This is a question that many Christians wrestle with. On one hand, we know that God is infinitely gracious and forgiving. But on the other hand, it doesn’t seem right to just keep sinning without remorse, knowing that God will keep forgiving. What does the Bible have to say about this important issue?
First, it’s important to understand the heart of God. Scripture makes it clear that God delights in forgiving sinners who turn to Him in repentance. Consider these passages:
“As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)
“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 86:15)
God’s heart toward us is one of infinite love, mercy and grace. He stands ready to forgive all who come to Him in genuine repentance, no matter how many times we may have failed in the past. This is the beauty of God’s scandalous grace.
However, the Bible also has strong warnings against ongoing, unrepentant sin. Scripture tells us:
“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?” (Romans 6:1-2)
“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment.” (Hebrews 10:26-27)
“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:9)
These verses warn us not to presume upon God’s grace by continuing in unrepentant sin. Instead, as children of God, we are called to fight against sin and walk in righteousness by the power of the Holy Spirit. The consistent pattern of ongoing, unrepentant sin indicates an unregenerate heart.
So what is the balance? On one hand, God’s grace is immeasurable and His mercy everlasting. If we stumble into sin, we can come to Him in genuine repentance and find complete forgiveness. However, we should not use God’s grace as a license to sin. Instead, we are called to grow in holiness, rejecting sinful patterns of living. As 1 John 1:9 reminds us: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Here are some key biblical principles to remember:
- God hates sin, but loves the sinner and desires repentance (Ezekiel 18:23, 32).
- True repentance involves a change of heart and a turning away from sin through God’s strength (Acts 3:19).
- God’s grace is not a license to sin, but empowers us to live righteously (Titus 2:11-12).
- Forgiveness is available for all sins, but unrepentant sin leads to spiritual death (Hebrews 10:26-27).
- God disciplines His children who persist in unrepentant sin (Hebrews 12:6-7).
- Examine your heart and motives if you find yourself sinning repeatedly (2 Corinthians 13:5).
In summary, God offers unlimited grace and forgiveness to all who repent. But intentional ongoing sin indicates a heart that has not fully yielded to God’s sanctifying work. We should not presume upon God’s grace or justify sinful patterns, but walk in the Spirit, put sin to death, and pursue holiness in Christ.
Ultimately, it comes down to the orientation of our heart. Is there genuine repentance and a desire for righteousness? Or do we continue returning to sin because we still love darkness rather than light? God knows our hearts and motives perfectly. We can have confidence that as we walk with Him in repentance and faith, He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness and complete His good work in us. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can experience victory over habitual sins that once ensnared us.
Here are some additional Bible verses that provide wisdom on this issue:
Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Psalm 86:5 – For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
1 John 1:7 – But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Hebrews 8:12 – For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.
Luke 17:3-4 – Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, I repent, you must forgive him.
2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Philippians 1:6 – And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:1-4 – There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Hebrews 3:12-14 – Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
Galatians 5:16-17 – But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Acts 3:19 – Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.
In conclusion, God deeply loves us and stands ready to forgive us completely when we turn to Him in heartfelt repentance, even if it is for sins we have committed many times. However, we must not presume upon His grace or justify ongoing patterns of unrepentant sin. As we walk closely with God, obey His Word, and rely on the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can experience victory over besetting sins and enjoy the blessing of a clean conscience before God. His mercies are new every morning for those who turn to Him.