Audio commentary on this verse

Note 11 at Rom. 4:8: The Greek word that is translated "will not" in this verse is what is called an emphatic negative and it means "not ever." This is the strongest language possible that those who receive forgiveness will not ever have their sins held against them. He didn't just say "did not" or "does not" but "will not" implying that even future tense sins have been dealt with, through the sacrificial offering of Jesus, once for all (Heb. 10:10, 14).

Most Christians have the concept that the sins that they committed before they professed faith in Christ were forgiven at salvation, but any sins that are committed after that time are not forgiven until they are repented of and forgiveness is asked. That is not the case.

All our sins, past, present, and future were forgiven us through the one offering of Jesus. If God can't forgive future tense sins, then none of us can be saved because Jesus only died once, nearly 2,000 years ago, before we had committed any sins. All our sins have been forgiven.

Why then 1 John 1:9 which says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This is not speaking of the eternal salvation of our spirit but rather the salvation of our souls (Jas. 1:21, 1 Pet. 1:9). It's our spirits that get born again at salvation, and sin will never be imputed to our born-again spirits. They have been sanctified and perfected forever (Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:23) and cannot sin (1 Jn. 3:9).

However, we are still in the process of saving our souls (Jas. 1:21; 1 Pet. 1:9). When we sin the devil has a legal right to bring his forms of death into our soulish area (Rom. 6:16). How do we get the devil out once he has gotten in? We confess it and God brings that forgiveness that is already a reality in our born-again spirit out into the soulish realm and the devil has no right to stay.

If we had to confess every sin committed after our born-again experience in order to maintain our salvation, no one would ever make it. What if we forgot to confess some sin? That puts the burden of salvation back on us.

We must remember that "God is a Spirit" (Jn. 4:24) and we must worship Him through our new born-again spirit. Therefore, we truly are blessed because God will not hold any sin against our spirit. Our spirit is clean and pure (Eph. 4:24; Heb. 12:23; 1 Jn. 4:17) and will not change due to our performance.