If you have confessed your sin and named Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you don’t have to worry about your sin. When Christ died on the cross, He paid the penalty for all of our sins — past, present and future. Therefore, as Paul teaches, “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The apostle also writes, “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” (Romans 4:7, NIV). We are forgiven; we are assured of having eternal life. Those are matters we don’t have to worry about.
Although God has committed Himself to not condemn us for our sin, Satan has not made that promise. Satan is an accuser (see Revelation 12:10). His purpose is to try to place us under guilt and condemnation for sins which God has totally forgiven. He torments believers with thoughts like, “God can never really forgive me for this” and “You might as well give up. You’ll never be free from this sin. so why bother asking for forgiveness again?” If we believe lies like these, we will live in bondage and not the freedom that Christ has purchase and provided for us.
So don’t worry about your sin in reference to eternal life. Rejoice in the forgiveness God has provided through the death of His Son Jesus on the cross. At the same time, commit yourself to living a righteous life. Paul asked, “Are we to continue to sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1, 2). You should confess any and all sin which the Holy Spirit makes you aware of. To confess is to agree with God that what He says about our sinfulness is true (see 1 John 1:5-2:2). You don’t need to ask for forgiveness since you are already forgiven — but you do need to acknowledge your sin and consider yourself alive in Christ and dead to sin (see Romans 6:11). Besides, why would you want to go back into the bondage of sin when you can be alive and free in Christ? Choose to submit to God and to resist the devil (see James 4:7) and renounce any effort on the enemy’s part to place you under guilt and condemnation.
Your responsibility is to walk by faith in God and His truth, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh (see Galatians 5:16). You walk by faith when you choose to believe what God has done for you in Christ and what it means to be His child. We strongly recommend that you read Living Free in Christ, which explains the truth about who you are in Christ and how He meets your deepest needs.
