Forgiveness and grace for cheaters? Sure, as long as... - Divorce Minister
Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.
-Hebrews 10:26-27, NLT
Cheaters ARE eligible for forgiveness and grace as long as they choose to stop sinning and expose their lies with truth-telling.
The problem is how cheaters want forgiveness and grace from other Christians without stopping their deliberate sinning. They are unwilling to “come clean” or give up their double life.
As I read Hebrews, God does not offer forgiveness or grace to such individuals. You cannot continue in deliberate sin and correctly expect to receive God’s forgiveness, let alone His children’s.
Cheaters often talk about how “God has forgiven” them. They use that phrase to try and cast the faithful spouse as bitter for requiring repentance.
However, I do think it is fair game to ask whether God has truly forgiven the cheater:
Does God forgive someone who remains in deliberate sin according to Hebrews 10:26-27?
No.
-A cheater who has not stopped cheating is in deliberate sin.
-A cheater who marries his or her affair partner is in deliberate sin.
-A cheater who has not exposed his or her nasty secrets to the faithful partner is engaging in lying. They are in deliberate sin.
I am a firm believer God can and does forgive all sins. However, God does require us to cease sinning deliberately first.
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*A version of this post ran previously.
