The justification of a sinner is instantaneous and complete. . . . [It] is an all-comprehending act of God. All the sins of a believer, past, present, and future, are pardoned when he is justified. The sum-total of his sin, all of which is before the Divine eye at the instant when God pronounces him a justified person, is blotted out or covered over by one act of God. Consequently, there is no repetition in the Divine mind of the act of justification; as there is no repetition of the atoning death of Christ, upon which it rests.--William G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2 (New York: Scribner's, 1891), 545
23 October 2010
Shedd: Are Future Sins Forgiven in a Believer's Justification?
I find this extremely liberating.
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The words of William G.T Shedd on the forgiveness of the future sins of the believer are indeed liberating.
It stands to reason that the future sins of the believer MUST ALSO BE FORGIVEN. This for two reasons:
First, when Christ died and atoned for him, when the believer had not yet been born much less sinned!
Secondly, the sins of a believer are no surprise to God. God justified and adopted the believer in Christ FULLY KNOWING the wretched sinner that he would continue to be until his mortality put on immortality! [1Cor 15:54]
God says concerning Jacob, “I knew that thou WOULDEST deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb”. [Isa 48:8].
Concerning Peter, He said the cock would not crow until he had thrice denied Him. But notwithstanding, He says that He had prayed for him that his faith should not fail. Yea moreover He assures Peter, “WHEN (not ‘if’ ) thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”! [Lk 22:32]. The prayers of Christ for his elect are always based on His Atonement for them!
‘Because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of MANY (not all), and made intercession for the transgressors’. [Isa 53:12]
The words of A.W. Pink are worth quoting here –
“Blessed be God, the forgiveness which He bestows covers ALL sins — past, present and future. Fellow-believer, did not Christ bear your “sins” in His own body on the Tree? And were not ALL YOUR sins FUTURE sins when He died? Surely, for at that time you had not been born, and so had not committed a single sin. Very well then: Christ bore your “future” sins as truly as your past ones. What the Word of God teaches is that the unbelieving soul is brought out of the place of unforgiveness into THE PLACE to which forgiveness attaches. Christians are a forgiven People. Says the Holy Spirit: “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord WILL NOT impute sin” (Rom. 4:8)
The believer is IN CHRIST, and there sin will never again be imputed to us. This is our place or position before God. In Christ is where HE beholds us. And because I am in Christ I am completely and eternally forgiven, so much so that never again will sin be laid to my charge as touching my salvation, even though I were to remain on earth a hundred years. I am out of that place for evermore.Listen to the testimony of Scripture: “And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He (God) QUICKENED TOGETHER WITH HIM (CHRIST), having forgiven you ALL trespasses” (Col. 2:13). Mark the two things which are here united (and what God hath joined together let not man put asunder) — my union with a risen Christ is connected with my forgiveness! If then my life is “hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3), then I am forever out of the place where IMPUTATION OF sin applies. Hence it is written, “There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1) — how could there be if “ALL trespasses” have been forgiven?
None can lay ANYTHING to the charge of God’s elect (Rom. 8:33). Christian reader, join the writer in praising God because we are ETERNALLY FORGIVEN EVERYTHING.
[7 sayings of the Saviour on the Cross – A.W. Pink]
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