November 5, 2020 – Click here to listen
I had an interesting conversation with a friend last night. He maintains that the teacher of his Bible study group states that the Bible does not tell us to ask for forgiveness. Immediately I thought of the Lord’s Prayer, . . . And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us . . . This was a red-letter-Jesus quote that occurred when He was teaching His disciples how to pray.
Not to be a nitpicker of Scripture or argumentative but it seems rather obvious to me that God desires us to ask for forgiveness or why else would He spell it out for us in arguably the most important prayer recorded in the Bible and one that is still recited all over the world to this very day?
It’s an understandable question: If we’re justified by faith and forgiven all our sins – past, present, and future – then why is it necessary to continue seeking forgiveness?
Aren’t our sins already forgiven?
Billy Graham wrote: Think of your own family for a moment – perhaps the family you grew up in, or your family right now. What happens when someone in your family does something wrong? You know what happens: The closeness of your family is strained, and the fellowship between the wrongdoer and the rest of the family is broken. Only when they ask for forgiveness can the relationship be healed.
But when they do wrong, do they cease to be a member of that family? No, of course not. The fellowship may be broken – but not the relationship. No matter what they’ve done, they will always be a member of that family.
The same is true for us. If we have truly given our lives to Christ, we are now God’s children – and nothing will ever change that fact. But when we sin, our fellowship with God is broken – and that’s why we need to confess our sins to Him and seek His forgiveness without delay. The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Make this your practice every day.
My buddy also mentioned the “prodigal son” parable in the Bible. He told me that nowhere can we find where the prodigal son asked for forgiveness or even said he was sorry. If I look closely at that lesson, I think the son was seeking a life that was better than the one in which he was living, (which entailed eating slop with the hogs.)
It seems to me that the parable was more about the willingness, grace, and mercy of the father to forgive him due to his attempt at humility and repentance regardless of whether he had sinned or not. This wayward son did confess his sins, but no mention is made of him asking for forgiveness. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'” Similarly the thief on the cross that Jesus told, “This day you will be in paradise with Me,” did not ask for forgiveness but did confess that he deserved his punishment for the things he had done. So it seems asking forgiveness is not the key to reconcilement with God as much as confessing our sins and repenting (turning away from them) and following Jesus.
The prodigal son parable clarifies that we do have the opportunity to make a change; we do not have to stay in our hopeless state; we can come to ourselves. The lost son realized that in his father’s house there was a better life for him even as a servant; therefore, he humbled himself and offered to be his father’s servant.
His father, who represented our Father in heaven, not only forgave him his black sins but celebrated when his son finally found his way (even though in this parable it is not mentioned that he specifically asked for forgiveness.)
As for me I like what Billy Graham said, But when we sin, our fellowship with God is broken – and that’s why we need to confess our sins to Him and seek His forgiveness without delay. I still ask for forgiveness when I sin even though I realize my sins are already forgiven. It just seems like the right thing to do . . .
Luke 15:22
“The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”