If you’re one of those lucky people who have never done anything that you know you shouldn’t have done, then you can skip this email.

For all the human beings out there who kept reading, I wanted to try to go through what we are supposed to think about our mistakes. And you might as well face the fact now; you are going to make mistakes! Paul understood this principle well:

Romans 7:14-19

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.

16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.

17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.

So Paul struggled with the same problem of sin after salvation, and committing sins that he didn’t want to commit, and he knew were wrong! What should we do when we do the same thing? Of course, we must first confess that sin to God. When you do, what do you get?

You get the forgiveness available because of what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross.

1 Peter 2:24

24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

There is no sin you can commit, either willingly or not willingly, that has not already been borne by Jesus Christ on the Cross. Remember, God is omniscient (He knows everything), and you cannot surprise Him! He has always known exactly what sins each one of us would commit! What else does He say about our sins?

Hebrews 10:17

17 "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS

I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."

God’s forgiveness is the definition of “forgive and forget!” Now that you realize your sin is paid for, what should you think? Does God not love you anymore because of your sin? Did your sin separate you from the Father’s love?

Romans 8:38-39

38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You should always have confidence that there is no sin that cannot be forgiven, or that can get you away from the love of God! Don’t take this principle as a free pass to commit whatever sin you want. The forgiveness of God doesn’t get you off the hook from consequences of your sin. You might be forgiven by God for murdering your wife, but you’re still probably going to do some time!

And while God may forgive you, this doesn’t mean that people will automatically do the same. It’s up to you to do what you can to mend the fences:

Romans 12:18

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

Once you’re realized the forgiveness of God, and done everything you can to be at peace with all men, what do you do next?

You should have confidence that God still has a perfect plan for your life! While God did not want you to sin, and certainly did not make you do it, He still knew about it in eternity past, and His perfect plan for your life therefore INCLUDES that sin! Remember, God is unable to be surprised. What did He promise?

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Notice this verse doesn’t say “all GOOD things” or “all UNSINFUL things!” God is capable of taking even your failures and working them together for the ultimate good.

Psalms 76:10a

10 For (even) the wrath of man shall praise You;

There’s really only one attitude to have. And that’s the one that Paul wrote to the Philippians:

Philippians 3:13-14

13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

You can’t do anything about the sins you have already committed. If you’re like me, there are certainly ones you would like to go back and change. There may also be consequences that you will have to endure. But we must focus on the forgiveness of God, the continuation of His love for us, and the perfect plan that He still has for our lives.