Forgiveness of Sins

The Bible has a lot to say about the forgiveness of sins. From the Old Testament to the Gospels, the entire Bible is littered with proof that shows the need for forgiveness of sin, God's love and His desire to restore us. But before we talk about forgiveness, we need to understand what sin really is.

Most people think of sin as just doing something wrong — lying, stealing, hurting others, or being selfish. And that’s true, those actions are sinful; but the Bible shows us that sin is deeper than just bad behaviour.

Psalm 51:5 says, 

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.

That verse suggests that sin isn’t just something we do — it’s something we are born into. That’s a hard idea to understand. How can a baby, who hasn’t done anything yet already be considered a sinner?

Even those who live very morally - like Buddhist monks or spiritual teachers known for peace and kindness are still included in the Bible’s statement: 

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

1 John 1:9

So, the question becomes: what exactly is sin, if it goes beyond just actions?

In the original Hebrew, the word most translated as “sin” is khata, which means “to miss the mark.” It’s the same word used in Judges 20:16, where skilled warriors could sling stones without missing. To “sin” then, is to miss the mark, the goal that God has set us for.

Now, the next question would be what’s the mark we’re missing?

Genesis 1:26 gives us a clue - God said, 

Let us make human beings in our image… so they may reflect our nature.

We were created to reflect God’s image—to live in a way that shows who He is. Romans 3:23 follows that up with, 

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

In other words, we’ve all failed to live up to our purpose. That failure—that “missing the mark”—is what the Bible calls sin.

Because of that, no one is excluded. We are all born missing the mark—unable to reflect God’s perfect image on our own. That includes the kindest people, the most moral cultures, and even newborns. It’s not about how “bad” we seem—it's about how far we’ve fallen from God’s design for us.

And sin has consequences. Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death…” Sin separates us from God, just like Isaiah 59:2 describes: “Your sins have made God turn his face from you.” That separation is spiritual death—a disconnection from the source of life.

But that’s not the end of the story, God doesn’t want to leave us in that place of separation. He offers us forgiveness—not just by ignoring sin, but by removing it. Micah 7:19 says God “will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”  Forgiveness is God’s way of restoring us to relationship, to intimacy with Him.

We often think of forgiveness in human terms—letting go of resentment, choosing not to hold a grudge. And those ideas help. But God’s forgiveness goes further. He completely removes the sin that separates us. Psalm 103:3 says He “forgives all your iniquity.”

All we need to do is admit it. 1 John 1:9 tells us, 

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Forgiveness isn’t something we earn. It’s a gift we receive. And that gift was made possible through Jesus. As Acts 10:43 puts it, 

Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.

So yes, sin is serious. It’s not just about being “bad” or “good.” It’s about whether we’re living in the fullness of the life God created us for. And the truth is, we’ve all missed the mark. But the good news is that God is not waiting to condemn us—He’s waiting to forgive us.

Through Jesus, forgiveness is possible. No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done, God wants to remove your sin and bring you back to Himself. That’s what grace is all about.

Writing Credits: Adejoke Kuye.