Do Christians Have To Keep Asking For Forgiveness For Each Sin?

[RJ]

A frequent question is “what happens if I sin, and then I die before I have an opportunity to confess that sin to God?” Another common question is “what happens if I commit a sin, but then forget about it and never remember to confess it to God?” Both of these questions rest on a faulty assumption. Salvation is not a matter of believers trying to confess and repent from every sin they commit before they die. Salvation is not based on whether a Christian has confessed and repented of every sin. Yes, we should confess our sins to God as soon as we are aware that we have sinned. However, we do not always need to be asking God for forgiveness. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, all of our sins are forgiven. That includes past, present, and future, big or small. Believers do not have to keep asking for forgiveness or repenting in order to have their sins forgiven. Jesus died to pay the penalty for all of our sins, and when they are forgiven, they are all forgiven (Colossians 1:14; Acts 10:43).

 

[Dave M]

I agree, I think your two examples represents great exceptions to the rule. But I have to ask you, to make sure we are clear, if you sin and remember it and choose not to repent then what?

 

[RJ]

I agree, I think your two examples represents great exceptions to the rule. But I have to ask you, to make sure we are clear, if you sin and remember it and choose not to repent then what?

I am not sure I understand your" great exceptions to the rule"...what rule?

• To generally answer your question, the thread was about true, "Born Again" Christians. With that respect, if it pleases you stop, repent and ask God for forgiveness for each sin, that is fine and up to you but it is not meant that this is a requirement from God on a continued basis. I would comment that Jesus died for sins over 2000 years ago...once for all sins! Your salvation was secured the moment you confessed your sins / that you were sinful and repented to God and your were given the Holy Spirit....it is not predicated you continually asking for forgiveness over and over again...you now have Christ in you and one of the "first Fruits" (works) in you is a repentant heart and the desire to not willfully sin anymore. Also, I would remind one that continued forgiveness is not a requirement based on the fact what God says about the law. You will recall that he said , if you failed one aspect of the law, you would be guilty of failing all of the law. Since God doesn't change and if continued repentance and confession were a requirement, then the same would be true, you would have to repent and confess each sin perfectly, 24/7.
• if you sin and remember it and choose not to repent then what?[/QUOTE]....Sinning, remembering it, not repenting would be an indication of willfully sin and what true Christian does that. I know as I, when you sin and you see it ( a first fruit of salvation) , you have remorse and want to thank God for what he has done for you.
• This is how I feel, some really get upset over it. If you disagree and feel that you need to continually repent, I am not saying you are any less saved than I am, I am just saying it is not necessary and I don't believe it is what Jesus meant about being set free with the truth.

 

[Dave M]

I do not think you answered my question,

 

[amadeus2]

Consider David the king. He pleased God because his heart was right in the things of God. If our hearts, which are what God is looking at rather than each action we take, are right, then we will, like David, be prepared to do whatever is necessary when we realize we have taken a wrong step.

When David sinned in the matter of Bathsheba and her husband Uriah he was guilty on two points, which under the law required the death penalty: adultery and murder. David knew that and when confronted with his sins by the prophet, Nathan, he repented but he also expected to die. The prophet said, no, that he would not die that his sins had already been forgiven. God has always looked to the heart rather than to the actions of a man.

If we are convicted in our own hearts of a need to repent and pay the price, God's price, then we had better pay that price. God does know what we are thinking to say before the words come to our mouth, but He still wants us to make it all right... sometimes including words.

For example if we have murdered a man, we may immediately repent before God and be forgiven, but we still have to pay the price that society provides... and God is very aware of this. We have walk the entire pathway even if we have already been forgiven. Presuming that I did not need to repent is not a presumption that I would be willing to make.

God has never changed:

"For I am the LORD, I change not..." Mal 3:6

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." Prov 21:2

 

[Ophel]

If we are truly walking with Jesus in full awareness of the grace in which we live, when we sin, we need to CONFESS it---agree with God about it---and then thank God for His forgiveness that we received when we were saved, for it was at that point in our lives that God forgave us for all our sin---past, present and future. It is knowing this that instills joy within us! God imputes no sin to us, but on His Son.


