“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 NKJV

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 NKJV

7. Grace cannot cancel the law of confession of sins before they are forgiven.

Receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior involves acknowledging our sin – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 KJV) – believing that Jesus died to pay the price for our sin and that He rose from the dead to give us His resurrection life. It involves confessing Him as the Lord and Master of our lives from that moment on. From that moment all your sin, and your old life, is washed away by the blood of Jesus – you receive a new heart, a new slate and a new beginning.

If you sin after that, God’s grace cannot erase the sin while it yet remains. In order for God’s grace to be applied to the sin, you must repent of the sin and confess it as sin. Once you repent and confess, you are forgiven by His grace.

8. Grace cannot forgive future sins, for transgression and confession are necessary before forgiveness.

The one thing that the Blood cannot wash away, nor can grace do away with, your future sin. The Bible says that you are New Creature in Christ and that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. When you sin, you must come and confess your sin to the Lord, ask His forgiveness and then He will forgive you. God cannot forgive you of sin you have not yet committed. Besides the Holy Spirit convicting you of sin, God can only begin to actually deal with your sin after you sin and after you repent and confess it to Him as sin. Repentance is not merely being sorry for getting caught, but it is being sincerely sorry for the sin and turning away from that sin.

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place — unless you repent. Revelation 2:5 NKJV

Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. Revelation 2:16 NKJV

Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. Revelation 2:22 NKJV

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Revelation3:19 NKJV

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:1-5 NKJV

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 NKJV

So they went out and preached that people should repent. Mark 6:12 NKJV

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds” Romans 2:4-6 NKJV

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 NKJV

9. Grace cannot cancel the responsibility of saved men concerning sin.

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Romans 14:10 NKJV

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10 NKJV

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. Galatians 6:7-8 NKJV

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:12 NKJV

We are each responsible for our own choices and our own sin. We will reap what we sow here on earth and – no matter what – we will still have to give God an accounting of our lives and what we have done. Grace cannot change the fact that we must give an account and be held responsible before God, but grace can wash away our sin when we pray, confess, and repent of the sin we’ve committed so that we don’t have to take it with us when we go before the Judgment Seat. You never know when the end will come for you, that is why you need to make sure you keep your heart right with God at all times!