That's a question I have. I mean if everything is allready forgiven on the cross, why do I need to ask for forgiveness when I have sinned?
The answer will be more clear if you can answer the negative of this question: What will happen if I don't ask God for forgiveness?
If the sin is grave I don't know what happens. Maybe I lose salvation?
I think for the same reason that I ask my wife for forgiveness. We have a union, and I do not fear that it might be broken. But we also have a communion. So if I sin against her, I should acknowledge that sin and ask for forgiveness.That's a question I have. I mean if everything is allready forgiven on the cross, why do I need to ask for forgiveness when I have sinned?
That is a good question, Zoidar, for those who you insist must first believe or accept penal substitution in your proposition. What exactly do you mean by "penal substitution?"
If you have salvation you study God's word and are grateful for what Christ did for you. You walk in the light. God's word the Bible says,
1 John 1
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Do you believe if you have salvation you can't commit a grave sin?
I think for the same reason that I ask my wife for forgiveness. We have a union, and I do not fear that it might be broken. But we also have a communion. So if I sin against her, I should acknowledge that sin and ask for forgiveness.
In the same way, I repent and ask God for forgiveness as a way of acknowledging that I’ve sinned. It doesn’t change our union, but it positively affects the communion.
Hammster, That is exactly what I was thinking.
The metaphor of of using marriage is a good way of showing the communal relationship. We have a covenant with our wife for life, to love, honor, cherish in sickness and in health, for better or worse, till death do us part, or something like that. Since none of us are perfect, that implies that we have pledged our forgiveness to them for life; yet, out of respect and honor and to maintain a healthy and happy relationship that we can grow in and relish we MUST apologize and and ask forgiveness many, many times. Actually and hopefully, this is emulated from our experiences/relationship with God BEFORE we were married but some are saved after marriage.
I believe that a saved Christian is someone who chose to follow Christ Who is the Light. We love Him because He first loved us.
I need to get offline now.
Now you are going outside the scope of your question.Yet the marriage can be broken if you don't ask your wife for forgiveness. She may divorse you. Has she forgiven you if you don't care to ask her?
Now you are going outside the scope of your question.
I didn’t compare the two. I answered why, if we are forgiven, we still ask for forgiveness.Maybe... I understand the idea of comparing penal substitution to the situation in a marriage. But I believe the comparison is faulty, since there is no "pre-forgivness" in a marriage, which penal substitution teaches.
That's a question I have. I mean if everything is allready forgiven on the cross, why do I need to ask for forgiveness when I have sinned?