>>Jesus’ own words contradict that:
No, they don’t. That’s the danger of being a proof text Christian. You search the bible for that one verse that proves that you are right, ignoring everything else.
Presbyterians practice a systematic theology, which is an understanding of the full scripture. We don’t throw proof texts around and engage in proof text battles to prove our points.
If you were required to beg forgiveness for your sins, you would fail. You would always miss one or have that one that you do not consider a sin even though God does. And if he gave you a pass on the ones you missed, then he is not just. How many would you have to miss for him to say, “Nope. That was one too many.”
The emptiness of the proof text Christianity can be found in your understanding of grace, forgiveness, and salvation as you keep thinking that you need to do something to make it all happen. It is so ludicrous that the creator of the universe needs you to utter a phrase to unlock his grace. It’s actually insulting and borders on blasphemy.
If I gave you a giant mansion as a gift and said, “Take this. It is yours.” would you respond with “What do I owe you?”
I answer, “Nothing. It is my gift to you. I built this for you.”
But you insist, “No. I must pay you something. What is it worth?”
I say, “3.5 million dollars.”
You respond, “Oh. I can’t afford that. But, I can give you $100.”
If I take the $100, you can claim that you paid for the house and the generosity of my gift is ruined.
Your pitiful begging for forgiveness for sins already forgiven AND FORGOTTEN are an insult to he who forgave you already.
>>No, they don’t.
Yes, they do.
Forgiveness is not permission to live in unrepentant sin.
That’s what differentiates forgiveness of sin from the permission to sin coveted by the homosexual community who pretend they have nothing to repent of because they’re “forgiven”.