.

 

[RJ]

I do not think you answered my question,

Sorry, I did the best I could, maybe you are looking for something else?

 

[Dave M]

Hey RJ

Cyber space things gets absorbed by people differently . WHat made me say I did not think you answered the question about a Christian who sins you said something like no Christian sins willfully, which was not what I was getting at, or maybe just to take it a step farther what about when a Christian sins un willfully, for example a Christian may have un pure thoughts of lust which may creep into his or her mind. I would say that might be a example of a person who sins unwillingly but never the less knows they sinned so they should repent, so do you think they do not have to repent on this matter??

 

[RJ]

Hi, @Dave M
Great questions that get to the crutch of the matter.

what about when a Christian sins un willfully, for example a Christian may have un pure thoughts of lust which may creep into his or her mind

This is exactly one of my points. Jesus died once and for all sins. We of course are incapable of not sinning perfectly 24/7. In this example, it would be no different than say fear or doubt.... I am sure you , like all of us, have different degrees of fear and doubt, do you ask for forgiveness for each of those...I'm sure you do some but, do you get them all? What about the ones you miss or are not cognitive of? Of course the answer is Jesus took care of those.

I would say that might be a example of a person who sins unwillingly but never the less knows they sinned so they should repent,??

As, I have already mentioned, I don't think you will know when you sin, all of your sins, 24/7 until you die. Say, you sin, knowingly or unknowingly on this exact time and date five years from now? God took care of that at the cross over 2000 years ago and has the power to see that and forgive you before the foundation of the world.

so do you think they do not have to repent on this matter??

If I sin and know it, I am repentant and remorseful of it. That doesn't mean I go to God and plead for forgiveness, I thank him for what he has done for me and will work to improve that situation. If I were not already saved, i.e...forgiven, I wouldn't recognize the sin at all. much less have a repentant heart over it.
Like I have said before, I am sure you are just as saved as I am....if you have a need to try and see / remember each sin you commit, more power to you and I hope you don't beat yourself up when you don't or forget to do this! Romans 8:1

 

[B-A-C]

Well first let me say... there is a difference between being forgiven before you were born, (some say
even before the earth was created) and being saved after you make a conscious choice to accept
Jesus. After you are saved, all sins you have committed up to that point are forgiven.

Often, many people feel the need to confess past sins, I don't know that this is required in every
instance, but most Christians I know have done this at some point in their walk, not so much because
it's required, but rather they felt compelled in their spirit to do so.

Sometimes when people become Christians, they are living in sin when they become a Christian.
There are several kinds of sin.
Sins that we do that we don't really think about, or may be unaware that we are doing.
Even going over the speed limit in your car is technically a sin, but we usually don't stop and
think about it everyday. I hear new Christians often say OMG, or "Jeez", and taking the Lords
name in vain is a sin. But they don't usually think about it.
Sins that we are still struggling with, even after we become a Christian. maybe drugs, smoking,
pornography, homosexuality, usually some type of addictive sin.
Sins against God, vs sins against another person. If I think a lustful thought about a woman,
and never tell her, or anyone else. The only person it affects is me (unless I'm married).
But it's still a sin against God, even if it doesn't hurt anyone but me. If I steal something from
someone, or lie about someone, or physically (or emotionally) hurt someone... then it no longer
is only between me and God. Now someone else is involved.
There are big, weighty sins... fornication, adultery, murder, abortion, etc... These aren't more
of a sin than any other sin, but they have greater consequences.
Finally there are sins that are sin... but we refuse to call them sin. So we keep "practicing them".
We go on "willfully" sinning. Unrepentant sin.

We don't always fully repent of every sin immediately when we get saved.
Some still struggle with smoking, pornography, homosexuality even after they get saved.
They pray about it. They really want to quit... but for some reason they haven't been able to yet.

