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[Jenndiggy]

A friend of mine and myself were arguing a point today.  He is Southern Baptist (not that there is anything wrong with that), and I am not...Im more Pentacostal.  Well, the point we were arguing was that he says that since Christ died on the cross for all of our sins that he only had to do this once...that no matter what we do from that day forward, we are forgiven.  Now, I seem to have a problem with this.  He says that once we ask for forgiveness, that our sins from the past present and future are already forgiven.

The problem that I have with this is that if I ask for forgiveness, then go and kill someone, steal from them, commit adultry, covet my neighbor's property, make a graven image, etc. then it's fine and dandy because I have already been forgiven no matter what I do.

My logic on this is that it CAN NOT be this way...if so, it gives me a license to do what I want and still recieve no punishment from God, because he has already forgiven me for my future sins.  I am sorry, but I just don't buy into it.  If I ask God to be my personal saviour, invite him into my heart, try my best to live a good life but commit a sin in the interim, I have to ask God to forgive me for that sin...I have to profess that sin and let God take it from me.  I cant just say, "Oh well, Im already forgiven so it doesnt matter" and keep living my life.

Does my logic hold water, or am I just nuts?  I am sorry if I have opened up a can of worms with this, but I feel I am right.  Any thoughts?

 

[GraftMeIn]

We do have forgiveness, but we can't use that forgiveness as a license to sin. We should never do what we know to be wrong in the site of God. God knows all that is in our hearts, He sees everything.

 

[Sharky]

Mate i once asked myself that question. Unfortunately i had to learn it the hard way but it was for the best .

I was trapped in sin. Meaning i was addicted to certain sins. These include many habitual sins like lust and rudeness and even psychotic thoughts (don't ask, i was 15-6 then. I tried to look tough )

I had that exact same attitude you had too. I thought that this sin isn't big God has already forgiven me so i continued my many years of living in sin.

One day, i fell into a deep depression. The sin i commit intentionally have begun to blossom their consequences. I couldn't stop myself and the sin i kept doing started to crush me like nothing (this happened over a period of months). Sort of God's way of convicting you.

Then i learnt from romans somewhere that if you continue to sin, you are a slave to sin. When you're a slave to sin, sin takes you to places you don't want to go and in time it gets to a point where sin basically drags you to the worst places you don't want.

I might have trailed off but to put it simply, making a commitment to Christ gets God to convict you. God convicts you for you sin that you do. Eventually, you will begin to not want sin anymore. Sin you commit are unintentional. When you do sin, be quick to confess and ask for forgiveness. You aren't condemned, but you will be convicted.

Hope that helps. If it's not enough tell me. I'll post more.

 

[daisy314]

In the gospel of John chapter 8 Christ commands a woman to go and sin no more. That should be our goal. Yes He died for our sins once only but we still have free choice and need to choose daily not to sin. I agree with
Graftmein it DOES NOT give us a liscense to sin, it becomes an excuse to do what we want and not follow the will of God. I do not think you are nuts just4him I think you are honest and I to seek forgiveness daily.

 

[OracleX]

just4him,

Those are logical questions and there is nothing wrong with asking them.  But, to take that stand doesn't hold water. 

Let me show you some verses...

1 Corinthians 6:9-11   Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Romans 1:28-32  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Galatians 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do (practice) such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Notice a pattern with these verses?  Those who are saved do not practice or do these things.  Yes we make mistakes and yes we will sin and fail before God, but He is faithful to forgive us.  God's grace does not give us a licence to sin.  Those who think that way really need to take a long hard look at the gospel and a hard long look at wether or not they are really saved. 

The first batch of verses are about our sin.  Lets look at some verses about what God has done to forgive us our sins.

Hebrews 10:10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

1 John 1:8-10  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

John 3:16-18  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Romans 5:14-21  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:1-4  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Here is the key - here is your answer: For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Read the entire book of Romans - it will help clear up your questions around this.  God's forgiveness is so amazing!  So wonderful!  Those who sincerly accept His free gift don't want to continue on in the flesh. But as humans we will battle our flesh till we die.  Read Romans 7.  Don't cheapen grace. Romans 6.  Our sin and God's free once and for all free gift.  Romans 5.

Again, there is nothing wrong with your questions.  Just make sure you look to the Word for the right answers.  Feel free to ask more here or PM me if you like.

God bless.