Maybe you’ve done something terrible, even criminal. Maybe you have some awful, habitual sins that you can’t overcome. You thought you were a Christian, but now that’s hard to believe. Can you really still consider yourself “saved”?
If you’ve hurt someone or done something illegal, it’s really important for you to come clean about that. That’s part of the process of repentance and turning to the Lord. You can’t keep what you’ve done hidden.
But you can do that in hope.
Throughout Scripture, we see men and woman who were a part of God’s people and yet committed terrible sins. Think about King David, who committed adultery and murder (2 Sam. 11). Think of just about every “hero” in the Bible. Think about Abraham, Jacob, even the apostle Peter. They all, at one point or another in their lives as believers, committed grievous sin.
That doesn’t excuse whatever you’ve done. But it shows you that there’s hope. When you turn to the Lord, confessing your sin, he forgives you. The blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient. It washes away even those sins that we’re most ashamed of and want to hide.
So bring your sin into the light now. You need to be in a good church that’s faithful to the Word of God and can bring the gospel to bear on your life. You can experience the restoration that the apostle Paul talks about in Galatians 6:1: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.”
When you go to the Lord in true confession, sincerely repenting of your sins, he forgives you. If you’ve done something to hurt someone or something illegal, you need to confess this to others. There may be consequences—relational and even legal—but you can still experience the mercy and grace of God.
You can find true and genuine healing. You can experience that restoration that the apostle Paul talks about in Galatians 6:1. Get plugged into a solid church where you can get accountability and help in a community of mercy and love.
This article is part of our Frequently Asked Questions series. Listen to Pastor Adriel answer this question on Core Radio here.
Dig deeper with these free resources from Core Christianity:
Core Questions
These clear and concise PDFs answer some of your toughest questions about the Christian faith:
Can I Lose My Salvation?
Have I Committed the Unpardonable Sin?
How Can God Use All Things for Our Good?
What’s the Difference Between Justification and Sanctification?
Core Guides
Dive deeper with these lengthier and more thorough guides to difficult topics in the Christian life:
9 Ways to Know You Are Really a Christian
7 Things Everyone Needs to Know about Repentance
8 Things Everyone Should Know about the Church
