How can I know that I am forgiven when I have sinned so badly?

Can you really forgive me when I do some of the things I do?

I don’t mean to cross the lines and boundaries that you have set up in your Word, but sometimes, I do it anyway.

The great apostle Paul struggled just as you do, and, as do all God’s children. Paul answers best, I believe, in Romans 7:14-25,

"For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do….

…But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells;…

…I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God…

…But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members….

…O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"

Charly, this is why Jesus had to die on the cross for us. He became sin in the flesh so that we would no longer be held bondage by the sin we were born into.

We must first realize that no matter how hard we try to "be good", we will never be good enough on our own.

We must learn how to run to Him and confess our sins KNOWING that as we do, "He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

Charly, don’t let the devil beat you up with your past failures! Run to your Heavenly Father who loves you and who is waiting to wash you once again in the blood of Jesus and make you white as snow. He is Faithful!