Is repentance necessary for forgiveness?

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joaniemarie

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Jan 4, 2017
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Acts 17:30 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

It is not a suggestion for good living, or something God requests us to do, but here it is plainly stated that it is a command. That means that if you want to sin, you die!! It is treated as a prayer asking God to allow us to sin, and that prayer is answered. Sin that is not forgiven always results in death.

It was wonderful for me to find out that repentance is about a change of MIND. (renewing of your mind) When the Holy Spirit has shown someone the truth of Jesus Christ. That individual's eyes are OPENED and he/she then believes what the Bible says; that Jesus ALONE saves not his/her works..... It's not how "sorry" we are or how much emotion we have or show. It's what we now believe after we hear and allow the Holy Spirit to CHANGE our minds. Thus one of the Holy Spirit's ministries is to illuminate WILLING believers to grow in the knowledge of the truth., in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We should and must be "repenting" daily.

Sometimes we repent with tears of JOY that He would even care to show us such amazing truths from His Word by His Spirit., sometimes with simply a calm knowing. The revelation of His love for us is what the Holy Spirit will do as we read the Bible & believe the truths that are opened up before us.

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue." 2 Peter 1:2-3
 

Blik

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2016
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God wants us to be public in our commitment....every person He called to follow Him and serve Him was called publicly. Further,
Christ said..." if you will not acknowledge My Father before mankind I will not acknowledge you before my Father. No one comes to the Father but by Me (Christ).

The intent here is very clear. We must confess and acknowledge our Father as our Creator and ask Him for forgiveness of our sins...in Jesus's name...Amen.
Good points. When we put on the whole armor of the Lord then the physical world is a secondary world, as we live always aware of God within us, we become aware of any opportunity to tell the world about the Lord and His kingdom.

Even I, in my 96 year old body tied to a wheelchair living in a facility that seldom recognizes God sometimes finds opportunities to share God to receptive people.
 
Jun 12, 2021
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We know that God told us to repent, but did God tell us that if we don’t repent, we will not be forgiven?

Psalms 51: 17 The sacrifices of god are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

God hears our repentance, but is it a requirement?
If you are interested in freedom from sin and how do we receive the Holy Spirit? read below.
After God gave me the Holy Spirit, I found proof that TV, movies, novels, music, video games and computer games are all sins, except Christian stuff that don’t have sins like sermons and Christian music words that gives messages. I found out that in them there is lying, stealing, adultery (Matthew 5:28 looking at someone with lust is adultery), fornication which is sex before marriage, revenge, murder, jealousy, pride=self-pity, hypocrisy, using God’s name in vain as a curse word, they are all idols (breaks 2nd Commandment) because most people can’t live without them and they love them more than God and more. Just read the 10 commandments for a list.

1 John 2:15 King James Version (KJV)

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 New King James Version

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Now I will be preaching about how to receive the Holy Spirit and be 100% going to Heaven.

First, it’s only by the grace of God that he gives you faith in Jesus Christ in order to give up your sins. It’s only by the grace of God that he leads you to pray to him to destroy all your evil desires of watching TV or any sinful desires. When you pray to God to destroy all your evil desires of watching TV or sinful desires (Romans 6:6-7 and Galatians 5:24), Satan will intervene and extremely tempt you in watching the TV. But if it’s God’s will and if you are one of God’s elects, you will overcome it and God will destroy all your evil desires of watching TV. After God has destroyed all your evil desires of watching TV and if you are one of God’s elects, you receive the joy of the Holy Spirit for about 40 minutes. After the joy wears off, all existence of boredom no longer exists and you no longer burn out (psychology) anymore. That is when you have received the Holy Spirit.

Then it’s by the grace of God that he forgives you of your sins, as you confess and repent of your sins throughout your life which is called sanctification. But you can watch Christian stuff that don’t have sins (Like sermons) because that helps you grow more mature as a Christian spiritually and for more information about this sermon, go to spreadthegospel59.wordpress.com

God's elect or nonelect?
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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It was wonderful for me to find out that repentance is about a change of MIND. (renewing of your mind) When the Holy Spirit has shown someone the truth of Jesus Christ. That individual's eyes are OPENED and he/she then believes what the Bible says; that Jesus ALONE saves not his/her works..... It's not how "sorry" we are or how much emotion we have or show. It's what we now believe after we hear and allow the Holy Spirit to CHANGE our minds. Thus one of the Holy Spirit's ministries is to illuminate WILLING believers to grow in the knowledge of the truth., in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We should and must be "repenting" daily.

