Accountable2You » Resources » Personal Accountability » Does God Still Love Me after Sexual Sin?
Dear Ali,
What if a Christian indulged in sexual activity for sometime but regrets it?
Does God not love the Christian anymore and won't be happy with them?
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you for the question! God’s Word gives us a wonderful promise as an answer.
For the Christian, God’s Son, Jesus Christ, satisfied the wrath of the Father by dying on the Cross. This atonement for our sin allows us to come before the Lord in repentance, seek forgiveness, and be covered with Jesus’ perfect righteousness.
“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8–9)
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7)
God’s forgiveness and love are unconditional. He loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8) and we cannot earn His love by our good works. We are forgiven based on the perfect work of Jesus Christ. God does, however, require repentance in order to grant forgiveness.
Receiving God's forgiveness involves us recognizing that we have sinned and asking for the Lord's mercy. Repentance causes us to see the depth of our depravity. It includes a change of heart and a change of behavior. David’s example in Psalm 51 gives a clear picture of what repentance looks like. Here are the first few verses, and I encourage you to prayerfully read the whole psalm.
“Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.”
(Psalm 51:1-3)
We come before our Heavenly Father with confidence that He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, but we come in humility knowing that we are not owed, nor deserve, the forgiveness we are so freely granted.
Through sincere repentance, and the forgiveness of sins, we can grow in our usefulness for the Kingdom of God!
I hope this has helped.
Yours in accountability,
Ali
“Ask Ali” is an op-ed column answering common questions about accountability and related topics.