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QUESTION 185
Is the scriptural way of salvation “asking Jesus to forgive my sins?

ANSWER:
I know of no scripture that tells an unsaved person to “ask Jesus to forgive their sins”. This like many other traditions of men have been passed on from generation to generation without an examination of its scripturalness.

The matter of forgiveness in the Bible is ready “provision” that the Lord Jesus has made for sinners. When He said, “Father, forgive them” Luke 23:34 He was then providing the very thing He was asking the Father to do. Apart from this provision God could not forgive a sinner. The wages must be paid. Since man could not pay them, the Lord Jesus has provided it in His death Romans 6:23. So we can now say, “FORGIVENESS HAS BEEN PROVIDED”. After it was provided it was preached Luke 24:47 “And that repentance and FORGIVENESS should be preached in His Name..” Acts 13:38, “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is PREACHED UNTO YOU the forgiveness of sins.” So the scriptures are very clear that “forgiveness has been provided and preached to all. Why then would we have to ask for that which has been fully provided and offered to all? The Bible way of being forgiven is very clear. Acts 10:43 “To Him (Christ) give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever BELIEVETH (not asketh) in Him shall receive remission (forgiveness) of sins. Now asking is not necessarily believing and believing is not asking. You can do either without doing the other. You can ask the Lord to forgive you BUT if you do not BELIEVE you will not receive. You can BELIEVE without ASKING and you will receive forgiveness. In Acts 13:38-39 the forgiveness that was preached, could only be had by believing Acts 13:39 “And all that believe are justified..”

Dear reader, don't let the devil deceive you, he would have you to ask and hope, the Lord would have you believe and have.

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen