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Question: I am a Christian who committed the sin of adultery in marriage. My wife rightly divorced me. I walked away from all I believed. I have since remarried to a wonderful woman I love very much but fear God may view it as perpetual adultery. I have confessed my sins and am very ashamed. Can/will God forgive me?

What is proper repentance in this case? If I have to dissolve my new marriage it would create more feelings of devastation. I desperately need to sense forgiveness. Please help me.

Answer: You do not have to dissolve your new marriage. Stay and bloom where you are. You are not committing adultery every time you are intimate, just the first time. God says, “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)

According to, 1 John 1:9, God does forgive our sins. 1 John is written to Christians. So, yes, God will forgive your sins, but there is something you have to do. You need to admit that you sinned (confess). The confession needs to be sincere (God knows your heart), and it needs to be done with repentance. Repentance involves turning completely away from your sin.

When the Pharisees brought the woman caught in adultery, this is what Jesus said to her. “When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ‘Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?' She said, ‘No one, Lord.' And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.'" (John 8:10-11)

Jesus let her know that she was forgiven (He did not condemn her), but there was a condition. Go and sin no more. Jesus wanted her to repent, change her direction, and no longer sin, but to follow God in obedience.

If God has forgiven and forgotten your sin, you also need to forgive yourself. That means that when you begin to feel guilty, you need to give it back to God again. You do not have the right to hold onto your sin. Even though your sins are forgiven, that does not mean that you will not suffer the consequences of your sin. You may need to go through the natural consequences of your sin.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (Galatians 6:7-8)

When God forgives you, it is also forgotten. “Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:18-19)

"Come now and let us reason together, says the LORD, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18) "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:11-12)

I hope this helps,

Gary Panell

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Keywords: divorce, remarriage, forgiveness, adultery