Sometimes we repent with tears of JOY that He would even care to show us such amazing truths from His Word by His Spirit., sometimes with simply a calm knowing. The revelation of His love for us is what the Holy Spirit will do as we read the Bible & believe the truths that are opened up before us.

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue." 2 Peter 1:2-3


So lovely to see you posting again! :)
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
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If you are interested in freedom from sin and how do we receive the Holy Spirit? read below.
After God gave me the Holy Spirit, I found proof that TV, movies, novels, music, video games and computer games are all sins, except Christian stuff that don’t have sins like sermons and Christian music words that gives messages. I found out that in them there is lying, stealing, adultery (Matthew 5:28 looking at someone with lust is adultery), fornication which is sex before marriage, revenge, murder, jealousy, pride=self-pity, hypocrisy, using God’s name in vain as a curse word, they are all idols (breaks 2nd Commandment) because most people can’t live without them and they love them more than God and more. Just read the 10 commandments for a list.

1 John 2:15 King James Version (KJV)

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 New King James Version

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Now I will be preaching about how to receive the Holy Spirit and be 100% going to Heaven.

First, it’s only by the grace of God that he gives you faith in Jesus Christ in order to give up your sins. It’s only by the grace of God that he leads you to pray to him to destroy all your evil desires of watching TV or any sinful desires. When you pray to God to destroy all your evil desires of watching TV or sinful desires (Romans 6:6-7 and Galatians 5:24), Satan will intervene and extremely tempt you in watching the TV. But if it’s God’s will and if you are one of God’s elects, you will overcome it and God will destroy all your evil desires of watching TV. After God has destroyed all your evil desires of watching TV and if you are one of God’s elects, you receive the joy of the Holy Spirit for about 40 minutes. After the joy wears off, all existence of boredom no longer exists and you no longer burn out (psychology) anymore. That is when you have received the Holy Spirit.

Then it’s by the grace of God that he forgives you of your sins, as you confess and repent of your sins throughout your life which is called sanctification. But you can watch Christian stuff that don’t have sins (Like sermons) because that helps you grow more mature as a Christian spiritually and for more information about this sermon, go to spreadthegospel59.wordpress.com

God's elect or nonelect?
is it about watching tv or not ?

or is it about loving other people who we cross paths with in our daily lives ? I mean what would this word create in a believers heart ? If we were to just believe what he’s saying about salvstion what Would it start to create in our thinking ?

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

..Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:31, 33-46‬ ‭

it seems as if our focus needs to be in this place to have a good assurance

“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:16-19‬ ‭

I think loving others as Christ taught us to do is what’s going to be the answers of the spirit and watching a little tv or playing a computer game isnt necessarily a path to eternal damnation I think it’s when we walk past those in need when we have full pockets

and cross the street when we see someone who’s in obvious need , when we try tommake it difficult for others to come to Christ , when we forget our own sins and never compare our life to the gospel before we make judgements

things like that seem to be a org to damnation those who are sent to the devils home are those who lived thoer lives for themselves without considering the others who lives for the world money , popular opinion , the latest trend of religion and newest face in doctrine all those types of thkngs hurt us

I would t advocate for 247 entertainment but I also think relaxation time and unwinding recreation with froends and family life is a good thing and all thkngs have potential for good or evil

I think we should look to things like the Good Samaritan and find the understanding there and were going to be on the right path
 

mustaphadrink

Senior Member
Dec 13, 2013
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My answer is a resounding yes. To support my stand, I will quote only one scripture from Paul and another from Peter and leave the rest.

1. When Paul defended himself against the evils levelled on him by the Jews, he recounted his encounter with Jesus Christ our Lord on his way to Damascus. In Acts 26:18 (KJV), he said, he was sent to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified in Christ Jesus

2, He went on in Acts 26:19 - 20 to say, whereupon O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision, but showed first unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance. This explains clearly his understanding of item 1 above.

