Have you ever wondered if God still remembers your sins? Do you find yourself constantly asking for forgiveness every time you stumble?
Many believers live under a cloud of guilt, unsure of where they stand with God. They treat forgiveness like a spiritual transaction—sin, confess, repeat.
But what if I told you that this cycle misses the beauty of what Christ actually accomplished? Understanding the relationship between justification and forgiveness changes everything about how you relate to God.
In this bible teaching, we’ll explore how these two powerful realities work together in your salvation.
You’ll discover why forgiveness isn’t something you repeatedly earn but something you’ve already received.
More importantly, you’ll understand how God’s declaration of your righteousness (justification) secures your position before Him forever.
Understanding Forgiveness in the New Covenant
The Greek word for forgiveness is “aphesis“, which carries profound meaning: “release from bondage or imprisonment,” “forgiveness or pardon of sins letting them go as if they had never been committed,” “remission of the penalty,” “liberty,” and “deliverance.”
Notice that powerful phrase: “letting them go as if they had never been committed.” This isn’t partial forgiveness or conditional pardon—this is complete erasure.
God doesn’t maintain a file on your sins, keeping a record to review later. When He forgives, the record disappears entirely.
Acts 13:38 declares: “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.”
This forgiveness comes through one person—Jesus Christ. It’s not through your efforts, your religious activities, or your promises to do better.
The forgiveness of sins is preached through Jesus because He accomplished what we never could.
Under the old covenant, forgiveness was conditional. It required sacrifices, offerings, prayers, and confessions.
The Israelites brought animals year after year because their sins needed continual covering. But under the new covenant, forgiveness isn’t conditional—it’s based entirely on the death of Jesus.
Ephesians 1:7 says: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”
Notice the tense—“we have.” Not “we will have” or “we might have.” The forgiveness of sins is a present possession for every believer.
You received it the moment you believed the gospel of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
How is Justification different from Forgiveness?
Justification and forgiveness are intertwined within the salvation framework. Think of it like a mansion with many rooms.
The house is salvation, and the way you get saved was by simply believing in the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Once you get into this house, one of the rooms is justification which is God’s declaration that you are now righteous, free from guilt and can stand before Satan as his Master, the other room is forgiveness of sins which you get as a gift when you were saved.
Other rooms in the house are sanctification and glorification, which we have discussed in another teachings.
Salvation in Christ is about eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, receiving the Spirit of God and other spiritual realities found only in Christ.
Here’s the distinction: Forgiveness removes the record of your sins—God no longer counts them against you. Justification goes further—God declares you righteous. Forgiveness deals with your guilt; justification establishes your righteousness.
Romans 4:7-8 explains it beautifully: “Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
The law charges sin, but faith does not impute sin. Faith in the gospel declares a man righteous.
You’re not just forgiven—you’re declared righteous by faith because of Christ’s atonement or payment for sins once and for all time.
Hebrews 9:28 confirms this: Christ “was once offered to bear the sins of many.”
Once. Not repeatedly. Not annually like the Old Testament sacrifices. Jesus offered Himself once for all time, securing eternal forgiveness and eternal justification for every believer.
The Completeness of Your Forgiveness
One of the most liberating truths in Scripture appears in Hebrews 10:2: “For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers ONCE purged should HAVE had no more conscience of sins.”
Think about what this means. Because your sins have been completely forgiven and purged—cleansed from guilt, filth, and impurity—you no longer need to have a conscience of sins like the Old Testament saints did.
They offered sacrifices yearly for sins, a constant reminder of their guilt. But you? You’re eternally forgiven and eternally justified.
This doesn’t mean believers never sin or that sin doesn’t matter. It means that the penalty for sin—past, present, and future—has been fully paid.
One of the Greek meanings of forgiveness says it means “letting them go as if they had never been committed,” which means God doesn’t have any record of your sins—past, present, and future.
Many Christians struggle here because they’ve been taught to confess sins to receive forgiveness.
But Scripture reveals something different: forgiveness of sin is received by faith in the gospel, not by repeated confessions.
Romans 4:7 says: “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”
Notice the past tense. Your iniquities are forgiven—it’s a completed reality. We have an advocate with the Father—Jesus is our advocate.
You don’t require forgiveness when you sin. You have been forgiven. What happens after salvation is that we grow.
Forgiveness has been given before the sin.
This is revolutionary! God’s forgiveness isn’t reactive—it’s proactive. Before you even committed your next sin, Christ’s sacrifice already covered it.
This is why every believer that is saved is freely forgiven and justified (declared righteous by faith) because of Christ’s atonement.
Biblical Foundation for Complete Forgiveness
Scripture repeatedly emphasizes the comprehensive nature of your forgiveness:
Acts 5:31: “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”
Acts 26:18: “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
Colossians 1:14: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”
We can also say that redemption means the forgiveness of sins according to Ephesians 1:7 and Colossians 1:14.
These aren’t separate transactions—redemption is the forgiveness of sins. When Christ redeemed you, He purchased your complete forgiveness.
The fact that sins have been paid for should make the believer not troubled. Trying to “score points” with God can only lead to agitation and distress.
We have not been asked to do anything to pay for sins. It is all done in Christ.
How This Changes Your Daily Walk
Understanding complete forgiveness transforms how you live. When you know you’re fully forgiven—not because of what you do but because of what Christ did—several things change:
You stop living in guilt and condemnation: Many believers carry a constant sense of unworthiness, believing God is disappointed with them.
But if your forgiveness is complete, God isn’t keeping a record of wrongs. He sees you through Christ’s righteousness.
You approach God with confidence: When you believe you need to repeatedly ask for forgiveness, you approach God timidly, unsure if He’s pleased with you.
But when you understand you’re already forgiven, you come boldly to the throne of grace.
You extend forgiveness to others: This forgiveness that we have received, we extend to others by walking in love towards other believers because of Jesus’ sacrificial work.
When you grasp how freely God forgave you, forgiving others becomes a natural overflow, not a burdensome duty.
You focus on growth, not guilt: After salvation, we grow. Your Christian walk isn’t about earning forgiveness but about growing in grace and knowledge of Christ.
You’re free to mature without the constant fear that God is angry about your imperfections.
The Dangerous Misconception About Conditional Forgiveness
This knowledge is so important because many still take examples from the four gospels and the Old Testament and use such to preach to people to be saved.
They teach that forgiveness is conditional—dependent on confession, repentance, or religious performance.
But under the new covenant, forgiveness is not conditional; it’s based on the death of Jesus.
All is predicated on the death of Jesus. A man believes in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and he receives forgiveness of sins.
This forgiveness of sins is as a result of God’s mercy, not our good works or performance.
When you believe forgiveness is conditional, you live in constant uncertainty. Did I confess enough? Did I repent sincerely enough?
Am I doing enough to maintain God’s favor? This performance mindset creates anxiety and insecurity.
But when you understand that forgiveness flows from Christ’s finished work—not your ongoing work—you rest in His accomplishment.
Your security isn’t based on your consistency but on His completed sacrifice.
What are the 7 steps of Forgiveness?
When it comes to Christ and what he has done for us, there are no 7 steps or 3 or 5 steps in receiving God’s forgiveness which is in Christ—the only action required of you is simply to believe the gospel.
Many religious systems create complex formulas for obtaining forgiveness: confess your sins, show genuine remorse, make restitution, promise to change, pray the right prayer, perform certain rituals, and maintain good behavior.
These systems turn forgiveness into a multi-step process you must navigate correctly.
But the gospel message is beautifully simple: believe.
Acts 13:38 declares it plainly: “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.”
There’s no mention of steps, formulas, or processes. Forgiveness comes through Christ, and you receive it through faith in Him.
The moment you believe the gospel—that Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again—you receive complete forgiveness.
This doesn’t mean the Christian life has no progression or growth. But receiving God’s forgiveness isn’t a multi-step process. It’s a gift received by faith in a single moment—the moment you believed in Christ.
Living in the Freedom of Complete Forgiveness
So how do you live in light of this truth? First, stop trying to earn what you already possess.
You don’t need to confess sins to receive forgiveness—you already have it. Confession in scriptures simply means to say same thing about what Christ or the Word says about you.
Second, let this truth sink deep into your identity. You’re not a sinner trying to become righteous through better behavior.
You’re a justified believer—declared righteous by God—who is learning to live out what you already are in Christ.
Third, share this good news with others. Many believers live in bondage to guilt because no one has told them about the completeness of Christ’s work.
When you help others understand their complete forgiveness and justification, you’re participating in their freedom.
Fourth, rest in Christ’s advocacy. 1 John 2:1 says: “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
Notice it doesn’t say “when you sin, quickly confess to restore forgiveness.” It says you have an advocate. Jesus represents you before the Father, and His representation is based on His completed work, not your ongoing performance.
Conclusion: Standing Secure in What Christ Accomplished
Justification and forgiveness aren’t separate spiritual transactions you repeatedly pursue.
They’re foundational realities of your salvation—received in a moment by faith and secured forever by Christ’s finished work.
You’re forgiven—completely, eternally, comprehensively. God has no record of your sins because He let them go as if they had never been committed.
You’re justified—declared righteous, not by your performance but by faith in Christ’s performance on your behalf.
This isn’t a license to sin carelessly. It’s an invitation to live freely, knowing your standing with God is secure.
When you truly grasp that you’re eternally forgiven and permanently justified, you’re motivated by love and gratitude, not by fear and guilt.
Stop trying to earn what Christ already purchased. Stop living as if your forgiveness depends on your consistency.
Believe the gospel, embrace your complete forgiveness, and rest in the righteousness God declared over you the moment you believed.
Your relationship with God isn’t based on your ability to maintain forgiveness—it’s based on Christ’s ability to secure it forever. And He succeeded completely. Amen!
My passion lies in reaching out to young adults in communities and schools, witnessing the transformative power of faith in their lives.
This blog extends my ministry, sharing insights, encouraging believers, and exploring Christ's teachings in daily life.
Welcome, Brother James.
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