How Do You Get Sins Erased From Your Record?

[Red Sky at Morning]

Damn the amount of sinning I have done...

Me too!

 

[Annonymous_Damsel]

Me too!

Lmao

 

[DesertRose]

Me too!

God help us

 

[Aero]

They don't get erased. We are all sinners, so we are all guilty in God's eyes. We are both guilty, and loved by God.

 

[Lady]

For the believer in Christ, God certainly does forget our sins!

Question: "Does God really forget our sins? How could an omniscient God forget anything?"

Answer: There are several passages in the Bible that indicate that God forgives and forgets our sin. Isaiah 43:25says, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” Hebrews 10 explains how Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for sin was a once-and-for-all sacrifice. Unlike the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, in which sacrifices were continually made for sin, Jesus paid for sin once. His payment was complete. Hebrews 10:14–18 says, “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: ‘This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.’ Then he adds: ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.”

These passages make it evident that God does not remember our sins. However, God’s “not remembering” is not what we usually think of as forgetfulness. God is omniscient. He knows everything, and He forgets nothing. However, He can choose not to remember something. In human relationships, we can choose to remember the offenses someone has committed against us, or we can choose to forget. To forgive someone, we must often put painful memories out of our minds. We don’t actually forget the sin, and it’s not that we are unable to recall the offense, but we choose to overlook it. Forgiveness prevents us from dwelling on past troubles.

Rather than treating us as our sins deserve, God removes our sins from us “as far as the east is from the west”—an immeasurable distance (Psalm 103:12). Think of travelling around the globe. When does one stop going east and start going west? It is impossible to say. When we are saved, our sins are completely forgiven. This is what the writer of Hebrews is talking about—Jesus made a one-time sacrifice that completely removes our sin. In Christ, we are justified (declared righteous) before God. Romans 8:1 tells us there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Romans 8:31–39 is a beautiful discourse on our security in Christ. Sin has no say in our standing with God. We are fully accepted and declared righteous in Him. God does not remember our sins in the way He treats us. Instead, He treats us as righteous. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin [Jesus] to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” In this way, God “forgets” our sins.

Even as Christians, we sin, but we know that God is faithful to forgive (1 John 1:9). God cleanses, and then He moves on. He does not hold our sins over us. Instead, He frees us from the slavery of sin and sets us free to experience a new life. Knowing the complete forgiveness of God in Christ, we can join King Hezekiah in praising our Redeemer: “You have put all my sins behind your back” (Isaiah 38:17). Like Paul, we can forget what is behind and “press on toward the goal to win the prize (Philippians 3:13).

 

[DesertRose]

{And who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except for those astray?} [Quran 15: 56]

{And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous.} [Quran 3: 133]

{And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah? - And [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. Those - their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers.}[Quran 3: 135-136]

Say: “My servants, you who have transgressed against yourselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Truly Allah forgives all wrong actions. He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”
The Holy Quran 39:53

Call upon your Lord humbly and in secret. Lo! He loveth not transgressors. Work not confusion in the Earth after the fair ordering thereof, and call on Him in fear and hope. Lo! The mercy of Allah is nigh unto the good.
The Holy Quran 7:55-56

Allah created mercy in one hundred parts and sent down to earth only one part. Because of this one part, there is mutual love amongst creation, so much so that an animal will lift up its hoof from its young one, fearing that it might harm it. Allah has reserved the remaining ninety-nine parts of this mercy to favor His believing servants on the Day of Judgment.
The Prophet Muhammad as recorded in Bukhari and Muslim, Book #037, Hadith #6631

So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.
The Holy Quran 18:110

 

[Damien50]

For the believer in Christ, God certainly does forget our sins!

Question: "Does God really forget our sins? How could an omniscient God forget anything?"

Answer: There are several passages in the Bible that indicate that God forgives and forgets our sin. Isaiah 43:25says, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” Hebrews 10 explains how Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for sin was a once-and-for-all sacrifice. Unlike the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, in which sacrifices were continually made for sin, Jesus paid for sin once. His payment was complete. Hebrews 10:14–18 says, “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: ‘This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.’ Then he adds: ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.”

