It's a tough question. All Christians (all people) sin. Our only means of recourse is the forgiveness that Christ gives. And John writes, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Notice ... this "confess" -- agree with God about our sin -- produces forgiveness for the sins we confess and "all unrighteousness". Scripture says, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21). In Him we are God's righteousness. Jesus said, "He who believes in Him is not judged" (John 3:18). Paul wrote, "When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions" (Col 2:13). All our transgressions are forgiven in Him. So ... what about those sins that can't be fixed?
I'm not talking about unforgivable sins. I'm talking about unfixable sins. Maybe it's missed opportunities or harm that can't be undone. Jesus said remarriage after divorce is adultery, so what if you're remarried after divorce. How is that remedied? Maybe a married couple comes to believe it was God's command to have children and they're no longer able. How can that sin be fixed? Not forgiven, fixed. Paul lists a group of sins (just a short list, you understand) that rule people out of the kingdom. It includes people who have had sex outside of marriage and people who have committed adultery and people who have coveted (1 Cor 6:9-10). If you stop reading there, you'll realize we're not going to make it. I mean, we've done it all. We're out of luck. But Paul says, "Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor 6:11). Yes, we were those people ... but ... we're washed, sanctified, and justified. We are ... the righteousness of God in Christ.
It puts us in a strange position. On one hand, we are genuinely guilty of transgressions. On the other hand, we're forgiven. We can agree with God that X was a sin and agree with God that we're forgiven. We can be guilty without feeling guilt, not because we're not guilty but because we are justified by the blood of Christ. A clean slate. And Christ's words to the adulteress echo in our heads: "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more" (John 8:11). We agree with Joseph. "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (Gen 50:20).
6 comments:
You said, "We can be guilty without feeling guilt, not because we're not guilty but because we are justified by the blood of Christ." Isn't that backwards? We can feel guilty even though we aren't guilty any longer because of our redemption and forgiveness in Christ? In Christ, we are no longer held to be guilty, though we may still feel the guilt because of how it has affected our lives and others. Wouldn't the lack of feeling guilty be the opposite of what we should have, since without guilt feelings we can turn toward repentance?
You wrote, “All our transgressions are forgiven in Him. So ... what about those sins that can't be fixed?” The first thing to do, to my mind, is consider prayerfully whether anguish over our past choices is truly warranted or not. Those who come to Christ for forgiveness and washing will have very real cause to do so; however, continued distress over some (presumed) offenses against God is no doubt unfounded--particularly if those “sins” occurred before coming to Christ.
In any case, I have always imagined that, from God’s perspective, there is no difference between “unforgivable sins” and “unfixable sins.” In saying this, I am thinking of God’s redemptive and restorative powers, as He delivers each of us from sin’s penalty before Him, as well as its effects on ourselves and others. I wouldn’t maintain that He erases all earthly consequences of our transgressions but that He redeems and uses all things. Just as He is able and willing to remove our guilt--applying the Gospel truth to create a “clean slate” of our hearts--so too He can both heal us and perfect our characters within brokenness. I am confident that if He allows something to remain, it is for good reason. And any good reason to a loving and sovereign God is more than good reason to me.
”All our transgressions are forgiven in Him. So ... what about those sins that can't be fixed? … I'm not talking about unforgivable sins. I'm talking about unfixable sins. Maybe it's missed opportunities or harm that can't be undone.”
When I read those words (and your mention of divorce and remarriage right after them), I am reminded of the discussion you and I had at your 11/28/25 post, where we addressed “missteps” within God’s sovereign plan (albeit not in very great detail). It was those “unfixable sins” I had in mind in my comments there--missteps that I felt that God would use and redeem in that special way He does. Both in that post and now, I look to God to work all things together for our good and His glory.
That leaves me wondering this: When you use the term “unfixable sins” in this post, do you mean unfixable by us, or by God? (I can guess at your answer, but I think it’s worth clarifying, in order to be thinking rightly about the question you raised today.)
David, I mean, "Yes, we committed those sins ("guilty") but we are forgiven ("not feeling guilt")." If feelings follow fact, being forgiven should lead to not feeling guilty because the fact is we're forgiven. Of course, if we do feel guilty even if we're forgiven, it suggests we're not actually convinced, doesn't it?
There is a real, fundamental difference between "unforgivable" and "unfixable" as I'm using them. "Unforgivable" means no chance for forgiveness. "Unfixable" means "I may be forgiven, but I can't erase the consequences." The most obvious example I can think of is the person who divorces their spouse and remarries, then discovers they were in sin and, biblically, committing adultery. Now, there are those who actually argue, "You need to divorce the second spouse!" (Scripture also disallows remarrying an original spouse in the case of remarriage after divorce, so that's a problem on its own.) So you can't divorce the spouse, but you've committed adultery. That's forgivable, but not fixable. (There are those who argue that divorce and remarriage IS an unforgivable sin for that reason.)
OK, so “unfixable” by us (to answer my question). I concur with the “can’t erase the consequences” aspect (as I mentioned above), and I would say that those arguing for a “corrective” divorce or deeming the divorce/remarriage “unforgiveable” are going (way) beyond Scripture (and reasonable, common sense, as well). (I certainly hope that believers in that situation have dealt with their past choices, as they should do for all their sinful actions.) To me, that “unfixed” state of things in the aftermath of sin and poor choices made by fallen humans (those “missteps” again) is the harsh reality of this earthly life; it is clear evidence that we are sinners (to all those that deny the obvious). Other than attempting to repair (or compensate for) injury where we have caused it, the “fixing” seems to be God’s special work, rather than ours.
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