The previous lesson covered the subject of when sins are forgiven. After forgiveness there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about how sin is continually forgiven, and thus the idea that one must ask for forgiveness in order to stay in favor with God. The idea comes from a lot of different places and this lesson will deal with two related issues; sins that are past of Romans and grace.

Paul wrote to the Romans: [Rom 3:24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [Rom 3:25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [Rom 3:26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.  Justification is given freely without works inducing God to make such a declaration of not guilty, the meaning of justification. That declaration comes from God’s grace (showing unmerited favor to mankind for no other reason than God wanted to save us when he didn’t have to do so) seen in the redemption of Christ buying us out of sin.

The remission of sins that are past relates to the fact that God rolled the sins forward from year to year and didn’t hold the sins of the children of Israel (Jews) against them. Those sins were not held against them since God had promised that the Messiah and Redeemer would deliver them into righteousness at some point in the future. Those who died in faith looking for the Messiah, believing that one day he would appear, were saved by his death. The sins up to the time of the cross were remitted for all of those who believed God. Thus Paul used the words sins that are past to refer to those acts prior to Jesus.

Through a misunderstanding of verse 25 people believe that only previous sins were covered by the blood of Jesus, mistakenly thinking current sins aren’t covered and thus the necessity to ask forgiveness. If that idea is true then one that suddenly dies before having the chance to ask forgiveness would be irretrievably and forever lost.

The idea is false because grace is the operative word. Paul wrote a treatise on grace in Ephesians beginning with Chapter 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (confer with Romans) Then he went on and wrote:  [Eph 2:4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [Eph 2:5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) [Eph 2:6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [Eph 2:7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. [Eph 2:8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [Eph 2:9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Eph 2:10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God’s grace is credited to and covers all those who have obeyed the gospel and walk in faith. Paul makes it clear that we are saved by grace through faith and we have nothing to do with God’s offering salvation to us. It isn’t offered because of our works; but rather it is given freely and then we are free to work for others since we are saved.

John wrote: [1 John 1:7] 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. [1 John 1:8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [1 John 1:9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [1 John 1:10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 

The idea expressed by John is that we are in a state of continued forgiveness and continued cleansing as expressed by the Greek perfect tense settling the issue. And the teaching is to confess sins (agreeing with God that we are sinners in need of His continuing grace) not ask for forgiveness. The sins that we committed before obedience are gone in Christ and by his continuing grace this side of baptism we are covered as we walk as God’s children in the light of Christ.

© 02-16-2006 DEC

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