Friday, July 10, 2020

Past Sins are Forgiven — Past, Present and Future Sins are NOT Pre-Forgiven

When we repent, "present" and "future" sins aren't planned for because what we get by faith in Jesus' blood is the forgiveness of our past sins (Romans 3:25, 2 Peter 1:9). That is how we can begin a relationship with God with a blank slate. 

Pre-forgiveness of past sins would imply that repentance isn't necessary to be reconciled to God and redeemed. It would mean that a mere acknowledgement (belief) of having been forgiven at the cross is all it takes to receive that blank slate at the beginning of one's relationship with God. But what the Bible teaches is far from such presumptions.

And pre-forgiveness of any present or future sins would simply enforce in the minds of people who believe the lie (2 Thessalonians 2:11) that there is no such thing as a way a Christian is called to live (comp. 1 Peter 4:1-3). In other words, sin is not an issue, so it is neither hated nor turned away from, even at the cost of shedding one's blood (Hebrews 12:4)! And surely, it is the path of least resistance that also leads to death (Romans 6:23, James 1:13-15), the path that someone who is not striving to enter through the narrow door to eternal life would take (Luke 13:24, Matthew 7:13-14).

Whenever "present" sins are mentioned in the Bible, it's in the context that people who are living in sin need to repent (e.g. 2 Corinthians 12:21, James 4:4-10, Revelation 2:21, 9:21). 

The apostle Paul argues:

Romans 5:20-21, 6:1-2
20 The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
6:1 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may abound?  2 Absolutely not!  How can we who died to sin still live in it? 


Note well then that sin isn't the expression of grace being at work in someone's life:


Romans 6:12-15
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 Neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? Absolutely not!

Indeed, God's grace isn't his favor for looking the other way from our sins if we're still sinning. It's what teaches us to say 'No' to sin:
Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, 12 instructing us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age; 13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ; 14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

And one will not find anything in the Bible as a plan for "future" sins for someone who comes to God. It would be like talking about getting married and planning for unfaithfulness. It doesn't mean that there can be no forgiveness if unfaithfulness does occur, but unfaithfulness is not inevitable so as to need to be anticipated from the start. Bottom line: it's not the plan. So also, sinning isn't the plan when someone comes to God and gives his/her life to God. Doing righteousness is the plan. That is, doing God's will. And it's terrible to be called a Christian and not know that due to all that is falsely taught today (1 John 4:1, 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:3-4). What righteousness means is being twisted in almost everything that is taught or preached about it. The Bible does say this, which doesn't support the idea of "present" (ongoing) sin, let alone (planned) "future" sins:

1 John 3:6-9
6 Whosoever abides in Him does not sin: whosoever sins has not seen Him, nor known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. 8 He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

That goes hand in hand with what Jesus says to someone He forgives: "Go, and don't sin anymore" (John 8:11).

Be encouraged to have a Bible-based understanding for anything you believe about becoming a Christian and living as a Christian. There is indeed a way to never fall:

1 Peter 1:2-11
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue: 4 By which are given to us exceedingly great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And for this reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge self-control; and to self-control patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Therefore rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be provided to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Take that way. You have to do these things. They were not done and finished for you on the cross. You have to walk the walk, even as God's grace empowers you to.


See also:
 

 




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