These passages make it evident that God does not remember our sins. However, God’s “not remembering” is not what we usually think of as forgetfulness. God is omniscient. He knows everything, and He forgets nothing. However, He can choose not to remember something. In human relationships, we can choose to remember the offenses someone has committed against us, or we can choose to forget. To forgive someone, we must often put painful memories out of our minds. We don’t actually forget the sin, and it’s not that we are unable to recall the offense, but we choose to overlook it. Forgiveness prevents us from dwelling on past troubles.

Rather than treating us as our sins deserve, God removes our sins from us “as far as the east is from the west”—an immeasurable distance (Psalm 103:12). Think of travelling around the globe. When does one stop going east and start going west? It is impossible to say. When we are saved, our sins are completely forgiven. This is what the writer of Hebrews is talking about—Jesus made a one-time sacrifice that completely removes our sin. In Christ, we are justified (declared righteous) before God. Romans 8:1 tells us there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Romans 8:31–39 is a beautiful discourse on our security in Christ. Sin has no say in our standing with God. We are fully accepted and declared righteous in Him. God does not remember our sins in the way He treats us. Instead, He treats us as righteous. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin [Jesus] to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” In this way, God “forgets” our sins.

Even as Christians, we sin, but we know that God is faithful to forgive (1 John 1:9). God cleanses, and then He moves on. He does not hold our sins over us. Instead, He frees us from the slavery of sin and sets us free to experience a new life. Knowing the complete forgiveness of God in Christ, we can join King Hezekiah in praising our Redeemer: “You have put all my sins behind your back” (Isaiah 38:17). Like Paul, we can forget what is behind and “press on toward the goal to win the prize (Philippians 3:13).

Beat me to it.

 

[floss]

Damn the amount of sinning I have done...

Better start balancing the scale

 

[grateful servant]

So essentially I was correct, Islam has a state that resembles Purgatory, yet the both of you rejected me making this comparison. This personally is the first time I was made aware that an ideology that resembles Purgatory is in Islam. I guess the reason why this is the first time in a decade of speaking to Muslims I have heard about this is because as you quoted limited duration in Jahannam is not universally accepted in Islam. I was always under the impression that if one rejected Islam, Muhammad, the Pillars, have more Bad Works than Good then they go to Hell and stay there forever. I have never been under the impression that one can escape Hell in Islam.

And yes this is about Salvation, and the Doctrine of Purgatory or in Islam, Jahannam is apart of this umbrella of Salvation is it not?

The life of the Barzakh is something that all people will experience after death until the Day of Resurrection - it's not just for Muslims or people who need to be purified of their sins before going to Paradise. It is not purgatory and it is not Jahannam and it is not under the umbrella of Salvation.

Salvation is for all people who die believing in Almighty God and not associating any partners or offspring to Him (those who do not commit Shirk). In this day and age it is for those who know about Islam and say sincerly from their hearts: "I bear witness that there is no diety worthy of worship except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger." May God guide us all.

 

[Lady]

Better start balancing the scale

Lol! Although, I believe Anonymous_Damsel knows better!

 

[grateful servant]

Damn the amount of sinning I have done...

Everyone sins, that's the reality. God forgives all sins except Shirk (associating partners or offspring to Him) until a person repents from it and submits to God with sincerity and humility in Islam. As long as you stop committing Shirk you will attain salvation God Willing. Almighty God says:

Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."​

May God guide us all to our salvation.

 

[Daciple]

The life of the Barzakh is something that all people will experience after death until the Day of Resurrection - it's not just for Muslims or people who need to be purified of their sins before going to Paradise. It is not purgatory and it is not Jahannam and it is not under the umbrella of Salvation.

Alright so now we have another ideology from Islam that I havent been told about in 10 years, the Barzakh, and you say its not purgatory but yet again if we look up some of the details behind it, the ideologies are very very very similar to Purgatory in fact a Pro-Islamic website has written a very extensive article on it, in which they have titled it:

Barzakh (Purgatory) - The Stage Between this World and the Hereafter

According to this article ...“It is from the moment of death up to the time when all will rise from their graves regaining life."

