The Forgiven Heart: What It Reveals About What You Believe
2 Peter 1:9 He who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
Many sincere believers still struggle with the idea of total forgiveness.
Out of genuine reverence, they feel they must confess every sin, feel constant deep remorse, or do something to atone for remaining “right” with God.
But this mindset keeps them trapped in a cycle of striving and failing. It blinds them to the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
Allow me to share something beautiful with you.
Complete Gospel = Cross + Resurrection
The Cross Deals With Sin
At the cross, Jesus took all our sins—past, present, and future—onto Himself.
That’s why He could die. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23).
Jesus, being sinless, could never be touched by death. But when He took my sin and your sin into His body, He could die. Not because He deserved it, but because we did.
And because of that, He became the ultimate and final sacrifice so that we could live forgiven.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21
The Resurrection Seals the Deal
But it didn’t stop there. Paul writes:
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” — 1 Corinthians 15:17
Jesus rising from the grave was like the high priest stepping out from behind the temple veil on the Day of Atonement every year.
The high priest, representing the people, would go into the Holy of Holies, carrying the blood of a sacrificial animal and sprinkling it on the mercy seat. It was for the atonement of their sins.
If God did not accept the offering, the priest would be struck dead, and the people could expect trouble in the year ahead.
If he came out alive, it meant God accepted the offering. The people would rejoice and look forward to God's blessings in the year ahead.
Jesus' resurrection is God accepting His atonement for your sins. It is your divine right to expect His blessings. Rejoice!
Moreover, when Jesus sat down at God's right hand, it is because your forgiveness is total: past, present, and future. He will not go back to the cross to do it again. It is finished.
“When He had by Himself purged our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” — Hebrews 1:3
The Trap of Partial Forgiveness
Sin-Consciousness vs. Christ-Consciousness
Let’s be honest: you and I sin more than we realize—in thought, word, and deed.
Furthermore, sin isn’t just about isolated acts. It is like a string of beads. Break one, and the whole strand falls.
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” — James 2:10
So, if your fellowship with God depended on confessing each sin, you'd never be in fellowship. You'd always fall short and be out of fellowship.
That would lead you down the path of a sin-conscious and sin-focused mindset. The outcome?
Constant condemnation
Fear of falling short and not being enough
Striving to earn acceptance
Feeling judged by God and projecting it on others
But God wants you and me to be Christ-conscious instead. Remembering that you are already forgiven.
“He who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”—2 Peter 1:9
If we lack love, patience, or kindness, it’s because we suffer from amnesia, forgetting that we have been cleansed from our sins.
The Judging Heart Comes from Forgetting You’re Forgiven
When you feel judged, you tend to judge yourself and others as well.
When you feel unworthy, you measure others’ worth as such.
When you strive for God’s approval, you withhold grace.
But when you know you’re fully forgiven, grace flows outward. Forgiven people forgive.
Does Total Forgiveness Mean We Will Sin Freely?
Of course not.
Imagine a little girl in a dirty little jumpsuit playing outside in the mud. Once her mother comes to bathe her and put on a pretty white dress, she doesn’t want to run back into the mud. She wants to stay clean because she loves the way it looks and feels.
That’s what happens to us. Grace changes what we want.
We often think that removing the law means opening the door to sin. However, the truth is that grace doesn’t give license to sin; it sets us free to sin no more.
“Our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.” — Romans 6:6–7
Your new heart desires what pleases the One who loves you.
Stop Resisting
Stop resisting what Jesus has already finished. Be eager and quick to receive God's forgiveness.
There’s nothing left to add for you. That’s why all the glory belongs to God alone. Not you, not your efforts, not your track record.
Takeaway
Are you living as though Jesus’ death and resurrection are enough?
Share this with someone who needs to be reminded: You're already forgiven.