Will God always forgive sins?

The answer to that question must be of far more importance than all national and international issues. Nothing matters if we are wrong with God.

All of us sin. All of us desperately need to find our way into right standing with Almighty God. First, however, one must be a true believer in Jesus Christ and thus a real member of God’s family. Our text is addressed only to God’s own children:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9.

YES! God “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” That means God’s very character, His very nature, assures us that He forgives sin.

God will always forgive all the sins of all His children. Our text teaches this.

Now, let us clear up a problem. May a Christian sin and then sin some more, knowing God will always forgive? What is to prevent this? Two facts positively prevent this: 1) A true Christian is given a changed heart and He will desire to escape from sin. 2) God is a good Father and He promises that He will chastise His children so soundly that they will not continue in wrong-doing. Thus, Christians do not willfully choose to continue in sin.

Yes, God freely tells us that He always forgives all the sins of all His children. Our text,    I John 1:9, explains why. Because “He is faithful and just.”

Remarkable! God must forgive because of who He is.

HE IS FAITHFUL

Faithful to forgive. Think on that!

How many times does God warn us never to vow or promise anything unless we seriously aim to perform it? We are so unfaithful! But God’s record is absolutely perfect! Think of all His promises—especially this one to forgive sin. By His very nature, He is always faithful to what He promises. And He promises to forgive.

Look at it another way. We know God is surely faithful to His Son. Jesus went to the cross of Calvary for a serious purpose. He “suffered for sins,” I peter 3:18. Oh, Christ, the Father sees your suffering. It will not be in vain; He is certain to forgive the sin of each believer because He is faithful to You, O Christ.

What an encouraging revelation! When I have been unfaithful and sinned against the great God, He remains absolutely faithful and thus He will forgive. He is faithful to all He has promised. He is faithful to the Son who died that we might have that very forgiveness of sins. He is faithful to us as His very own children. He simply is faithful. He will forgive your sins.

How I pity the one who is yet separated from God and all this security! See what you have refused!

The other night driving at a late, lonely hour down the New York Throughway, my attention was caught by flashes of light out the side window. Looking out, I finally located the light source – the moon. Next morning studying the Scripture, I came to Psalm 72:7. Here we are told that in Christ’s day the righteous will prosper “till the moon is no more.” The thought leaped out at me – the moon is still there! Thus all God is promising to provide is surely ours. So long as the moon is there – and for eternity beyond – God is ever faithful

He is faithful to forgive. Even the moon says so!

HE IS JUST

Here is a statement so remarkable that it is difficult to understand. God is just to forgive. That word “just” means “righteous.” God is always righteous. Always just.

Now, notice carefully. It does not say, He is merciful and loving to forgive. Nor, does it say He is just to condemn. (Though we expect courts to be just and convict the guilty.) But we are told in I John 1:9 that God is “just to forgive.”

Picture the agony of Jesus as wicked men nail Him to the cross. There He hangs as the substitute for us, the very representative-sinner. Then comes the awful moment when the Father turns away from the Son, for Jesus carries our sin. “My God, why have you forsaken me?” he cries. You see how just God is. He turns even from Jesus as the Savior takes on Himself our guilt. Let all bear record, God is just.

Look deeper. As the Father turns from the Son, He turns toward us. That is the arrangement under the New Covenant. Said Jesus to His disciples as He held the symbolic cup, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins,” Matthew 26:28. That had always been the plan of God – to put away sin by a satisfactory blood offering. See Leviticus 17:11. Now that the divine justice has been satisfied, God will, yes God must forgive.

God is just. He is just to forgive. It is the righteous thing to do, because the Son has paid for all the sins of all God’s children. Thus, as we come openly admitting our sins, God will always forgive.

Recently, a senior pastor took me into his office and turned on the light over a painting. I was struck by the upraised, weathered face of a middle-aged man. Looking more closely now, I could see deep soul-agony in the upturned face. Tears stood in his eyes and spilled over onto the cheeks. It was Peter! I thought of Luke 22:54-62, where the disciple swore that he never knew Jesus and then stumbled out into the night in bitter tears. Now I could see him scanning heaven with soul crying out, “Is there mercy for me?” “Is there mercy for even me?”

Oh, how much he would have given in that hour of distress to have known the truth of our text! What even divine mercy could not assure him of, justice now guarantees. God is just to forgive, for Christ has died! And, so He arose from the grave in great victory.

With what confidence we ought to come to Him! Even when we must come with confession of sin. He is FAITHFUL and JUST to forgive our sins – always, all of them!

I simply cannot close without mentioning that last part of the text: “and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Like a Father who calms the riot within his home, forgives all, then on hands and knees he himself cleans up the mess.

Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God values these lives of ours. After we have sinned, defiling stains linger. Satan accuses us – tempts us to forget – the sufficient blood offering. Makes us feel defiled and rejected. God wants to clear that up and by His Spirit give us full assurance of our place with Him.

God not only forgives. He restores. Come believing now.