There is something called grace. Grace is for sins that we don't know are sins. Unconscious sins.
Grace is for sins we have repented of... and possibly even sins we are trying to repent of even after we become saved.
But if we know about certain sins... I might be living with someone, I might be in a homosexual relationship,
I might be an alcoholic, perhaps I work for an abortion clinic. It's not always easy or possible to quit these
things at the exact moment we get saved.

Sometimes it takes time.

So if I repent and quit practicing them after some time.... that's great. But I was still doing them after I got
saved.
Also... what if I claim to be saved... but never quit... am I still forgiven?
I just go on living in fornication, or homosexuality, or child molesting, or whatever it might be.
Am I forgiven? Am I forgiven of these things in advance? I never have to quit doing them?
I never have to ask for forgiveness?

When the disciples asked Jesus how they should pray, Jesus gave them the Lords prayer....,
Jesus tells us to ask for forgiveness (from the Father) just as we forgive others.
Were they already forgiven? If so... why would they need to pray this?

Also... perhaps someone sinned against me. Maybe they had an affair with my wife, or molested one
of my children, or stole something from me. I have to forgive them. The Bible says
God forgives us as we forgive others. What if I never forgive them? Am I still forgiven?

1st John... says if we confess our sins... he is faithful to forgive us... but what if we never ask?
If we say we have no sin... we are liars.

 

[B-A-C]

Jesus washed the disciples feet. Peter asked Jesus to wash all of him.
Jesus said.. whoever is washed is already clean..... but they still need to have their feet washed
sometimes. We don't have to get re-saved every time we sin. But we need to make things right
between our brothers before we come to the altar and bring our petitions to the Lord.

Paul said where sin increases... grace must increase. Every sin we do... even after we are
Christians, requires more grace. But we cannot turn the grace of our Lord and savior into
licentiousness... into a license to sin and live however we want.

Some will say... if they go on living that way they were never saved in the first place...

perhaps..

But then you are basing whether they are saved or not... on the sins they are committing.

 

[B-A-C]

Judas was an apostle. Was he forgiven in advance? ( Acts 1:25; ) Jesus chose Judas (John 15:16-19; )
Ananias and Sapphira were believers and members of the church. ( Acts 5:1-10; ) Were they forgiven?
Was the man in the church having an affair with his fathers wife forgiven in advance? ( 1 Cor 5:1-5; )
If so... why was he handed over to satan?

Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. ( 1 Jn 2:2; )
But the whole world isn't forgiven or saved. Only those who chose Christ. Only those who repent.

There are many verses about our sins being completely forgiven, and as far as the east is from the west,
and God will remember them no more.. those are great verses, they are all true.
But none of them say you are forgiven of all your sins in advance. What God forgives is forgiven.
He doesn't have to forgive again. But that doesn't mean every is already forgiven.

 

[RJ]

Well first let me say... there is a difference between being forgiven before you were born, (some say
even before the earth was created) and being saved after you make a conscious choice to accept
Jesus. After you are saved, all sins you have committed up to that point are forgiven.

Often, many people feel the need to confess past sins, I don't know that this is required in every
instance, but most Christians I know have done this at some point in their walk, not so much because
it's required, but rather they felt compelled in their spirit to do so.

Sometimes when people become Christians, they are living in sin when they become a Christian.
There are several kinds of sin.
Sins that we do that we don't really think about, or may be unaware that we are doing.
Even going over the speed limit in your car is technically a sin, but we usually don't stop and
think about it everyday. I hear new Christians often say OMG, or "Jeez", and taking the Lords
name in vain is a sin. But they don't usually think about it.

Scripture says the only unforgivable sin is Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, all other sins will be forgiven!
Sins that we are still struggling with, even after we become a Christian. maybe drugs, smoking,
pornography, homosexuality, usually some type of addictive sin.
Sins against God, vs sins against another person. If I think a lustful thought about a woman,
and never tell her, or anyone else. The only person it affects is me (unless I'm married).
But it's still a sin against God, even if it doesn't hurt anyone but me. If I steal something from
someone, or lie about someone, or physically (or emotionally) hurt someone... then it no longer
is only between me and God. Now someone else is involved.
There are big, weighty sins... fornication, adultery, murder, abortion, etc... These aren't more
of a sin than any other sin, but they have greater consequences.
Finally there are sins that are sin... but we refuse to call them sin. So we keep "practicing them".
We go on "willfully" sinning. Unrepentant sin.

We don't always fully repent of every sin immediately when we get saved.
Some still struggle with smoking, pornography, homosexuality even after they get saved.
They pray about it. They really want to quit... but for some reason they haven't been able to yet.

There is something called grace. Grace is for sins that we don't know are sins. Unconscious sins.
Grace is for sins we have repented of... and possibly even sins we are trying to repent of even after we become saved.
But if we know about certain sins... I might be living with someone, I might be in a homosexual relationship,
I might be an alcoholic, perhaps I work for an abortion clinic. It's not always easy or possible to quit these
things at the exact moment we get saved.

Sometimes it takes time.

So if I repent and quit practicing them after some time.... that's great. But I was still doing them after I got
saved.
Also... what if I claim to be saved... but never quit... am I still forgiven?
I just go on living in fornication, or homosexuality, or child molesting, or whatever it might be.
Am I forgiven? Am I forgiven of these things in advance? I never have to quit doing them?
I never have to ask for forgiveness?

When the disciples asked Jesus how they should pray, Jesus gave them the Lords prayer....,
Jesus tells us to ask for forgiveness (from the Father) just as we forgive others.
Were they already forgiven? If so... why would they need to pray this?

Also... perhaps someone sinned against me. Maybe they had an affair with my wife, or molested one
of my children, or stole something from me. I have to forgive them. The Bible says
God forgives us as we forgive others. What if I never forgive them? Am I still forgiven?

1st John... says if we confess our sins... he is faithful to forgive us... but what if we never ask?
If we say we have no sin... we are liars.

All your sins are forgiven, except one!
Mark 3:28-30: "Truly I tell you, all sins and blasphemes will be forgiven for the sons of men. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin.

 

[B-A-C]

will be

will be.. not already has been.

 

[RJ]

will be.. not already has been.

With you for sure,you continue to live under that bondage but,with me, not so!

 

[Christ4Ever]

Your question: Do Christians Have To Keep Asking For Forgiveness For Each Sin?

If you had phrased it should they. I would have said yes instead of the no I selected.

Love you brother RJ!
YBIC
C4E
<><

 

[RJ]

Your question: Do Christians Have To Keep Asking For Forgiveness For Each Sin?

If you had phrased it should they. I would have said yes instead of the no I selected.

Love you brother RJ!
YBIC
C4E
<><

Very well put, I couldn't agree more!:thumbsup:

 

[RJ]

After you are saved, all sins you have committed up to that point are forgiven.

So, sins after you are saved are not forgiven?.....I suppose you have scripture to support this?

 

[RJ]

So if I repent and quit practicing them after some time.... that's great. But I was still doing them after I got
saved.

That seems like a personal problem. You were either not saved or, see in Romans 7 how Paul said he struggled after his conversion, then see what his conclusion was in Romans 8:1

 

[RJ]

There are many verses about our sins being completely forgiven, and as far as the east is from the west,
and God will remember them no more.. those are great verses, they are all true.
But none of them say you are forgiven of all your sins in advance. What God forgives is forgiven.
He doesn't have to forgive again. But that doesn't mean every is already forgiven.

You shouldn’t fear that you will lose your salvation every time you commit a sin. If that were the case, you and I would lose our salvation every day–because we sin every day. Even if our actions are pure, our thoughts often are not. And even if our actions and thoughts are pure, we still sin because of the good things we should be doing but fail to do.

• Hebrews 9:26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.....He appeared once, died once for all sins. In order for your need to be forgiven for future sins, it would require Jesus to be sacrificed again and again....that is not going to happen!
• Before, sacrifices had to be repeated annually at the Day Of Atonement ...Hebrews 10:12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
• Please brother, stop changing or fighting scripture to support your own narrative.