Salvation without Repentance?

 A Catholic friend of mine once told me that her husband was having an affair with another woman. He went to confession every week, confessed his sin, went to communion and then did the same thing again. It's not only Catholics who mock God's grace in this way.

There is no salvation without repentance, but is one not saved until one can demonstrate a completely virtuous life?

Some Christians claim that all sins are equally evil. If a man no longer visits the brothel, but he still smokes cigarettes, then he cannot be recognised as a Christian. But is that true?

Only perfect holiness can escape God's judgement. That is why God the Father sacrificed his Son on the cross to take our punishment upon himself.

But if all sins, big or small, are forgiven, do we have to give up everything that is not holy? Some Christians take this idea for granted, but how does God judge?

Are all sins equally evil in God's eyes?

If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.

All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. 1 Jn 5:16–17 NIV

What sins are so terrible that intercession is useless?

God does not explain everything in the Bible. That's why we need mutual communication with the Holy Spirit through prayer. We need a listening heart. Some Christians claim that all problems can only be solved with biblical teachings, but this is not the case.

But one thing is totally clear in this Bible text. Some sins are much worse in God's eyes than others. Even in the Old Testament, the offender had to be executed for some sins, but God would forgive many sins without punishment.

A Christian who visits prostitutes is on the way to hell, but in my opinion God will not condemn anyone for smoking cigarettes.

God will also forgive serious sins, like David's, but not without repentance.

A young woman had Christian parents, but she had not chosen the Christian life. As a teenager she was a party girl. When her father was dying, she visited her parents to say goodbye.

When he died, he was suddenly supernaturally revitalised. He sat upright and shone with the glory of God. His daughter was converted on the spot. From that day on, she loved Jesus with all her heart.

She often sat in the garden, smoked a cigarette and had loving conversations with Jesus. She had not experienced a visible visitation and she did not hear an audible voice, but her spirit was wide awake and she heard God's loving thoughts from Jesus.

One day she heard the voice of Jesus in her heart: ‘You don't need those cigarettes anymore.’ With God's grace, she gave up cigarettes without painful difficulty.

Jesus is holy but also gentle and loving.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Mt 11:28–29 NASB95