If We are Already Forgiven of Our Sins, then Why Do We Ask for Forgiveness?
Our God is a God of forgiveness (Neh 9:17), and how blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Ps 32:1). We have rebelled against the Lord our God (Dan 9:9), but there is forgiveness with Him that He may be feared (Ps 130:4).
The Bible teaches us that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Heb 9:22). In this, those who are cleansed from sin have redemption through Jesus’ blood (Eph 1:7). Christians are bought with a price (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor 6:20; 7:23). They have been purchased out of the slave market of sin (Rom 6:6).
Forgiveness of sins is only secured by way of God’s unconditional covenant, whereby, God agrees to forgive those whose sins have been paid-in-full. Knowing that there is no one who has what it takes to redeem himself, one’s full reliance must be on the finished work of Jesus at the cross of Calvary. This is true Christian faith.
Trusting in the blood of the covenant, poured out for many (Mt 26:28), goes against the inclinations of the natural man (1 Cor 2:14). Repentance for forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in Jesus’ name, to all the nations (Mk 16:15; Lk 24:47). This was John the Baptist’s preaching, which led to a water baptism that demonstrated to the people, a need to be clean from sin (Lk 3:3; Eph 5:25).
Following the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and enthronement of our Lord Jesus Christ, Peter preached, “Repent and each one of you be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, Rom 5:5).
It is God who grants repentance to His people, the church, the Israel of God (Gal 6:6) and forgives our sins (Acts 5:31; 11:18). Upon hearing the good news that we serve a God who forgives, we are granted a knowledge of salvation (Lk 1:77), which is more than just forgiveness.
Still, there is no salvation and no forgiveness apart from Jesus Christ (Jn 15:5); therefore, through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you (Acts 13:38). The correct response to this proclamation is that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43).
It is exclusively according to His grace that we receive the revelation of what has been done (Acts 26:18), and receive its application (Jn 1:12–13), to the effect that the apostle Paul was able to write, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).” No condemnation means total forgiveness.
To be in union with Christ (1 Jn 4:13), grafted into the true Vine (Jn 15:1), means we have received the application of His blood atonement. As in baptism, we are sprinkled clean. In other words, the Spirit has baptized the elect soul (Mt 3:11), making him alive to God (Eph 2:5). The Spirit abides permanently in him (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11; Heb 13:5). Only those who have been forgiven by God receive the Spirit of His Son (Jn 1:12; 3:36). These have been given eternal life (Jn 10:28; 1 Jn 5:11).
Forgiveness is a finished work, first by Christ’s blood redemption (Jn 19:30), and second, by the Spirit’s application, with its permanent effect. If we have full forgiveness by the eternal works of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, then, why do Christians continue to ask for forgiveness?
Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us (Lk 11:4).” John taught, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:9).”
Every man has an infinite accumulation of sins. Our debt of sin is so great that it demands an eternal punishment in fiery hell to pay for it (Mt 25:46; Jude 1:7). If that is difficult to grasp, consider the infinite value of Christ’s redemption that removes the infinite debt (Col 2:14). It is above all we could think or imagine.
The Christian life is riddled with sins (Rom 7), but there is grief and lament that accompany our offense against the Lover of our souls. As the Christian grows in grace and in the knowledge of the truth (2 Pet 3:18), awareness of one’s sins becomes acute. We have been transformed from being lovers of sin, to being haters of sin, even as God hates sin (Ps 5:5; 11:5).
The born again have no desire to grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30), who lives in the saint (Jas 4:5). The body and soul have become the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). The sweet intimacy between the soul and the Spirit is pure joy. Maintaining the fellowship with the One who promised to never leave nor forsake us (Heb 13:5), is the reason we seek forgiveness, constantly.
There is so much sin in our everyday lives that it is impossible to know every offense, yet with every conviction, there is greater impetus to ask for the forgiveness of each offense brought to mind.
If Jesus told those people He had forgiven, “Go and sin no more (Jn 8:11),” then, how much should we be asking the Spirit of Christ to help us to flee immorality and unethical behavior (1 Cor 6:18), to keep our eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2), and to give us His mind (1 Cor 2:16), with every thought held captive to Him (2 Cor 10:5)?
In conclusion, our justification by Jesus’ blood assures us that our status of, “forgiven,” will not change. Because we still sin and because we love intimate fellowship with Christ, we are quick to confess the sins that so easily encompass us. We ask for forgiveness because it is right to do so, but also because sin still impairs our relationship, and we desire maximum joy. Say you are sorry to God…you’ll be glad you did.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
September 10, 2022
