Ch. 46 Should a Christian ask for forgiveness?
A non-Christian must ask for forgiveness
A non-Christian in the process of becoming a Christian must ask for forgiveness. The non-Christian is spiritually dead in their sins. They must ask God to forgive them and then accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. They must accept that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for their sins. They must believe that it is only by Christ’s death that they are forgiven, and it is not because of any of their good works. If a non-Christian does not admit they are a sinner needing forgiveness, then how can Jesus Christ be their Savior? -- He cannot. The sinner must ask for forgiveness.
The remainder of this chapter addresses a person who is already a born-again Christian. They have already passed from spiritual death to spiritual life by asking for forgiveness and accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. In a nutshell, Jesus’ death on the cross paid for a Christian’s sins: past, present, and future sins.
Why Would A Christian Ask For Forgiveness Over And Over?
Do you ask for redemption over and over? Do you ask for redemption every day? Why not? You do not ask for redemption every day because when Christ redeemed you it was done once and for all. Is that true or not? It is true. You are correct not to ask to be redeemed everyday so, why would you ask for forgiveness every day?
Colossians 1:13–14
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Have you ever been told to ask for redemption repeatedly? No, probably not.
You would probably think it would be a non-biblical thing to do and you
would be right. Why then would you think you should ask for forgiveness
over and over?
Redemption is the forgiveness of sins.
As a born-again believer, asking for redemption over and over is wrong;
since redemption is the forgiveness of sins then asking for forgiveness
over and over again is also wrong.
Forgiveness And Some Implications
Implications of asking God over and over again to forgive your sins after you are already a Christian.
1. When Christ died on the cross how many of your sins were in the future?
Answer: All of them.
2. Christ would have to leave you if there were unforgiven sin in you. Can you lose your salvation? Why did God withdraw his spirit from Adam and Eve? He withdrew His Spirit from within man because of the sin within man, the sin which had not yet been dealt with.
Hebrews 13:5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”
3. What would happen to you if you died before you asked for forgiveness? Lost?
4. What is the only acceptable sacrifice to God which can take away your sin and which provides forgiveness? Is Christ going to die on the cross again? No, if we do that, we put Him to open shame.
Romans 6:9–10
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Hebrews 9:22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Hebrews 6:6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.
5. When you say you need to ask for forgiveness you say there is unforgiven sin, but God says once you have accepted Christ's payment for your sins, all your sins are forgiven.
Colossians 2:13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.