“Grace For The Gaps”

Friday, October 30, 2015

I have always had confusion about how we are forgiven for our sins and the sequence in which this occurs.  This is my understanding/confusion: I understand that after baptism by immersion as a young adult or as an adult capable of making this decision for the reasons outlined in the Bible, we are cleansed of our previous sins and are reborn as christians. Assuming we are attending church and taking communion each Sunday as commanded by Jesus, we are cleansed of our sins weekly (and perhaps when we pray for forgiveness of our sins, too - daily, hourly, or however often).  What happens if we leave church, trip over a curb and curse, thus sinning and are tragically killed later that day in an accident?  We then die without seeking forgiveness for our sins?  I don't think that God would condemn us for this, assuming we are living an otherwise godly life, but I have never had clarity on this issue.  Any insight you can provide would be much appreciated.

 

Thank you!

Sincerely,
Time To Forgive

Dear Time To Forgive,

Your confusion is a common one because the Bible never explicitly states what happens to the sins that we didn’t specifically ask for forgiveness for.  There is no specific verse that deals with this issue; instead, we must look at some of the concepts that are scattered throughout the Scriptures.

1. Jesus is our Advocate (1 Jhn 2:1-3).  Jesus is our High Priest, and He mediates between us and God (1 Tim 2:5).  Jesus wants to intercede for your sins, and He desires to help you get into heaven.
2. God doesn’t desire anyone to be separated from Him (2 Pet 3:9).  No one will ever accidentally go to hell, and no one will accidently miss out on heaven because they didn’t have an opportunity to pray for forgiveness right before they died.  God is ready and willing to forgive (Ps. 86:5).
3. God expects our obedience, and all forgiveness is dependent upon our willingness to draw near to Him with obedient hearts (1 Pet 1:14).  The Bible says that our obedience to Him purifies our souls.  God forgives the faithful and obedient servant (Heb 10:38).
4. John paints a beautiful picture for us in 1 Jhn 1:7 by saying, “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” The word ‘walk’ means ‘to live continually’, and whenever we have that relationship but we accidentally sin, the blood of Jesus continually cleanses us of our sins.

When you consider all of these concepts, the truth on the subject becomes evident; we are forgiven as we ask for forgiveness, and God gives grace in those times when we are unable or ignorant to ask for it.  So continue to ask and pray for forgiveness, but you can also have peace that God’s grace will protect your soul as you do your best to live faithfully.

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