Episode 47 - When are sins forgiven?

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Forgiveness is an act of God. We can never know the exact moment when our sins are forgiven, because God is omnipotent – He acts as He wills and when He wills. However, we know that God does forgive sins, even in the Old Testament, He affirmed that with the prophet Jeremiah (…their sin I will remember no more [Jer 31:34]). In Hebrews, this same text is brought to expression (cf. Heb 8:12). The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross affects the forgiveness of sins, however, forgiveness can only reach a person if the person:

  • believes in Jesus Christ,
  • is aware that he or she is sinning,
  • confesses those sins before Christ, and
  • repents for those sins.

For the believers to be assured that their sins are forgiven, there must be, as Jesus showed, a proclamation that sins have been forgiven. That is what takes place through the absolution. Because we have the assurance that our sins have been forgiven, we can worthily go to Holy Communion and receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ.