For the Christian, when does God forgive sins?

I am speaking here of those sins that a Christian commits after he has been born again. In relation to past sins, most Christians are completely agreed that past sins are forgiven at conversion (the new birth). But there are several different explanations of how sins are forgiven after the new birth.

Those different explanations fall broadly into three categories:
(1) Those who believe that at the new birth all of a person's sins already committed and those yet in the future are forgiven at the moment of being born again.
(2) Those who believe that a Christian must confess/repent to God after committing a sin, and then the sin is forgiven.
(3) Those who believe that a Christian who sins is immediately forgiven of the sin at the moment that it is forgiven because of the Christian's faith in the atoning of the blood of Christ

Those who teach Calvinism, eternal security, or the perseverance of saints fall mostly under #1.

Those who teach #2 tend to be of the Arminian camp in some form or other. There are many variances taught under #2 - that is - the question arises: If the sin is not forgiven yet, is this person still saved?

I believe #3. And I believe that this is the only approach of the three that offers a clear and straightforward daily assurance of salvation to the believer.

I don't really understand #3 where you say...it is forgiven immediately when it is forgiven. Can you explain this more fully?

I don't really understand #3 where you say...it is forgiven immediately when it is forgiven. Can you explain this more fully?

I am speaking here of those sins that a Christian commits after he has been born again. In relation to past sins, most Christians are completely agreed that past sins are forgiven at conversion (the new birth). But there are several different explanations of how sins are forgiven after the new birth.

Those different explanations fall broadly into three categories:
(1) Those who believe that at the new birth all of a person's sins already committed and those yet in the future are forgiven at the moment of being born again.
(2) Those who believe that a Christian must confess/repent to God after committing a sin, and then the sin is forgiven.
(3) Those who believe that a Christian who sins is immediately forgiven of the sin at the moment that it is forgiven because of the Christian's faith in the atoning of the blood of Christ

Those who teach Calvinism, eternal security, or the perseverance of saints fall mostly under #1.

Those who teach #2 tend to be of the Arminian camp in some form or other. There are many variances taught under #2 - that is - the question arises: If the sin is not forgiven yet, is this person still saved?

I believe #3. And I believe that this is the only approach of the three that offers a clear and straightforward daily assurance of salvation to the believer.

I am speaking here of those sins that a Christian commits after he has been born again. In relation to past sins, most Christians are completely agreed that past sins are forgiven at conversion (the new birth). But there are several different explanations of how sins are forgiven after the new birth.

Those different explanations fall broadly into three categories:
(1) Those who believe that at the new birth all of a person's sins already committed and those yet in the future are forgiven at the moment of being born again.
(2) Those who believe that a Christian must confess/repent to God after committing a sin, and then the sin is forgiven.
(3) Those who believe that a Christian who sins is immediately forgiven of the sin at the moment that it is forgiven because of the Christian's faith in the atoning of the blood of Christ

Those who teach Calvinism, eternal security, or the perseverance of saints fall mostly under #1.

Those who teach #2 tend to be of the Arminian camp in some form or other. There are many variances taught under #2 - that is - the question arises: If the sin is not forgiven yet, is this person still saved?

I believe #3. And I believe that this is the only approach of the three that offers a clear and straightforward daily assurance of salvation to the believer.

I choose door #4: our sins were forgiven when Jesus died on the cross.

I am speaking here of those sins that a Christian commits after he has been born again. In relation to past sins, most Christians are completely agreed that past sins are forgiven at conversion (the new birth). But there are several different explanations of how sins are forgiven after the new birth.

Those different explanations fall broadly into three categories:
(1) Those who believe that at the new birth all of a person's sins already committed and those yet in the future are forgiven at the moment of being born again.
(2) Those who believe that a Christian must confess/repent to God after committing a sin, and then the sin is forgiven.
(3) Those who believe that a Christian who sins is immediately forgiven of the sin at the moment that it is forgiven because of the Christian's faith in the atoning of the blood of Christ

Those who teach Calvinism, eternal security, or the perseverance of saints fall mostly under #1.

Those who teach #2 tend to be of the Arminian camp in some form or other. There are many variances taught under #2 - that is - the question arises: If the sin is not forgiven yet, is this person still saved?

I believe #3. And I believe that this is the only approach of the three that offers a clear and straightforward daily assurance of salvation to the believer.

1 -

Isaiah 45:21-25, 21 “Declare and bring near, let them even take counsel together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has declared it from that time? Is it not I, יהוה? And there is no mighty one besides Me, a righteous Ěl and a Saviour, there is none besides Me. 22 “Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am Ěl, and there is none else. 23 “I have sworn by Myself, a word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, so that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue swear. 24 “One shall say, ‘Only in יהוה do I have righteousness and strength’ – he comes to Him. And all those displeased with Him shall be put to shame. 25 “In יהוה all the seed of Yisra’ĕl shall be declared right and boast.”

Isaiah 53:4-6, 4 Truly, He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains. Yet we reckoned Him smitten·, stricken by Elohim, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our crookedness. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, went astray, each one of us has turned to his own way. And יהוה has laid on Him the crookedness of us all.

1 Peter 2:25, “For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your beings.”

Acts 3:19-23, “Repent therefore and turn back, for the blotting out of your sins, in order that times of refreshing might come from the presence of the Master, and that He sends יהושע Messiah, pre-appointed for you, whom heaven needs to receive until the times of restoration of all matters, of which the Mighty One spoke through the mouth of all His set-apart prophets since of old. For Mosheh truly said to the fathers, ‘יהוה your Mighty One shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers. Him you shall hear according to all matters, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every being who does not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.” (Deut 18:18-19)

2 -

John 9:31, "“And we know that YHWH does not hear sinners. But if anyone fears YHWH and does His desire, He hears him. “ (Pro 28:9)

1 John 3:4, "Whoever commits sin, transgresses also the Law; for sin is the transgression of the Law."

Proverbs 28:13 “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”

Hebrews 7:24-25, “but He, because He remains forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save completely those who draw near to YHWH through Him, ever living to make intercession for them.”

1 John 1:8-10, "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. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us."

Hebrews 4:1-15, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest Who has ascended into the heavens: Yahshua the Son of YHWH, let us hold fast our profession. For we do not have a High Priest Who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all ways tempted as we are, yet was without sin."

Psalm 32:5, “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my crookedness I did not hide. I have said, “I confess my transgressions to יהוה,” And You forgave the crookedness of my sin. Selah.”

3 -

John 8:31-32, “So יהושע said to those Yehuḏim who believed Him, “If you stay in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

John 8:34-36, “יהושע answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone doing sin is a servant of sin. And the servant does not stay in the house forever – a son stays forever. If, then, the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

John 5:28-30, “Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth – those who have practiced righteousness, to the resurrection of life, and those who have practiced evil matters, to a resurrection of judgment. Of Myself I am unable to do any matter. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own desire, but the desire of the Father who sent Me.”

I choose door #4: our sins were forgiven when Jesus died on the cross.

ah, you believe the writer to the Hebrews:

who (the Son), being the radiance of His glory and the exact expression of His substance, and upholding all things by the power of His word, through having made the purification of sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb 1:3 BLB)