3. I can actually say that "Repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance" shows in a nutshell, a summary of Paul's preaching. All his teachings could be said to fall under this. He expatiated on it in different ways and manner in his epistles.

4. Also in Acts 20:21 we read, "testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ" First, repentance towards God because it is all about God and his WORD. In his WORD, we find faith forgiveness etc

5. For Peter, I will take Acts 8:22. Here we see his encounter with Simon the sorcerer who wanted to buy the the holy Spirit. Peter called this act wickedness and said to him , repent of this your wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

Do I need to say more?
Atheists say God does not exist not because he does not exist but because they don' t want him to exist. If he does they are in queer street.

The same as people who say we don't need to repent. Said because they don' t want to repent.
 
Jul 11, 2020
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Atheists say God does not exist not because he does not exist but because they don' t want him to exist. If he does they are in queer street.

The same as people who say we don't need to repent. Said because they don' t want to repent.
OR probably because they have not gotten the understanding yet.
 

Blik

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2016
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is it about watching tv or not ?

IIthink we should look to things like the Good Samaritan and find the understanding there and were going to be on the right path
I agree with you about relaxation and fun. I it part of scripture to tell us to rejoice, praise and feast. The Lord even told of special days He gave special blessings to for this. Friends and family are promoted in scripture. But I don't think that watching the promotion of social mores, sexual misbehavior, reports of evil, and all the things the TV represents and fills our minds with garbage can be what God asks us to do for fun and relaxation.
 

ForestGreenCook

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Jul 8, 2018
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Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all men everywhere to repent. – Acts 17:30

I have a document with a whole lot more scriptures regarding the need to repent for salvation, but I figured this one was good enough.

==========================================================

Strong's Concordance

metanoeó: to change one's mind or purpose

Original Word: μετανοέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: metanoeó
Phonetic Spelling: (met-an-o-eh'-o)
Short Definition: I repent, change my mind
Definition: I repent, change my mind, change the inner man (particularly with reference to acceptance of the will of God), repent.

HELPS Word-studies

3340 metanoéō (from 3326 /metá, "changed after being with" and 3539 /noiéō, "think") – properly, "think differently after," "after a change of mind"; to repent (literally, "think differently afterwards
John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

The natural man, before he is spiritually born again, receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned - 1 Cor 2:14.

Acts 17:30 is referring to the "all men" of Athens who are already born again of the Spirit.
 

ForestGreenCook

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Jul 8, 2018
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The word metanoeó means the same thing no matter which translation you use. As I said, I have many more scriptures which demonstrate the need for repentance for salvation. To not repent would mean that one would continue willfully living according to the sinful nature, which is why repentance is required.
The instruction to repent is only given to those who are already born again of the Spirit. The natural man that has not been born of the Spirit will not repent to breaking a spiritual law that he cannot discern. 1 Cor 2:14.
 

ForestGreenCook

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Jul 8, 2018
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Acts 17:30 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

It is not a suggestion for good living, or something God requests us to do, but here it is plainly stated that it is a command. That means that if you want to sin, you die!! It is treated as a prayer asking God to allow us to sin, and that prayer is answered. Sin that is not forgiven always results in death.
Jesus died and paid for the sins of all of those that his Father gave him. Although their sins are paid for, and God looks upon them as holy and without blame (as far as their eternal inheritance is concerned) they still carry the baggage of their sin nature inherited from Adam, and do offtimes yield to the temptations of sin. God instructs his born again children to repent when they sin, because they separate themselves from God's fellowship until they repent (Death in the Greek means "a separation'). God does not instruct the natural man (before he is born again) to repent of breaking a spiritual law that he cannot discern - 1 Cor 2:14.
 

ForestGreenCook

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Absolutely. There is no remission of sins without repentance, and that is very clear in the Bible.
Jesus died on the cross to remit the sins of all of those that his Father gave him and he will not lose even one of them - John 6:39
 

ForestGreenCook

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Repentance is an indication of God's mercy and work in us. He knows our nature and we won't repent. If you are remorseful, repentant, you are bearing and exhibiting the righteous fruits of the Lord.
You are absolutely right. If you repent of breaking a spiritual law, you are already born of the Spirit (born again). The natural (spiritually unborn) will not repent of breaking a spiritual law that he cannot discern - 1 Cor 2-14.
 