Apparently there is Fire and Suffering in this place essentially due to Sin from what this Article expresses...

Fire of Barzakh leaps out of a Grave
Quoting narrations of some reliable and trustworthy people, the late Shaykh Mahmood Iraqi has mentioned in Darus Salam that once we went to the graveyard of Imamzada Hasan (Tehran). Sun had not yet set.

One of our companions sat down on the stone of a grave. Suddenly he shouted, “Please lift me up.” When we lifted him we saw that the stone was almost red hot.

Just think. How great is the chastisement meted out to the soul that even the gravestone becomes so hot. He says, “I recognized the owner of that grave but I would not disclose his name so that he may not be defamed among people.”

Also it is said about another man who was buried in Qum that flames of fire leaping out of his grave had burnt down carpets over there.

Fire Hotter than the fire of this World
Shaykh Shustari (r.a.) mentioned in his admonitions that the Lord of the worlds has said: 'Hot fire'. Is there, then, any cold fire also? Yes. If it is possible to make comparison, the fire in our world is cold compared to the fire of Barzakh. Nature speaks of two types of fires in this world itself, which if compared can tell us which one is really hot.

Lightning is the Biggest Fire in the World
Shaykh Shustari (r.a.) says that if a comparison is made between the fire of wood and charcoal and lightning in the sky it will be known that lightning is a thin (fine) fire, which is created by the bouncing and hissing of clouds. It is so hot that it burns out everything it touches and then slips away instantly. It neither returns nor stays anywhere.

Nothing can cool it. If it falls on a tree it turns it into coal at once. If it falls on an ocean it burns it up to its bottom and fries even the fish in the bottom of the sea. Only lightning is the real fire. The embers in a hearth also is fire but that fire can be put off by pouring a little water or some dust on it. Its heat and burn has some limitations.

Now you will have understood that the fire of Barzakh cannot be compared with the fire of this world, not even with lightning. If someone's facsimile body and soul are under torture in Barzakh, it is possible (though not always necessarily) that his or her material body may also get affected. What is contrary to it is also observed.

Pleasing and sweet fragrance spread in the absence of any scent, or flowers or burning of aloes wood from the graves of some dear servants of God have also been witnessed.

Also just like the ideology in Catholicism of praying for the dead in Purgatory the same thing is spoken about in this place as well for Muslims to follow:

The Good Deeds which Reach the Dead after Death
Among the beneficences of good deeds, which benefit one in the grave, are the good deeds, which are being performed in this world by proxy or the reward of such good deeds, which is being given to the dead as a gift. The foremost among them is the repayment of his debts and the performance of the missed prayers and fasts.

Similar to it is the performance of the Hajj, which the dead could not or did not undertake, and also to give charity in the way of God and to pray and seek pardon for the dead. There are many narrations by Ahlul Bayt on this subject.7

The summary of these narrations is that if someone performs good deeds like Prayers, Fast, Hajj and alms-giving etc for a deceased person, the Lord of the Universe makes its reward reach the dead and also grants a manifold reward to the performer of such good deeds.

Numerous Gifts as Reward of Charity on behalf of the Dead
Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) says, “It also happens that a body is under squeeze in grave and then he is given ease and comfort. Angels tell him or her that this is the result of such and such good deed sent to you by your such and such well wisher in the world. Such rewards are very big in proportion to the good deeds performed for them.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has been quoted in Wasa’il ush-Shi’a that Almighty God commands seventy thousand angels to proceed towards the grave of that fortunate person. Every angel has, in his hand, a plate full of heavenly bounties of Paradise. They tell the dead, “Be you in peace and safety, O servant of God! O friend of God! This gift has been sent to you by such and such friend.” Then his grave lits up brightly and God the merciful grants him a thousand cities, a thousand houries and a thousand precious robes and fulfils one thousand of his wishes.

https://www.al-islam.org/the-hereafter-maad-ayatullah-dastaghaib-shirazi/barzakh-purgatory-stage-between-world-and-hereafter

So while this place isnt identical to the ideology of Purgatory it does hold many of the same attributes of the concept of Purgatory however it can be stated that it also is likened to what Christians believe in the aspect of how people will go to Hell or Heaven before the Resurrection and after the Resurrection and Judgement, those in Hell get thrown into the Lake of Fire or go to Eternal Paradise with God and Christ. It seems to almost throw Purgatory and Christian understanding of the afterlife before the Resurrection together.

