You are Already Forgiven: The sins of all people for all time have already been forgiven because Jesus Christ died for every single person, including you. Christ shed His blood one time on the Cross and because of this all people, including you, are forgiven. The Bible does not teach any other time or any other way that sins can be forgiven (Hebrews 10:12,18; 7:27b).
The notion that forgiveness is only potential, something you must "appropriate" by repentance and faith, is not found anywhere in Scripture. Nor is there any Biblical foundation for confessing sins day after day as is commonly practiced. Note: 1 John 1:9, used to promote the practice of confessing sins, was written to unbelieving Jews, not believers.
Forgiveness is not "salvation" as many believe. Even though all are forgiven, faith in Christ is necessary to be saved because when you believe in Jesus as your Savior, God gives you a new heart indwelled by His eternal life (1 John 5:12).
2 Corinthians 5:19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Mark 3:28 "Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter;
Hebrews 10:12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. (The definitive verse stating clearly and emphatically that forgiveness happened one time, and one time only, on the Cross of Jesus Christ. There is no need for additional attempts at forgiveness, ever. When Jesus sat down next to His Father, it demonstrated clearly that forgiveness was forever finished.)
John 19:30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.
Hebrews 10:18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things (sins), there is no longer any offering for sin.
Colossians 1:20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Romans 5:10a For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, ... (Notice this verse says we were reconciled while we were enemies, not after we became believers in God.)
Hebrews 2:9b ... Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.
Romans 6:10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Hebrews 9:22b ... and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (This is why forgiveness happened only one time, on the Cross of Christ.)
Hebrews 9:26b ... but now once at the consummation of the ages He (Jesus) has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
1 John 2:2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
The Unforgivable Sin: The Sin of Unbelief
Many people worry that they have done something that God will never forgive. There is a widely held false belief that the Holy Spirit's role is to convict people of their sins. This is not true. Instead, the Holy Spirits convicts the world of its unbelief.
John 16:8,9 "And He (Holy Spirit), when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; [9] concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;
Since eternal life is found only in Christ Jesus, rejecting Jesus is the same thing as rejecting His eternal life (1 John 5:12b); this is why unbelief is the one and only unforgiveable sin.
If you feel convicted of some sin, it is your own conscience or a religious system that leads to feelings of guilt and remorse. The Good News really is good news ... all are forgiven!
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