How does redemption work?

StormWarrior

Is it the case that when one becomes a Christian their previous sins are wiped clean in the eyes of God?

If someone had lived a sinful life, and their sins left them full of misery and regret, but they then became a Christian, how does their new-found Christianity help them to relieve the personal burden their sins had left upon them?

I am wondering this because my cousin's daughter has just become a Christian. She lived a promiscuous life and did other things that are considered sinful by Christianity. Because of her old lifestyle, she now finds it impossible to trust people fully and says she feels "unclean" although I am not entirely sure what she means by this. I have asked her if becoming a Christian has made her feel less "unclean" and more trusting of others but she said she doesn't know yet. So I was wondering what Christianity's take would be on this - do you think becoming a Christian will somehow magically cause the regrets of her life, and the damage she feels her lifestyle has done her, to disappear? She wants to feel like she did before she did all that stuff, but I don't see how becoming a Christian will achieve this.

wolfsbane

StormWarrior said:

Is it the case that when one becomes a Christian their previous sins are wiped clean in the eyes of God?

Yes.

If someone had lived a sinful life, and their sins left them full of misery and regret, but they then became a Christian, how does their new-found Christianity help them to relieve the personal burden their sins had left upon them?

Salvation removes the weight of our guilt before God - we are now conscious of being at peace with him, of being regarded by Him as His innocent, holy children. It does not remove, however, our regret for all the sinful things done. If we could change them we would, and we are saddened by any harm they have caused to others. But the overwhelming sense for the Christian is that of peace with God.

I am wondering this because my cousin's daughter has just become a Christian.

Praise the Lord! :):)

She lived a promiscuous life and did other things that are considered sinful by Christianity. Because of her old lifestyle, she now finds it impossible to trust people fully

People shouldn't be trusted fully. But if you mean she can't trust them sufficiently to live a normal life, then she needs to learn to trust God to keep her from any malicious plans of the wicked.

and says she feels "unclean" although I am not entirely sure what she means by this.

She might mean the sinful things of her past are being used by Satan to tell her she is unclean in God's sight. She needs to remember that God has cleansed her and not to listen to Satan's lies. She was a ... and a... (fill in the appropriate terms), but now she is a new creation:
1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

I have asked her if becoming a Christian has made her feel less "unclean" and more trusting of others but she said she doesn't know yet. So I was wondering what Christianity's take would be on this - do you think becoming a Christian will somehow magically cause the regrets of her life, and the damage she feels her lifestyle has done her, to disappear?

As above, they will not disappear but will be put up on a back shelf for us to remind ourselves occasionally of the sort of people we were, and God's goodness to us.

She wants to feel like she did before she did all that stuff, but I don't see how becoming a Christian will achieve this.

She can't feel like she was before she lost her virginity, for example. The good news is that she is now much holier than she was even before she lost her virginity. Then she was a sinner, even if not a promiscuious one. Now she is a one of God's children, blood-washed, Holy spirit-sanctified.

Tell her not to look back, but look up to God and keep pressing forward in her obedience to Christ. She has a lot to learn, as every new Christian has. The best is yet to be; every day we can learn more of His grace and goodness toward us.

If she wants to contact me, drop me a PM and I'll give you my email address.

BrianCalgary

Christianity doesn't promise an instant healing of issues. It wipes out the sin. For some it can still take a long time to heal the wounds that were caused by past sins and the toll they took on not onlyyourslef but others as well.

The good part is that Jesus is there to help walk through and heal said wounds.

JimiTime

Indeed, guilt is an awful thing. But its only for the guilty. If we fester on it, it can de-motivate us from Christian life. If one has guilt, it can be abused by wolves in sheeps clothing to keep one sedated in fear.

On a positive note, our sins and weaknesses can be utilised as a reminder to us all not to be self righteous. Regret is fine, guilt after repentance is a very bad thing. Guilt should stop where repentance starts. It is good for motivating repentance, but if it stays after repentance, its one of the worst things motivation wise.