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This is actually two myths in one, that (while opposed to each other) fall prey to the same error.

1. Christ forgave all sins for all time for everyone.
2. Christ did not forgive all sin for all time for everyone.

At first glance one might think that one or the other must be correct. Surely, if 1 is false then 2 is true, or if 2 is false then 1 is true. What I am saying is that 1 is incomplete, AND 2 is incomplete. Neither of them take into account the whole picture, and are therefore misleading at best.

Correctly stated: Christ forgave all sins that could be forgiven for all time for everyone.

Matthew 12:30-32 (NIV) 30"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 31And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Christ couldn't and didn't forgive this sin. One must be born of the Spirit, and the alternative is not covered by what took place on the cross. The alternative is to remain dead - born of water, but not born a second time of the Spirit. However, when you are born of the Spirit and infused from above with Eternal Life, then every sin (past / present / future) does not jeopardize your eternal destiny, for each of those other things are removed by the Lamb of God.

If Christ did forgive every sin for all time for everyone, then when the Couselor was promised to be sent it would read like this: Fake_John 16:8-9 "8 When he comes, he will be too late to convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 too late in regard to sin, because it no longer matters that men do not believe in me;"

If Christ did NOT forgive every sin for all time for everyone, then when the Couselor was promised to be sent it would read like this: 2_Fake_John 16:8-9 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me but also every evil, abusive, injurious speaking, or indignity against sacred things, or what-have-you;"

Contrary to popular opinion it reads like this:

John 16:7-9(NIV)
... if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;

Which is to say that this notion that the Holy Spirit is convicting you of cheating or lying or smoking or whatever, is completely false. Those things are forgiven. That is not the Holy Spirit convicting you of forgivable sins. That is the enemy accusing you. He can only get away with that kind of accusation because of pride that is within man that says "God would approve of them more if we change our behavior. We can become lovely enough to manipulate God into loving us more." Under that mindset those accuations can have an impact, and you will feel "convicted" of them.

What is true, and should be celebrated, is this: All those things that we do, that fall short of God's glory don't keep us from the Kingdom! The pardon is complete, and provided we can allow this second birth to be performed upon us - then the mingling of God's Spirit with our innermost being will make us whole, complete, with nothing that could possibly diminish nor improve what we have in Christ.

Titus 3:5 (NIV)
5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

• Articles by Bud
• About asking God for forgiveness ...
• I have enough sin in me to damn a million souls.
• License to sin.
• For years, I had tried to earn my share of God's love.