Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 4/29/2009

Question
I am sincerely concerned that I have stepped beyond God's grace and forgiveness.

I have grown up in the church and was baptized because I believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.

However, I have willfully sinned. I have sinned in a way that i justified myself, telling myself it was ok if I did it because I was forgiven. I used God's grace and the forgiveness he freely offers as a cloak for my sinful life.

However, I now realize what I was doing and I want to change.. I am just afraid that God will not forgive me and will not accept me back because I practically spit in his face, and abused his grace, love and forgiveness.

Is there any hope for me? Please be honest.

Answer
Hi Megan,

Thank you for this very powerful and personal question.  The very fact that you are still breating shows that God is not done with you.  WHen Jesus died for you, He became YOUR sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

When you trusted Him to save you, all your sins were covered, even the ones you had not yet committed.  If you ask for forgiveness, God will give it.  He is waiting to use you in a mighty way.

1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Romans 5:1-2

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Romans 8:31-35
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don