This is still different than what both DR and Hai stated, what they described is identical to Purgatory in the Christian thought and it is definitely under the umbrella of Salvation, thank you tho for relaying another competing concept in Islam that rebuts their positions. I always enjoy learning new things...

Salvation is for all people who die believing in Almighty God and not associating any partners or offspring to Him (those who do not commit Shirk)

Well I believe in Islam it is a bit more complicated than that, a Buddhist or a Pagan doesnt go to Heaven. Although by the standard you have set out for Salvation in Islam it seem very specific to place essentially only Christians into Hell, a Religion built on condemning the followers of Christ and His Father to Hell. In my perspective I believe that is exactly what Islam was created for, to discredit the Salvation and Atonement offered by Christ and create a Religion that purposefully sends to Hell all that accept Christ as their Savior.

However I also believe that entry into Islam demands more than just believing in God in Oneness or Monotheism. I believe that there is a necessity to declare Allah, not just any god, but specifically the god of Muhammad, as the true god, just as it is essential in Christianity to declare that it is the God of Abraham Issac and Jacob the God revealed by Jesus Christ as the sole God due Worship. I also believe that in Islam one must acknowledge Muhammad as a prophet, so even if I believe in Monotheism and reject Muhammad, I go to Hell. I also believe that one must try and maintain the Pillars of Islam to be accepted into Heaven and they must have more Good Deeds (usually by trying to keep the Pilars) than Bad Deeds but if their Bad Deeds outweigh their Good Deeds then they are ripe for Hell fire....

I just dont understand why Muslims act as tho these are not requirements in Islam making these vague and IMO misleading or outright deceitful claims that as long as you believe in Monotheism you go to Heaven. It would be as shameful as a Christian claiming that one doesnt have to believe in Christ to get into Heaven, the Scriptures are blatantly clear, if you deny Christ now in this lifetime you go to Hell.

I would think Muslims should have no problem making the same claims, because the Holy Text you have make it clear, dont believe in Allah (not just Monotheism) but Allah the god of Muhammad, dont believe Muhammad is his prophet, dont fulfill or at the minimum attempt to fulfill the Pillars and dont have more Good Deeds than Bad Deeds you go to Hell...

If what you are saying was true concerning Monotheism then all Jews would go to Muslim Heaven and well we know thats not the case, according to your Text pretty much all Jews go straight to Hell simply because they are Jews, in fact the rocks will cry out to murder them in the end times.... There is much more to Salvation in Islam than Monotheism...

 

[floss]

IF people realized there is only ONE way to the Father, they'd care more about what Jesus have done for ALL sinners. Its NOT that everyone who believe in One God goes to heaven "eventually", that is ridiculous. The whole world is against the Trinity Lord, I'm very happy to be on His side, the narrowesth path. He is not playing games, you will burn eternally in hell for rejecting HIS blood sacrifical. Islam was created to directly attack the Trinity Lord, no doubt about this since they always mention "committing shirks". This is an obvious tactics the devil used to attack the Trinity God, who else would "committing shirks" applied to beside Christianity?

Was the Qoran written to attack Christianity? -YES

Was the Bible written to attack Islam? - Partially, the parts regarding false prophet

 

[DesertRose]

Was the Qoran written to attack Christianity? -YES

Was the Bible written to attack Islam? - Partially, the parts regarding false prophet

@floss, it is "commiting shirk" no 's' for a plural.
Thanks for trying to use our terminology, btw.

