Why Do Believers Ask God To Forgive Our Sins, If Jesus Has Already Paid For Them?

1st John 1:6-9, "If we say that we have FELLOWSHIP with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have FELLOWSHIP one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The subject at hand is "fellowship" not "sonship." I once worked with a truck driver who claimed that 1st John 1:9 was only written to unsaved people, because as Christians our sins are already forgiven. But that fella didn't understand the difference between fellowship versus sonship. John is speaking about "fellowship" with God and our Christian brethren.

Pastor Jack Hyles preached a helpful sermon on this subject titled: "How To Be Right With God." In the sermon Dr. Hyles contrasts being right with God POSITIONALLY versus CONDITIONALLY. When we got saved, the old account was settled long ago, we were forever legally declared JUSTIFIED by God; so that whenever we sin as saints, we fall IN GRACE, never FROM GRACE (Romans 6:1). God's righteousness was imputed (counted) to us by faith when we got saved, so that in God's sight we always appear as righteous as Jesus Christ. That is our POSITION in Christ.

Our CONDITION is our daily walk with the Lord. So when we sin as God's children, it strains our fellowship with the heavenly Father. Either sin will keep us from the Bible (Proverbs 14:14), or the Bible will keep us from sin (Psalms 119:11; Romans 7:13). We have a continual need to ask God to forgive us as his children, to maintain fellowship. This is our CONDITION in Christ. Our POSITION was forever settled the moment we got saved.

This is also how the Judgment Seat of Christ will be handled. 2nd Corinthians 5:10 teaches that we will give account for the GOOD and the BAD done in the body, not our sins. That is, our CONDITION in Christ will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ, not our POSITION in Christ. There is no condemnation in Christ (John 3:18; Romans 8:1). But we can still suffer loss of rewards (1st Corinthians 3:11-15), weep tears of regret (Revelation 21:4), suffer avengement for those we have defrauded (1st Thessalonians 4:6), and suffer public shame (Revelation 16:15) for a wasted life on earth (Luke 8:13-14). God gives us the option as saints to settle out of civil court before we get there. 1st Corinthians 11:31, "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged."