Forgiveness of Sin

In a church youth retreat, a graduate working in an office came to a preacher and said, “After my salvation I have committed many sins and then confessed them. Sometimes I get guilt feelings when I remember my past sins. How can I be sure that my past sins are forgiven?”

Many believers are besotted by guilt feelings and do not have the assurance of the forgiveness of sins. Here are a few questions raised by young people on forgiveness of sin:

• How can I be certain that God has forgiven my sins?
• I have committed terrible sins after becoming a believer. Will God forgive and accept me?
• I am committing the same sin again and again. Will He forgive me each time?
• I have confessed my sins to God, but I don’t feel forgiven. What should I do?
• I know that the Lord has forgiven my sins but I am not able to forgive myself. What should I do to get rid of this guilt feeling?
• I know that my sins are forgiven and that Christ has paid the cost for it. Then,why should I reap the consequences of my past sins?

Dearly Beloved, you may have questions of this kind. Let us see what the Scripture is saying on forgiveness of sins.

1) God’s guarantee of forgiveness: The Bible assures believers of forgiveness and cleansing of sins.

a) Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let is reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool”.

b) Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins”.

c) Jeremiah 31:34, “…For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more”.

d) Micah 7:19, “he will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all over into the depths of the sea”.

e) Psalm 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far He removed our transgressions from us.”

f) I John 1:7, “….the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanses us from all sin”.

2) God’s promise of forgiveness for confession of sins:

a) I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us over sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.

b) Proverbs 28:13. “He who covers his sins will not prosper. But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy”.

c) Isaiah 55:7, “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon”.

d) Isaiah 44:22, “I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud your sins. Return to Me for I have redeemed you”.

e) Psalm 32:5. “ I acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And You forgave you the iniquity of my sin”.

In these verses the Lord has promised the forgiveness of all our sins when confessed. Will He not forgive sins?”

3) Biblical examples of forgiveness: King David committed adultery and murder. When he confessed his sin he was forgiven. Ps 32:5; 2 Sam. 12:13

Israel wilfully broke the covenant. Moses prayed for their forgiveness and the Lord forgave them. Ex. 32:1-14.

The people of Nineveh came under God’s judgement for their wickedness. But when they fasted, prayed and turned from their evil way. God relented from destroying them.

Samson failed miserably. But God heard his prayer and forgave him. Judges 16:28-31.

Peter denied the Lord Jesus Christ. But when he wept bitterly for his sin, he was forgiven and used mightily.

4) Jesus’ teaching on besetting sin:- When Peter asked the Lord Jesus Christ “….Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” “Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven, but up to seventy times seven.” Matt. 18:21:22. “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not punish us according our iniquities”. Psalm. 103:8,10. So we can go confidently to the throne of grace for getting the mercy in the times of our need. Heb.4:15,16.

5) Forgiveness taught in the Bible: When one commits sin, he comes under the condemnation and wrath of God. But when he confesses the sin, “Jesus Christ the Advocate pleads with the Father because He Himself is the propitiation for the sins of the world”. I Jn. 2:1,2. Hence when we confess our sin we receive two types of forgiveness.

a) Judicial Forgiveness: Our God is a just God. So He must punish the sinner. But when the sinner confesses his sin, God as a Judge forgives the sin on the basis of the work of Christ on Calvary. Rom 3:24-26; 4:24,25. The sinner will also not be punished for his sin, because Jesus Christ had been made sin for him. 2 Cor. 5:21.

b) Parental Forgiveness: The broken fellowship with God due to sin would be restored when the sin is confessed like the prodigal son Luke 15:17-24. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ restores his fellowship with God. I Jn. 1:5-9.

Thus the Bible teaches very clearly on the forgiveness of sins, and answers all the questions asked by people on the problem of the forgiveness of sins.