Blik

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Dec 6, 2016
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Jesus died on the cross to remit the sins of all of those that his Father gave him and he will not lose even one of them - John 6:39
This post is not about that Christ paid for our sins or that through Christ we are forgiven of all sin. That is established. Over and done. What this post is about is what we are to do after we are forgiven, how should we look at sin after we are cleared of sin? we still live in a human body or we have escaped that body in human death and live with the Lord in heaven.
 

ForestGreenCook

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God hears, but what is God hearing?
Is God hearing a prayer of regret, of remorse, of true sorrow?
Or, is God hearing I got caught and Your Word demands I do something about it?

It's a requirement, if God is able to hear a true broken heart sorry for the actions they've committed.
It's a waste of God's time if it is only repetitive jargon.
Repentance, for a born again child of God, results in regaining his fellowship with God. It does not have anything to do with his eternal inheritance. Jesus secured that inheritance for all of those that his Father gave him by dying to pay for their sins.
 

Ahwatukee

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Mar 12, 2015
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John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

The natural man, before he is spiritually born again, receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned - 1 Cor 2:14.

Acts 17:30 is referring to the "all men" of Athens who are already born again of the Spirit.
Hello ForestGreenCook,

You might want to look at the context of who Paul was speaking to again:

"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you."

The fact that the people of Athens had an altar set up "to an unknown God" tells us that Paul was speaking to unbelievers and not to people born of the spirit.

Anyway, regardless of whom it was written to, it is for the benefit of everyone who reads it. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God a may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. The letters to the seven churches in Revelation are good example of this. Though they were were written to those specific churches of that time, they are also directed at every believer to examine himself till this very day and beyond.
 

Ahwatukee

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Mar 12, 2015
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The instruction to repent is only given to those who are already born again of the Spirit. The natural man that has not been born of the Spirit will not repent to breaking a spiritual law that he cannot discern. 1 Cor 2:14.
Well that stands to reason since an unbeliever is not going to repent. The need for repentance is a requirement for those who believe.

The title of this thread is "Is Repentance necessary for forgiveness?" And I have been saying, yes it is. Those who come to Christ must repent, otherwise it would mean that they would remain willfully living according to the sinful nature. Repentance doesn't mean that you are without sin, it means that you have a change of mind/direction regarding that old way of life and are turning from it.
 

Nebuchadnezzer

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Feb 8, 2019
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We know that God told us to repent, but did God tell us that if we don’t repent, we will not be forgiven?

Psalms 51: 17 The sacrifices of god are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

God hears our repentance, but is it a requirement?
Luke 13:5
No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
 

Ahwatukee

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2015
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Repentance, for a born again child of God, results in regaining his fellowship with God. It does not have anything to do with his eternal inheritance. Jesus secured that inheritance for all of those that his Father gave him by dying to pay for their sins.
Oh, but repentance does have to do with eternal life. If one does not repent, it means that they have not had a change of mind regarding the sinful nature and would continue in it, which leads to condemnation.

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At that time, some of those present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. To this He replied, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this fate? No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them: Do you think that they were more sinful than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” - Luke 13:1-5

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, 20that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you. – Acts 3:17-22

So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance – Acts 26:19-20

But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love. Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Repentance is required for all, whether for the believer or prospective believer. Anyone who comes to Christ must repent, otherwise they there is no salvation.
 

ForestGreenCook

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Jul 8, 2018
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This post is not about that Christ paid for our sins or that through Christ we are forgiven of all sin. That is established. Over and done. What this post is about is what we are to do after we are forgiven, how should we look at sin after we are cleared of sin? we still live in a human body or we have escaped that body in human death and live with the Lord in heaven.
I am not clear as to what your implication is. It is our Adam nature to sin and we all at times yield ourselves to the lusts of sin. When we yield to the lust of sin, we separate ourselves from our fellowship with God, because God will not fellowship with sin. Because we have been born again and have been given a heart of flesh, instead of stone, that can be pricked to feel spiritual guilt, we repent and regain our fellowship back with God. What we should do after we have been forgiven, is to try to mortify the deeds of our fleshly nature and walk in God's commandments as best that we can.