John 8:21 - Sin and Forgiveness

Jesus reveals that sin keeps one out of heaven (John 8:21, 24); specifically the sin of unbelief that He is the promised Messiah (cf. John 16:8-9).  When one comes to faith in Christ, he/she is forgiven of all their sins (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13-14), past, present, and future (Heb. 10:10-14).  Forgiveness is first judicial, removing the penalty of sin (John 3:18; 5:24; Rom. 8:1; 8:33-34).  Forgiveness is also familial, restoring fellowship with God after we’ve sinned (1 John 1:5-10; cf. Ps. 32:1-5). 

• The forgiveness John speaks about here [i.e. 1 John 1:9] is parental, not judicial. Judicial forgiveness means forgiveness from the penalty of sins, which the sinner receives when he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is called judicial because it is granted by God acting as Judge. But what about sins which a person commits after conversion? As far as the penalty is concerned, the price has already been paid by the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary. But as far as fellowship in the family of God is concerned, the sinning saint needs parental forgiveness, that is, the forgiveness of His Father. He obtains it by confessing his sin. We need judicial forgiveness only once; that takes care of the penalty of all our sins—past, present, and future. But we need parental forgiveness throughout our Christian life.^[1]

 

^[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 2310-11.