There’s a teaching that seems to be a current talking point that I’m not completely understanding. It goes something like this: the believer is forgiven for ALL his sins even before he commits them! Obviously, being a believer is the requirement for that …. but is this ‘license’? If it sounds like it is… I don’t believe this is the purpose. The basis for my pondering is:
“If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.] 1 John 1:8
The Message states this thought a bit stronger –
“If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. … If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of Him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.” 1 John 1:8, 10
Granted verse 8 is followed by 1 John 1:9 which is a foundational verse for forgiveness. But… doesn’t verse 8 also call into question or at least provide a caveat to the teaching?
The teachings I’ve heard have not focused on the reality of verse 8… or if it did, I somehow missed it. But I also believe my question/wondering does lead to an answer which is found in verse 9
“On the other hand, if we admit our sins—simply come clean about them—He won’t let us down; He’ll be true to Himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. ” MSG
And on this basis, following the requirement… yes we are always forgiven. But it does require us to confess, repent to the Lord.
I’ve added (for myself) and a sincere attempt not to repeat. If you get caught in repeating the same sins over and over also remember Jesus’ words to Peter’s question on how many times are we required to forgive others – 70×7 (Matthew 18: 21-22). And I’ve never believed this as a precise number but as an example. Do we forgive others that many times? If we don’t then how can we possibly expect that we are continually forgiven?
Personally, I think I live in the state of continual forgiveness which dictates to me that I always have to forgive others. I don’t need to be anyone’s doormat or place myself in a position where I repeatedly have to forgive the same person for the same thing (whether they seek my forgiveness or not). This sounds totally counterintuitive. Then again… I think I’m always learning about forgiveness… including forgiving myself. Perhaps there’s a pattern about how we go about forgiving others when we look at how we forgive ourselves?
“Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32, MSG
And after the giving and seeking forgiveness there’s always the issue of accepting the forgiveness. Why would we ever seek forgiveness if we weren’t going to accept it? And do we feel we need to ‘pay’ for our forgiveness or act this way toward others…. but this is an entirely different discussion.
Finally I think I have understood what was being taught. That we always are forgiven because Jesus always stands as our advocate before the Father. (1 John 2:1) but it is in Hebrews that gives me my answer.
“Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].”
Hebrews 4:14-16 AMP
Matthew 7 tells us to ask, seek, knock and it is as we act on this, seek forgiveness that the ‘always forgiven’ becomes a truth we can believe and act in/on completely.
