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Luke 23:39-43 – The thief on the cross did not pray the "sinners prayer". Luke 19:8 – Zacharias did not pray the "sinners prayer" yet Jesus said he was saved. Luke 18:13 – The publican confessed he was a sinner. This brought salvation. The publican didn’t confess all the sins he had sinned, but that he was as sinner. "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." All the above men saw they were sinners as they looked at their past and saw individual sins. It is not necessary to pray the "sinners prayer", but it is necessary to realize your sins before Jesus Christ and trust him. John 1:29 – Jesus takes away the sin of the world. "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." The word "sin" is singular. Christ came to take away the sin of unbelief. Other sins will also be forgiven and taken away, but this verse speaks of Christ taking away the sin of the world. John 16:8,9 – "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;" The Holy Spirit reproves the world of sin. When the Holy Spirit reproves the world of sin, He is reproving them of the sin of not believing in Jesus Christ. This particular conviction is not of individual sins, such as smoking, drinking, cursing, adultery, fornication or whatever. These sins are still sins, but the passage before us speaks of the Holy Spirit reproving men of the sin of unbelief. An example of this type of reproving is found in Acts 2:37 which states, "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" When these people heard they had rejected and killed the Son of God, they were pricked in their heart. It was not the knowledge of many and various sins that caused them to be pricked in their heart, it was the knowledge of the sin of unbelief that brought conviction. We can convince rational men of right and wrong and how their actions are wrong and do not meet the standard of God. Only the Holy Spirit of God can bring conviction of sin, that the person is a sinner (what a person is) because they have rejected the only begotten son of God. Rom. 5:12, 13 – Adam caused sin and death to come into the world. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law." Heb. 9:26 – Jesus puts away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. These are individual sins, which reveals that individual sins show us what a sinner we are. Matthew 9:6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. When the man sick of the palsy was brought to Christ, Christ was rebuked because he said, "thy sins be forgiven thee" instead of saying "be healed." Mark 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? Same as above. Mark 2:10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) See above. Luke 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? See above Luke 5:24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. See above. Luke 11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. This is a prayer 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 5:1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Hebrews 5:3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. Hebrews 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. Sins that revealed to me I was a sinner.
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