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Scripture is clear there is no limit to God's forgiveness. Psalm 103:12 in particular notes, "as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us." When a person repents, God completely removes our sins.
In 1 John 1:9 we are also promised, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Our role is to confess our sins. When we do, He forgives. Why? Because He is faithful and just. As 2 Timothy 2:13 teaches, "if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself."
Another powerful example is found in Matthew 18:21-22: "Then Peter came up and said to [Jesus], 'Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" Peter wanted to know the limit to forgiveness. Jesus answered in a way that made it clear there is no limit to forgiveness with God.
The apostle Paul was one of the greatest leaders of the early church. Yet he continued to struggle with sin as a believer. In Romans 7:18-20 he wrote, "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me." We still sin as believers, yet we fight temptation and seek to do what is right.
Of course, God's unlimited forgiveness is not an excuse to continue sinning. Romans 5:20—6:4 makes this clear. Instead, His grace should cause us to devote our lives to Him in faithful service. The apostle Paul began his letters by referring to himself as a servant of Christ Jesus, as did many of the other New Testament writers. Even Jesus set the example of a servant by washing the feet of His disciples (John 13) and giving His life as a sacrifice for our sins.
In fact, Scripture is clear those who do not live a changed life and habitually continue in sin are not true believers: "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:8-10). A person who does not seek to do what is right and does not love others proves he or she has not been changed by God's grace.
In 1 John 1:9 we are also promised, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Our role is to confess our sins. When we do, He forgives. Why? Because He is faithful and just. As 2 Timothy 2:13 teaches, "if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself."
Another powerful example is found in Matthew 18:21-22: "Then Peter came up and said to [Jesus], 'Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" Peter wanted to know the limit to forgiveness. Jesus answered in a way that made it clear there is no limit to forgiveness with God.
The apostle Paul was one of the greatest leaders of the early church. Yet he continued to struggle with sin as a believer. In Romans 7:18-20 he wrote, "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me." We still sin as believers, yet we fight temptation and seek to do what is right.
Of course, God's unlimited forgiveness is not an excuse to continue sinning. Romans 5:20—6:4 makes this clear. Instead, His grace should cause us to devote our lives to Him in faithful service. The apostle Paul began his letters by referring to himself as a servant of Christ Jesus, as did many of the other New Testament writers. Even Jesus set the example of a servant by washing the feet of His disciples (John 13) and giving His life as a sacrifice for our sins.
In fact, Scripture is clear those who do not live a changed life and habitually continue in sin are not true believers: "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:8-10). A person who does not seek to do what is right and does not love others proves he or she has not been changed by God's grace.
