiven before they were committed.
What the Bible teaches about past sins being forgiven at the point of repentance and a submissive faith in Jesus (Acts 20:21 cf. 26:20) is shown in the following Scripture:
But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. (2 Pet 1:9)
That Scripture was written about any person who had been saved, but since has forgotten he was cleansed from his past sin. Please note, a Christian at the point of salvation is cleansed from all his sins up to that moment—his past sins, according to Peter. Similarly, Paul stated below:
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins (Col 2:13)
All our sins were forgiven in a moment’s time when we got born again. If a Christian is afterwards deceived or yields to the devil’s temptations to sin, the following is given as a remedy:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
The Apostle John put himself in on that Scripture by using the plural pronoun we. In other words, if we don’t confess those sins to God, which are committed after conversion, then we won’t be purified from their effects. (Apparently, no person who believes what the security-in-sin teachers proclaim about this will confess his sins to God and renounce them to get purified, since he thinks they are already forgiven.)
He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Prov 28:13)
There are other indications that a Christian’s future sins are not forgiven and that sin can spiritually defile a believer, even though Jesus died for all sins nearly 2000 years ago:
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. (Heb 12:15)
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Cor 7:1)
Also, notice the following Scripture which shows that the Apostle Paul knew of some who wandered away from a pure heart. In other words, sin can adversely affect a pure heart. This would be impossible if their future sins were already forgiven:
The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. (1 Tim 1:5,6)
As Christians, we are also to have a certain frame of mind, a certain type of hope that will purify:
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. (1 John 3:2,3)
(CONTINUED) Jesus taught openly that sin can drag any lustful person to hell:
ReplyDeleteBut I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. (Mat 5:28,29)
The Lord also stated the stipulation for a Christian to get his sins forgiven, that is, he must forgive others who sin against him. Such a teaching would be impossible if his future sins were all automatically forgiven even before they were committed. If that was true then there would be no conditions to get forgiven, unlike what Jesus stated:
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Mat 6:14,15)
Then the master called the servant in. “You wicked servant,” he said, “I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart. (Mat 18:32-35)
That is not all we read about a Christian’s sins getting forgiven. The prayer of faith can bring healing to the body, as well as forgiveness of sins:
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. (James 5:14,15)
Another deathblow to the lie that a Christian’s future sins are already forgiven is the following passage:
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. (Heb 10:26, 27)
Clearly, Heb. 10:26,27 is referring to people who had been converted then decided to deliberately sin in a certain way. Instead of believing the ear-tickling deadly lies of our day, let’s all cleave to the message of the Bible. Among other things it will show us the following, which also would be impossible if a Christian’s future sins were already forgiven:
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (2 Pet 3:14)
Being found spotless, blameless and at peace with God is not automatic. Christians under grace are to put forth every effort to remain in this condition:
Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. (Luke 13:24)"
I know it's alot, and you have addressed a few of the issues, such as the Lord's Prayer applicable to only those of that time before the Cross. But why would parts of the Bible, written AFTER the Cross, refer to confession, asking for forgiveness, repentance, etc.?
Please note that I am NOT TRYING TO START AN ARGUMENT, or mislead anyone. I am simply inquiring scriptural truth. (CONTINUED)
(CONTINUED) I absolutely believe that God's grace given to us through the Cross gives us forgiveness (whe we confess and ask for it), but from what I interpret, the Word also says to confess, repent, and ask for forgiveness AFTER SALVATION for FUTURE SINS. From what I understand, daily confession, asking for forgiveness, and repentance, helps us to realize what areas we are failing at. I have believed for many years that God has forgiven my past sins at the moment of initial belief, confession, and acceptance of His forgiveness, but NOT FUTURE SINS. I was told by a preacher recently to not be paranoid about sins after salvation because Jesus’ sacrifice and grace forgave any future sins as well. However, that didn’t sit right with my spirit. I do understand that God's grace is ENOUGH, and to not tread the line of Grace vs Works. But I believe, thusfar, daily confession of our sins keep us “in check” and ensure that we continually have fellowship with Him. If our future sins were already forgiven, we have no continual need for Him, thus defeating the entire purpose of His sacrifice.
ReplyDeleteThank you in advance for your response.
So is it your teaching, that Christ paying for our sins and Christ forgiving us of our sins, is the smae thing?
ReplyDeleteNo, Christs' sacrifice and us asking for forgiveness are separate actions. It's just weird that, if we have forgiveness of future sins, then why are there references in the Bible about believers not holding fast to His teachings and thrown in to the fire or cast out?
ReplyDeletePeople who believe that they loose their salvation at the moment of their first sin after they accepted Christ, and they need to repent again in order for Christ to save them run into many problems such as "making their assurance of salvation sure" which we are call to do in 2 peter 1:10
ReplyDeleteHebrews 10:26-29 NIV
ReplyDelete26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
This passage had me scared and very frustrated at one point in my life. There was a man who constantly told me to read this passage every time he seen me smoking a cigarette. I now realize that if this passage is talking about believers who deliberately sin after receiving Christ, then we are all going to hell. We all sin and fall short . There is no one who seeks God . There is no one righteous. If we could make it to heaven by being good enough and following God, Christ would have died for nothing. I think Peter was addressing people who received the gospel but did not accept it. Salvation does not depend on our works, but the finished work on the cross. He chose us, we did not choose him. Once I realized that it is truly by grace, not by works, it has transformed me and set me free and now I can enjoy the peace Jesus said he would leave. Now I want to do good works because he loved us so much, and not because I have to be a slave for fear of being punished! Why would we praise a God for salvation and forgiveness if we earned it? Wouldn't we say, I praise myself because I was good enough to make it to heaven? What a beautiful thing God the Father done by giving his son Jesus Christ to us while we were sinners.
Amen! If future sins aren't forgiven, then that suggests that we would need to do something to receive God's forgiveness. If we need to do something to receive God's forgiveness, then we are putting faith in our own actions and not in the finished works of Christ! If we can be saved by our own actions, then Jesus died in vain. It's just like in Hebrews 9 & 10 when they were still trying to be forgiven by sacrificing goats and bulls, but Christ was sacrificed once in for all! Just as they couldn't be forgiven be goats and bulls, we can't be forgiven by our won confessions.
ReplyDeleteTHIS LYING PREACHING. JESUS FORGAVE US OF OUR PAST SINS ONLY. IF WE WERE FORGIVEN OF OUR FUTURE SINS THEN WE CAN GO ON SINNING BUT HE SAID NO; REPENT; BE BAPTISED; RUN THE RACE; BE PERFECT AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT; BE HOLY; BE WITHOUT SPOT NOR BLEMISH; BE PURE. I CAN QUOTE HUNDREDS MORE ON THIS BUT YOU CAN READ IT IN YOUR BIBLE. YOU MR PREACHER ARE LEADING THESE PEOPLE TO HELL.
ReplyDeletesandradee - I encourage you to look up the word "grace" in your Bible. It's a study that might change how you see things and even cause you to behave better (since you seem to be so interested in behavior).
ReplyDelete(On a completely unrelated matter, if you press the "CAPS LOCK" key on your computer, every letter you type won't be capitalized. To do what you've done is normally reserved to indicate shouting - assuming you weren't trying to scream at me)