Should Christians Pray for the Forgiveness of Their Sins?

Many sincere Bible students frequently misunderstand this passage. It is also a source of some division. Let's explore the meaning.

Walking in the Light

First, 1 John 1:7 teaches that we have ongoing forgiveness only so long as we "walk in the light." Part of that "light" shows that we petition God for forgiveness—which this brother obviously is not doing, since he believes it is unnecessary. He thus is not "walking in the light," though he may be very sincere in his conviction.

Besides that, the Greek present tense does not necessarily demand uninterrupted, continuous action. It may denote sustained activity (as illustrated by a straight line), or it may denote intermittent activity (as illustrated by a dotted line).

Does 1 John 1:7 imply unconditional forgiveness independent of prayer? It absolutely does not.

The Model Prayer

The model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) contains timeless principles. It is not restricted to circumstances that applied only to prayer before the cross.

Do we have no need to pray for our daily bread today? And what about a petition for deliverance from temptation? Was that merely a pre-cross need? Even the request "may your kingdom come" can have a post-cross application (cf. 2 Timothy 4:18; Revelation 22:20).

So we also ought to pray, "forgive us our trespasses," as Christ instructed his faithful disciples.

The Case of Simon

Furthermore, the brother has made an artificial abstraction with reference to Simon (Acts 8). No evidence shows that Simon was a "total apostate." So far as the record reveals, he erred in only one particular: attempting to buy a gift of God to which he was not entitled. Peter therefore told the erring brother to "repent and pray" in order that he might enjoy forgiveness.

Obviously, Peter believed the wayward brother could be forgiven; otherwise, his admonition would be a mockery. One might as well argue that no Christian ever needs to repent, since the blood of Jesus "continuously cleanses" him of his sin. "Repent" and "pray" are coordinate conditions in Acts 8:22.

Confessing Our Sins

Then James connects the act of confessing one's faults with praying (James 5:16). He also speaks of converting a "brother" from error, thus saving his soul from death (James 5:20). This context links prayer to forgiveness on behalf of a brother who errs.

Prayer for Our Brethren

John explicitly affirms that one can "ask" God for "life" (i.e., forgiveness) on behalf of a brother who commits a sin "not unto death" (i.e., one repented of, and confessed his sin; cf. 1 John 1:9). This passage makes no sense if the doctrine advocated by the brother in question is true.

Does this mean that if a devout Christian were suddenly killed in a tragic accident, he would die lost if he had not momentarily earlier specifically prayed for the forgiveness of his sins? Of course not.

But it does suggest that the saint's life must be characterized by sincere prayer, including acknowledging our constant tendency toward sin and consistently petitioning the Heavenly Father for pardon.