The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins – not just the sins we committed in the past or are committing now, but even the sins we will commit in the future. Here are some key verses that show Jesus’ death on the cross was for all of our sins – past, present and future:
Isaiah 53:5-6 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” This prophecy about Jesus’ death on the cross shows it was for all our sins.
Romans 6:10 says, “For the death he died he died to sin, once for all.” The phrase “once for all” indicates Jesus’ death paid for all sins for all time.
Titus 2:14 says Jesus “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession.” The words “all lawlessness” mean all sins, not just some.
1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” Jesus bore all our sins on the cross.
1 John 1:7 says, “The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Not just some sins, but all sins.
Hebrews 10:12 says, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” Jesus’ one sacrifice was for all sins.
Colossians 2:13-14 says, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” All our trespasses and debts were nailed to the cross.
So in summary, Jesus died once and for all to pay the penalty for all sins – past, present and future. His sacrifice is fully sufficient to cover all our sin. As Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Those who have put their faith in Jesus can know for certain their sins are forgiven – even sins they haven’t committed yet.
Now, why does Jesus’ sacrifice cover future sins? First, because Jesus is the eternal Son of God and His sacrifice has eternal effects. As Hebrews 9:12 says, “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”
Second, Jesus’ sacrifice is based on God’s foreknowledge. 1 Peter 1:20 says Jesus “was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.” God can apply Jesus’ sacrifice to our future sins because He foreknew we would commit them.
Third, it shows the greatness of God’s grace. Romans 5:20 says, “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” God’s grace is greater than all our sin.
Fourth, it gives us assurance. We don’t need to constantly wonder if we’ve confessed every single sin. Jesus’ sacrifice covers them all – past, present and future.
Fifth, it motivates holiness. Some argue this doctrine leads to license to sin, but the opposite is true. Knowing we are forgiven and redeemed motivates us to avoid grieving God with sin.
Sixth, our regeneration and sanctification help ensure we will not live in ongoing unrepentant sin. 1 John 3:9 says, “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.”
Seventh, Jesus intercedes for us. Hebrews 7:25 says, “He always lives to make intercession for them.” So when we do stumble into sin, Jesus intercedes on our behalf.
In summary, Jesus’ complete sacrifice covers all sin – past, present and future. This amazing grace humbles us, transforms us, reassures us, and secures our eternal redemption. We can have confidence our sins are fully atoned for by Christ.
Now that we’ve established Jesus’ sacrifice covers all sin, why is this important for believers to understand? There are several reasons:
1. It gives us assurance of salvation. We can have confidence in our eternal security knowing every sin is covered by Christ for those who have faith in Him.
2. It helps us understand the completeness of Christ’s redemptive work. He truly paid the full penalty for sin once for all time. Nothing can be added to what Christ accomplished.
3. It motivates worship and gratitude. The realization that Christ bore all our sins on the cross deepens our love for Him and motivates us to glorify Him with our lives.
4. It humbles us and reveals our helplessness apart from Christ. On our own we are utterly sinful and incapable of paying for even the smallest fraction of our sins.
5. It highlights the amazing grace of God. We are far more sinful than we realize, yet God sent His Son to completely atone for all our sins.
6. It eliminates fear of punishment. We do not need to be afraid of future judgment or punishment because our sins are fully paid for.
7. It motivates holiness. Knowing we are forgiven and redeemed motivates us to avoid grieving God with sin out of love and gratitude.
8. It enables us to forgive others. When we realize how much we have been forgiven, it becomes easier to forgive others.
9. It gives us confidence to witness to others. We can tell others with certainty that Christ died for all their sins if they repent and believe.
10. It keeps us from perfectionism. We do not need to try to be perfect to earn God’s favor since we already have it freely in Christ.
In summary, understanding that Jesus died for all our sins – past, present, and future – is incredibly important for believers. It anchors us in God’s amazing grace and the completeness of Christ’s redemptive work on our behalf. This vital biblical truth changes everything about how we relate to God, ourselves, and others.
Now that we’ve looked at many verses showing Christ’s death paid for all our sins, and the implications of this doctrine, let’s look at some common objections or questions people may raise:
1. Doesn’t this teaching promote sin or license? If all future sins are already forgiven, why not just sin freely? Paul anticipated this objection in Romans 6:1-2 saying, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” True believers aim to walk in holiness out of love and gratitude to God.
2. What about believers who fell into grievous sins? Examples like David and Peter show believers sometimes grievously sin. But their faith was genuine, so they repented and were restored. True believers may fall but will return to walking in the light.
3. Doesn’t this contradict verses saying we must confess our sins? Passages like 1 John 1:9 tell believers to confess their sins to receive cleansing. But other verses make clear Christ’s death already fully paid for all sins. So confessing and repenting of sins is still important for our fellowship with God even though the penalty is already fully paid.
4. What about the “unforgivable sin”? Verses like Matthew 12:31 refer to attributing Jesus’ miracles to Satan – something a genuine believer would never do. This particular sin shows a heart so hard, salvation appears impossible, but it does not negate the completeness of Christ’s sacrifice for believers.
5. What if a believer openly lives a sinful lifestyle? Passages like 1 Corinthians 5 show that unrepentant, open sin should lead to church discipline. If the person remains unrepentant, it indicates they were likely never a genuine believer in the first place.
6. Does this mean believers can just sin freely and still be saved? No. True saving faith results in a transformed heart that desires to obey and follow God. Believers still reap consequences from sin. But their eternal punishment is fully paid for by Christ.
In summary, the idea that Jesus’ death covers even future sins does not negate the importance of confession, repentance and striving for holiness. But it anchors our assurance of salvation firmly in Christ’s finished work, not our own perfection.
The key truths from Scripture we have explored about Jesus dying for our past, present and future sins can be summarized as:
– Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient to cover all sins – past, present and future (Hebrews 10:12)
– God can apply Jesus’ sacrifice to our future sins because He foreknew we would commit them. (1 Peter 1:20)
– Jesus’ eternal sacrifice secures our eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12)
– Understanding Christ’s sacrifice covers all sin gives us assurance of salvation (1 John 1:7)
– This truth motivates us to avoid grieving God and walk in holiness (Romans 6:1-2)
– Genuine believers will repent when they do sin, even grievously (David, Peter’s examples)
– Passages about confessing sin refer to relational confession, not paying the penalty (1 John 1:9)
– This doctrine highlights God’s grace and Christ’s complete atonement (Romans 5:20)
– True saving faith results in regeneration, causing us to walk in obedience (1 John 3:9)
In closing, while we should continue to confess and repent from sins, we can have absolute confidence from Scripture that Jesus Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for all of our sins – past, present and future. This amazing grace humbles us, anchors us in God’s love, and motivates us to honor Christ with our lives.