Can I ask? Do you believe Christ died only for the sins committed before a person becomes a Christian, or also those committed after they are saved?
I will answer that with scripture;
Let's read what is needed for a person to receive the faith that is needed for salvation which scriptures tells us is the following;
Rom.10
[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
But is this all that is needed? Calling upon the name of the Lord? Let's continue...
[14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?
Paul asks the question...how can one call upon Jesus without first believing in Him.
[14] ....and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
So before believing to be able to call upon His name they must first hear about Jesus.
[14] .....and how shall they hear without a preacher?
So before being able to call on His name you must first hear or learn about Jesus. And how can you learn about Jesus without a preacher.
[15] And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
So now..not only do you have to first hear about Jesus before being able to call His name, you must have been first taught about Him. And not just by ANYONE.....it must come from one that has been sent by God. Now part of the preachers job is to teach people what sin is...just as Paul did. And where did Paul learn what is and what is not sin? Let's read;
Rom.7
[7] What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Let's confirm;
Rom.3
[20] Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
This is just one of the jobs of a preacher that is sent by God. To teach what is righteous to God.
Let's continue....
[16] But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
[17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
So the faith that is needed to be saved must first come by the knowledge of God, that was presented by one that was sent by God, then the words that were taught, which is the gospel, must be obeyed.
Once a person has gone through the process that the scriptures says are needed for faith so that they are able to call on His name and then they accept the Lord, to do and obey the gospel, they are now accountable for any actions AFTER this acceptance. For how can anyone be held accountable for sinning against God if they have never heard about Him, have never been taught about Him, nor know what is wrong according to His laws.
Now let's read what sin Christ died for;
Rom.3
[23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
[24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
[25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
[26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
The scriptures tells us that Christ died for the remission of sins, "...THAT ARE PAST...".
Now the question is...Past what?
Past the time that you were taught by a preacher that was sent, that caused you to believe in this man Jesus, that then caused you to call upon His name and believe that His blood was shed for the forgiveness of your sins.
Now if you sin AFTER coming into the knowledge of who Jesus is and that His blood was shed for your sins and was taught what was a sin and what was not..you are in danger of being found guilty.
Let's read of what Paul tells us of those that have received the Holy Spirit and what COULD happen to them if they decide to return to their old lifestyle;
Heb.6
[4] For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
[5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Now what would you consider a person that was, "enlightened", " have tasted of the heavenly gift", " were made partakers of the Holy Ghost", and "And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come"?
If that person were to die right now...in the state mentioned above...what would you think their chances were of eternal life? I would say they were pretty good. I would say any person in the above state would be saved. But I am not God...I cannot judge. Only God knows their mind. Now let's read what Paul tells us next....
[6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Paul says IF these were to fall away it would be impossible to renew then again unto repentance. Now....if it were NOT possible for them to fall away in the first place why would Paul even give us this scenario?
Jesus died for ALL of their PAST sins. If they go BACK and fall away they are in danger of dying the second death.
Now....does any of us know just when their fate is sealed? In other words...will it be after their 1st, 5th or 63rd sin that God turns His head and says enough is enough! Who knows. Only God knows that. All I know is that God's word tells us that Jesus died and covered all of our PAST sins.
I just gotta include other scripture to confirm;
Ezk.18
[24] But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
[25] Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
So ALL of the good things a righteous person does can be wiped away and counted for nothing if he starts sinning again. And does he have the chance to redeem himself? Let's read;
[26] When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
So if the ONCE righteous DIES in his sins, he shall die the second death.
Now remember.....he was considered righteous at one point. But it was when he started to sin again AND die in his sins did he have to die the second death.
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