Confused by concept of forgiveness

[Saxman]

I am quite confused by the concept of forgiveness. I may have read it wrong, but it seems that no matter what you do God can forgive you and therefore your salvation is not compromised. Surely there are some unforgiveable crimes (in the view of God) like murder, or premarital sex.

I know some Christians who see forgiveness as a get out of jail free card, allowing them to yield to temptation and then repent. My view of this is that if you deliberately sinned and intend to do so in the future, you are not repentant and therefore do not receive salvation. Is this correct?

Also is one forgiven for sins in the past before you were a true practicing Christian?

 

[Lilly of the Valley]

Yes, you are forgiven sins in the past before you got saved. There is one sin, the unpardonable sin (blasphemy the Holy Spirit), that can't be forgiven. When you get saved, you can loose your salvation by misusing the grace of God. That is willfully sinning and using God's forgivness as an excuse. Thus, you aren't repenteant and won't go to heaven. You won't even be forgiven until you truly repent and turn from your ways.

 

[Radagast]

What did Jesus say about adultery?

John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
7 But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11 "No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

And violent crime?

Luke 23:32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left ... 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. "
43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

If you do repent, you are forgiven. Paul says:

1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

-- Radagast

 

[ShetlandRose]

Sometimes Christians worry about committing the unpardonable sin. In the New Testament the Pharisees accused Jesus of doing the works He did by the power of Satan (Matthew 12:24). Jesus said that to attribute to Satan the works of God was unforgiveable. So--when a person truly commits the unpardonable sin, he will not love Christ, not trust in Christ, nor will he want to. He believes that Christ is working by the power of the devil. This does not describe a Christian ever!

ShetlandRose

 

[William Nunn]

There is nothing we can do that Jesus's blood doesn't have the power to wash away.

 

[thereselittleflower]

Sometimes Christians worry about committing the unpardonable sin. In the New Testament the Pharisees accused Jesus of doing the works He did by the power of Satan (Matthew 12:24). Jesus said that to attribute to Satan the works of God was unforgiveable. So--when a person truly commits the unpardonable sin, he will not love Christ, not trust in Christ, nor will he want to. He believes that Christ is working by the power of the devil. This does not describe a Christian ever!

ShetlandRose

I would add something to this . . and I appreciate you giving it its correct context!

Many times people are confronted with the power of the Holy Spirit in ways that they are not prepared for, and so wonder if it is a couterfiet . . and so do not accept the work of the Holy Spirit or may even, thinking they are doing the right thing, say it is of the devil . . but this is done in ignorance . .and is forgivable . .or I could not be standing here with you as a child of God today . .

This, if done in ignorance, is not the same as the unforgivable sin, but it can start you on the path to committing this unforgivable sin . .

To commit the unforgivable sin, there has to be sheer malice towads the Holy Spirit. . Hatred and malice . . and once committed, there is no turning back, and you know this!

So . . I just wanted to add that . . to what you said. .


But all other sin is forgivable . . Christ paid a great price to forgive all men of all their sins . .

BUT . . as far as your salvation being compromised, if you sin and you are unrepentant, yes, your HOPE of salvation is compromised . . but when you truly repent (which means turning 180 degrees away from your sin) and seek forgiveness God is faithful to forgive you . .

You cannot get "saved" then live anyway you want or do anything you want . .

So, if you sin, repent and ask God to forgive you, and commit to changing your life to avoid that sin . .


Peace in Him!

 

[eunice]

well, im not sure if im right, but i dnt think a true Christian wld use God's mercy and forgiveness as a, like u said, free card sort of thing - if that does happen, i dnt thikn that that person was saved in the first place, cuz repentance means turning 180 degrees away from sin, and wel if u sin and repent and sin again willingly and taking an advantage of God's forgiveness, then you havnt really turned away from sin in the first place. right :S?

 

[thereselittleflower]

well, im not sure if im right, but i dnt think a true Christian wld use God's mercy and forgiveness as a, like u said, free card sort of thing - if that does happen, i dnt thikn that that person was saved in the first place, cuz repentance means turning 180 degrees away from sin, and wel if u sin and repent and sin again willingly and taking an advantage of God's forgiveness, then you havnt really turned away from sin in the first place. right :S?

Well, there is no "free" card so to speak.

You have to repent to be forgiven . . but this does not mean that we are instantly perfect and will not fall back into sin . .

Sin creates habits of thought and action . . those habits do not disappear simple because you repent . .

But repentance is an attitude of heart . . it has to be genuine each and every time . . if one genuinely repents, then sins again, it is not because they felt they could go out and do whatever they wanted to . . but because the hold habits overcame their good intentions . . and they fell . .

So, through repenting again, receiving forgiviness, we get up, dust ourselves off and go forward . . . we can fall again . .

But as we do this, as we surrender more and more to Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, these times become less and less as a result of our continued repentance and surrender to God . . . and we become transformed through this process . .


Salvation is a process . . we are first justified . . then comes sanctification which is a process . . .


You can turn from something in sincereity, yet still stumble and fall . .


The only way you will never fall is if you are perfect . . ..


Peace in Him!

 

[TylerHerrin99]

My friend, Our Lord on high is not a God of confustion. But a Lord of order, Do not worrie yourself with the sin of life, more so give thanks for the Lord has saved you! How good is a man that does the same sin over and over again? How much better is the man who does multiple sins daily? that is the gift of God, it is not a get out of jail pass, the Lord knows your heart and mind, you can not hide a thing from him! But to feel bad of your sins, and be stuck in a sin, is what his salvation is about. To get mercy you must have mercy. Dont worrie yourself with anything a man says, the Lord says it plain as day "For the wages of sin is death- BUT<------- the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Meaning all men sin, and no man has life, but through Jesus we have life. So remember His love and do not worrie weather or not someone is using God(NO one can use God)
Love ya!
Blessings my friend
TylerHerrin

 

[The-Sacricolist]

Here's a few thoughts to ponder. Jesus told the thief on the cross next to him, that he would be with him in paradise. The thief was probably also a murderer to recieve crucifixion, so Jesus right there gives salvation to a murderer. The gospel and the entire NT makes it clear that God forgives everything. Look at Paul. He was actually putting Christians in jail (before he was saved), probably sending many to their death. Yet Christ forgave him, and used him greatly. God can forgive anything, saying he can not puts a limit on God, and what can limit God? Nothing, that's for sure

Sam

 

[Rafael]

God is a loving and forgiving Father to those who realize their sins and repent of them. He has open arms for those prodigal sons who return home to Him or those that are born again into new life. However, He also knows when He is being used and doesn't lack wisdom about such things.

Ga 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.