Please note, that the Quran is a universal message and it corrects all people regarding shirk (associating partners with God)
It started with the pagans in Arabia.
If you read through its text you will see this. It also challenges ( better word from our perspective) all those who worship anything other than the Creator of the heavens and Earth and has stories about how the prophets dealt with those who associated partners with God from ancient times.

"Ever since people innovated the dogma of joining others in worship along with Allah, Allah had been sending Prophets and Messengers to His devotees in order to invite them to the worship of Allah and Allah Alone, to order them not to ascribe partners unto Him and bring them out of the darkness of polytheism and into the light of Monotheism. All the Prophets preached the belief in the Oneness of Allah. The following verses from the Noble Qur'an illustrate this fact:

"Indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) to his people and he said: 'O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a great Day!'" (Al-A'araaf, The Heights 7:59)

"And to 'Aad (people, We sent) their brother Hood (Eber). He said: 'O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Will you not fear (Allah)?'" (Al-A'araaf, The Heights 7:65)

"And to (the people of) Madyaan (Midian), (We sent) their brother Shu'ayb (Jethro). He said: 'O my People! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Verily, a clear proof (sign) from your Lord has come unto you, so give full measure and full weight and wrong not men in their things, and do not make mischief on the earth after it has been set in order, that will be better for you, if you are believers.'" (Al-A'araaf, The Heights 7:85)

"And to Thamood (people, We sent) their brother Saalih (Salah). He said: 'O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah).'" (Al-A'araaf, The Heights 7:73)

"And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): Worship Allah (Alone) and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities etc. do not worship Taaghoots besides Allah)." (An-Nahl, The Bee 16:36")

 

[Haich]

Was the Qoran written to attack Christianity? -YES

Wow.

 

[Haich]

I feel like there's no point in debating religion on this forum. No one is interested in truth, they're just looking for ways to score points and prove their faith is the truth. It's impossible to have a discussion without it getting emotional.

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

@Haich - I can understand the emotion as we are all in a 'dangerous' dialogue... I still think that truth has nothing to fear from examination (and cross-examination) and I welcome the dialogue, providing the line of personal respect is not crossed.

 

[Aero]

You want to talk religion, than you are asking for the projections of others. Because it's a rare person that will sacrifice their beliefs, even just for common courtesy. If your goal is to spread your faith, I would suggest targeting those who are open to it. There's a lot of people out there who are like an open book, with some blank pages. If you just like to argue for the sake of arguing, that's cool too. But I like to think I'm above most of all that.

As far as repentance goes my worldview tells me it's a completely pointless endeavor. Christ's only real purpose on Earth was to teach the "Gnosis". Anything else is irrelevant. The idea of Sin to me, is simply a social construct. It's just stuff people were taught growing up. Like we could completely remove the idea of Sin without affecting the moral compass of the world. This tells me the idea isn't Godly, but man made.

Ascension can only be achieved through the "Gnosis". The goal is to leave this physical world behind. You have to be immaterial, or you simply cannot be saved. All the repentance and prayer in the world wont make one bit of difference if your true love is money, and things of the physical world. You can't be half of a spiritual person, you need to be wholly spiritual.

 

[Lady]

Agreed that we as believers are to reach the point in faith at which we can say with Christ, "I am not of this world" (John 17:16).
Here is "Ascension":
John 17:16-26
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

And I say, blessed indeed are they unto whom the LORD has declared His name!

 

[God_Is_Formless]

I feel like there's no point in debating religion on this forum. No one is interested in truth, they're just looking for ways to score points and prove their faith is the truth. It's impossible to have a discussion without it getting emotional.

Instead of seeing the bigger picture, they prefer concentrating on what are, at best, minor details which don't mean a thing.

Things like accepting Jesus as the son of god, or nobody comes to God except through Jesus are so insignificant.

The bigger picture would be the blessing to the whole world of being a believer versus the calamity of not believing in A Higher Power.

Believers would dare not transgress some limits whereas atheists will look out only for their best interests. Anyway, God Guide us all. Amen