The simple truth is that there isn't one verse anywhere in the Bible which says, or even implies, that all of your sins are "pre-forgiven." In fact, the Bible makes clear that this isn't true at all. Jesus Himself said something completely different. Let's look at some of the verses where Jesus tells us the truth and see if we can come to a conclusion about this idea.
In what we call “The Lord's Prayer" in Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us that we MUST forgive others if we expect to be forgiven:
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12).
In other words, we can expect the same type of forgiveness from God as we give to others. If we refuse to forgive others, we can expect to have God refuse to forgive us. That’s what Jesus is saying. Then, to make sure we don’t miss this, He comes right back to it after the prayer is completed:
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15)
Jesus leaves no doubt whatsoever that if we don't forgive others then we won't be forgiven.
IF we're already pre-forgiven for sins we haven't committed yet, why would Jesus tell us that we need to forgive others or we won't be forgiven? That wouldn’t make sense.
In Matthew 18:21-35, Peter asks Jesus about how often we should forgive someone who sins against us. Jesus tells a parable about a master who calls a guilty servant to account. The servant begs for forgiveness and the master grants it. But then the servant goes out and finds a servant who owes him. But when that servant asks for forgiveness, the servant refuses to give it and has him cast into prison. When the other servants see what's happening they report back to the Master. At that point, the Master revokes his previously granted forgiveness and has the previously forgiven servant cast into prison.
“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” (Matthew 18:21-35)
In verse 35 Jesus warns that the same result awaits any one of His disciples who refuses to grant forgiveness to someone who asks for it.
Again, if we've already been pre-forgiven, how can this be?
In Revelation 2 and 3 we have Jesus' message to the seven churches. Five of those churches hear Jesus tell them that they must repent of their sins or suffer the consequences:
“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:5)
“Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” (Revelation 2:16)
“And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.” (Revelation 2:21-22)
“Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” (Revelation 3:3)
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” (Revelation 3:19)
If they've already been pre-forgiven, why would Jesus tell them to repent or else?
The apostle John in his first epistle teaches us that if we sin against the LORD, we must confess it to Him and seek His forgiveness.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10)
If we don't then we'll suffer His wrath with all those who reject Him. But if we're already pre-forgiven, how can this be?
In 2 Peter 1, Peter gives us some excellent teaching on how to make sure that we'll never fall from our position in Christ:
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-11)
If you read these verses you'll see that Peter taught something completely different from what your average OSAS preacher preaches today. Peter warns about the danger of falling away due to our own negligence. He builds up to verse 9 where he tells us that if we DON'T practice righteousness we're blind and have forgotten that we were purged from our "old" sins. That world translated "old" means previous or that which happened before a specified point in time.
In other words, when we get saved, the body of sins that we had committed before salvation gets purged. That's what Peter said. He doesn't imply that our future sins are purged because they aren't. That’s clear from what all of Scripture tells us. And it’s clear from what Jesus Himself told us.
In Romans 3:25 Paul says something similar except that he uses the term "past sins." But the idea is the same as that of Peter. This makes sense as it's the Holy Spirit who used these men to convey these truths:
“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” (Romans 3:25)
The simple reality is that there is no such thing as being pre-forgiven for future sins. The Bible warns that God expects us to be holy because He Himself is holy. When we repent toward God and put our faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21; Acts 26:20) He makes us into new creatures, “Old things have passed away and all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We receive a new nature that hates sin and desires to do what is pleasing to God. That's what He expects as He calls us unto good works (Ephesians 2:10).
If you think that you can sin willfully after salvation and you'll still go to heaven, you're in for a horrifying surprise. Let's just take a quick look at two passages from Hebrews (and there are many more we could look at).
The first is Hebrews 6:4-8:
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”
The second is Hebrews 10:26-31:
“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Finally, in 2 Peter 2:20-21 we hear Peter warn us about those who come for a time but then turn back to the old life:
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
This is why Jesus warned that he that endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew 10:22; Matthew 13:21). You can't just come for a time and think that all is well. If any "preacher" tells you that you can sin and you're still in, that "preacher" is lying to you the same way the serpent lied to Eve.
"Hath God said?" asks the devil as he attempts to get you to question God. The truth is God DID say that salvation is conditional as is our forgiveness. Jesus Himself teaches us this very thing. And it's Jesus who told us what our mission is in Matthew 28:18-20:
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
So who are you going to believe? Some preacher who can't point to one single verse that supports the "pre-forgiveness" idea? Or the King of kings and Lord of lords who warns us with absolute clarity?