Once We Have Been Washed, Why Do We Still Need Forgiveness?

Understanding Forgiveness Before and After Baptism

What happens when a Christian sins after baptism?

If baptism is “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38), and our sins are washed away at baptism (Acts 22:16), why do Christians continue to confess their sins and ask God for forgiveness?

Years ago, in my personal study, I came across two terms that helped me understand the distinction: judicial forgiveness and parental forgiveness.

Those are not biblical terms. You will not find those expressions in Scripture, and we should never pretend that they are inspired terminology. But they can be useful descriptions of a distinction that Scripture itself appears to make.

First, We Are Washed

On the Day of Pentecost, those who realized they had sinned asked Peter and the other apostles:

“Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

Peter answered:

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (Acts 2:38).

The Greek expression translated “for the remission of sins” is eis aphesin tōn hamartiōn (εἰς ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν)—for or unto the forgiveness/remission of sins.

Saul was similarly told:

“Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16).

Paul later reminded Christians:

“But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified.” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

And Romans 6:3–4 tells us that we are baptized into Christ and into His death and then rise to “walk in newness of life.”

Something decisive has happened.

We have been washed.

Our former sins have been forgiven, and a new life has begun.

Using non-biblical terminology simply to describe what has occurred, we might call this judicial forgiveness. The sinner who stood condemned has received forgiveness, has been washed and justified, and has entered into a new relationship with God through Christ.

But then something happens.

We begin to walk.

And sometimes our feet get dirty.

Jesus Gave Us a Beautiful Picture

Consider what happened when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet.

Peter initially resisted Jesus washing his feet. But when Jesus told him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me,” Peter went to the opposite extreme:

“Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” (John 13:8–9).

Jesus answered:

“He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean.” (John 13:10).

There is something fascinating in the original Greek.

Jesus uses two different words for washing.

Louō (λούω) refers to bathing or washing the whole person.

Niptō (νίπτω) refers to washing a part of the body, such as the hands or feet.

The person Jesus describes has already had his bath.

He is clean.

He does not need another complete bath.

But as he walks, his feet become dirty and need to be washed.

We should be careful here. Jesus does not say, “I am explaining judicial forgiveness and parental forgiveness.” Those are man’s terms, not His.

But the picture corresponds beautifully with what we find elsewhere in Scripture.

Christians Still Sin

John writes to people who already belong to Christ:

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8).

Then he tells these Christians what to do:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

Notice that John doesn’t tell them to be baptized again.

They have already been washed.

Instead, they confess their sins and receive forgiveness and cleansing.

John then describes their relationship with God:

“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1).

Children.

Father.

Advocate.

The relationship already exists.

That is why the expression parental forgiveness, although not itself biblical terminology, can help describe what is happening. This is God’s forgiveness of those who are already His children.

Simon Shows Us the Same Pattern

We can actually see this happen in Acts.

Simon “believed” and “was baptized” (Acts 8:13).

Later, Simon sinned terribly.

What did Peter tell him to do?

Did Peter say, “Simon, you must be baptized again”?

No.

Peter said:

“Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.” (Acts 8:22).

Simon had already been washed.

Now he needed forgiveness for sin committed after that washing.

The distinction is difficult to miss.

Walking—and Being Continually Cleansed

Now consider one more statement from John:

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).

There is that idea of walking.

John 13 gives us the physical picture: a person has been bathed, but his feet become dirty as he walks.

First John gives us the spiritual reality: Christians who have been cleansed continue walking with God, and the blood of Christ continues cleansing them from sin.

Scripture does not explicitly tell us that John 13:10 and 1 John 1:7 are intended to explain one another, so we should not claim more than Scripture says.

But the correspondence is remarkable.

Bathed Once—Feet Washed Along the Way

Perhaps the simplest way to understand the distinction is this:

At baptism, the repentant believer receives the remission of sins. His sins are washed away. He is justified and begins a new life in Christ (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Corinthians 6:11).

But Christians are not suddenly incapable of sin.

As we continue our walk, we sometimes become soiled by sin. When that happens, Scripture tells God’s children to repent, confess their sins, pray, and receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:7–2:1).

We may call the first judicial forgiveness and the second parental forgiveness, as long as we remember that those descriptions come from men.

The terminology is ours. The pattern is Scripture’s.

We have been washed.

We do not need to keep returning to the beginning and being baptized every time we stumble.

But our feet still get dirty as we walk.

And through Jesus Christ, God has provided a way for His children to keep them clean.