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It is absolutely true that Christ died for sin once for all (Hebrews 7:27). His sacrifice encompasses all sin, past, present, and future. Ephesians 2:6 says that we who have repented and received forgiveness in Christ are even seated with Christ in the heavenly places. We are thus, in a sense of position, identity, and calling, totally forgiven and holy. Colossians 1:13-14 says, "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." As if speaking of a legal contractual agreement being signed and sealed, we were officially transferred from Satan’s ownership to God’s and forgiven of our sins. The result is that we can, by faith in Christ’s work on our behalf and our corresponding repentance, be forgiven of all our sins because our debt is cancelled (Colossians 2:13-14). This is a permanent, once-for-all forgiveness, which we can praise God for each and every day.

Yet the unfortunate reality of our human condition is that we are not yet perfected; thus, we still sin. We cannot let this go unaddressed, for it grieves the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), quenches the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and keeps us from enjoying the privileges that we have in Christ such as joy, peace, and the manifest presence of God (see Psalm 51:11-12). We may even lose out on eternal rewards (2Corinthians 5:10,1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Sin certainly has consequences, and we need to confess it.

The prodigal son provides a great illustration of the need to confess our sin and receive the forgiveness of Christ. He was always the son of the father, though for a time, he didn’t live like it. When he returned to his senses and repented, he recognized that he needed to go and make things right between him and his father. He went home and told his father that he had sinned, and he realized rightly that there was nothing he could do to earn back his father’s favor. Yet what he didn’t realize was that he had never lost his father’s favor, only the benefits of enjoying his fellowship and blessing. His father was deeply grieved, but he still loved his son and wanted him back. He didn’t make the son do penance or remove his standing as a son. He received him openly and with celebration. The son was always loved by his father because he was his son. We, who have trusted Christ by faith, will always be His children (John 1:12), and He will always love us (Hebrews 13:5). All that is His is ours (Luke 15:31).

We are positionally forgiven in Christ, but we sometimes forget what we have in Jesus and choose to indulge the flesh, follow Satan, and please the world. We run like the prodigal to riotous, self-centered living. Yet when we come to our senses and realize that sin is no fun in the end (see Psalm 32:3,4,1 Corinthians 5:5), we want to return to our Father. Did He ever leave us? No. Did He ever forsake us even if we forsook Him? No way. He is simply waiting to pour out His grace on us and receive us back again. Forgiveness has already been provided for in the blood of Christ. What we need to do is own up to our sin (confess), forsake it (repent), and receive the cleansing (be forgiven) of Christ (see Psalm 32:5, Psalm 51:10,12,17). Once we have asked Christ to cleanse our hearts from sin, we simply need to believe that we are received by God in grace and love. There is nothing more that we have to do. We don’t have to "redeem ourselves," for we have already been redeemed in Christ. We don’t have to perform or earn our way back into God’s favor; we simply have to embrace it by faith.

Nothing can ever change the fact that as believers we are God’s children, but our sin can keep us from enjoying God and experiencing the fullness of our relationship with Him. This is why, though we are positionally forgiven, we still need to confess our sins and be conditionally forgiven. If we have dirtied ourselves in the world, it is time to run back to the open arms of our Father and receive His forgiveness which He eagerly desires to bestow.

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

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