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I experience a release that is like forgiveness by making amends. Amends consist of identifying the wrong thing I did with whom I did it, correcting it and making every effort to not do it again. Sometimes I am forgiven (always with my creator, by the way) and sometimes I am not (only with people who don't understand what I am doing, hold grudges or choose not to trust me again--their prerogative)... but I find making the amends counts and I am released either way. In this way, I cannot be held "hostage" by someone who refused my apology or amends-- something I believe God would never do.
Educatedhorse - The above answers are true, but when I read your question, it sounds like you were asking about sins in general, not just being unforgiving.
If you are a born-again Christian, your sins were washed clean at the time you accepted Christ into your heart & life. One is more convicted in their Spirit not to sin then, but we are all human. If you make a mistake, remember you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous (1John 2:1) Run to Him & repent. Don't let Satan talk you into sinning in one area of your life just b/c you missed it in another. "Well, I've missed it now, I might as well forget the rest of it & live like the devil" Don't do it! When you get off track with God, just confess it & get back on track. He is eager to forgive & to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.
1John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
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Forgiving others is found in Scripture also: Mark 11:25 - " and when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any."
Jesus wanted us to know that releasing those who have wronged us is fundamental to receiving from God. He wanted to impress upon our hearts the fact that we cannot have our prayers answered & hold grudges in our hearts at the same time. Unforgiveness clogs the faith channel & keeps you powerless against the mountains in your life. Unclog the channel of faith & you will soon see things you've been praying for come to pass.(Kenneth Copeland -Faith To Faith 1995)
You don't get forgiveness for your sins. You did them and they are yours. You understand them, and do better. Make amends if you can. You know what you did. You know when you've righted it. Responsibility is in the hands of the individual. I'm sure God wouldn't want anything less.
Repenting the sin doesn't undo the damage. Nor does it mean you won't do it again. It's a show. If a ritual of repentance is the way you internalize and own your sins, OK, but all that counts is in your heart. You and God know. External actions are displays for the crowd. And the more elaborate the display, the less genuine.
But repenting can lead to healing the damage. Now, that implies that there was damage. Some sin is against God directly. Sin costs. There are consequences for sin. But if we are really close to God, we can petition him for forgiveness. The end result does depend on someone's heart, if they will end up with a lighter punishment or not. The Holy Spirit helps believers to avoid the action again.
what should one does if he can not remember when was his last confession? Do you need to bother if you can not remember the times and when you comminted a sin? If you fell to same sin again, many times, do you still have the chance of forgiveness?
what should one does if he can not remember when was his last confession? Do you need to bother if you can not remember the times and when you comminted a sin? If you fell to same sin again, many times, do you still have the chance of forgiveness?
The answer to your question requires a reading of the heart which only God can do. Habitual sinning if done as an act of defiance against God isn't forgivable if God determines that the person is in his right mind, isn't a victim of brainwashing, upbringing, of being mislead and convinced that God is evil etcetera. Only God can delve into a person's background and motives and based on his thorough knowledge decide whether one qualifies for forgiveness or not.
It is safe to say, however, that if we try our best to live a Christian life and still sin now and then because we are not perfect, that God will forgive such sins based on Jesus' Ransom sacrifice.
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