Believers’ trespasses are forgiven when sins are confessed.

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

The difference between a sin and unrighteousness is knowing what we have done, what we have committed. A sin is something we know we have done, a known sin. Unrighteousness is committed in ignorance, an unknown sin. Since we cannot confess an unknown sin, we did not know it was a sin when we committed it, it is not held against us. Both are wrong in God’s sight, but He does not hold us accountable for those we commit in ignorance. But when we confess a sin, we know was a sin, God is faithful and just to forgive us the known sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He also forgives all the unknown sins. Of course, as we mature over time, unknown sins become less and less. We recognize and confess sins we used to overlook.

The Biblical term for an unknown sin is a trespass. God has recognized the difference between sins and trespasses since the Old Testament. This is why He had both a sin offering and a trespass offering for the known and unknown sins of the children of Israel.

 Both Christians and sinners commit sins and trespasses. In the life of a sinner, all sins and trespasses are forgiven at the new birth. For believers, all sins and trespasses committed in our daily life after salvation, are forgiven when we confess our sins.

There Were Sin Offerings Outside the Camp

“But the flesh of the bull, with its skin and its offal, you shall burn with fire outside the camp. It is a sin offering.”  Exodus 29:14

“This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest. And the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall examine him.” Leviticus 12:2,3

These offerings were made for those “outside the camp” which speaks of unbelievers. The sacrifice of Jesus is to be taken to the people. This is the responsibility we have when we witness to those who are lost. It was outside the camp Jesus is said to have died for us and we are to witness for Him (Hebrews 13:13). The message we have is for sinners to receive Jesus as their savior. When a person receives Jesus, all their sins and trespasses are forgiven and removed forever.

Both Sins and Trespasses Are Found in Unbelievers

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:19

“You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” Colossians 2:13

Probably most of the sins found in an unbeliever are sins of ignorance. The scale is tilted more on the side of unknown sins than known. They do not know God’s standard and cannot meet it. Yet, there are sins all people know are wrong and are found in everyone in every nation whether the person is religious or not. Murder, theft, and slavery are only a few. The sins of hatred, lust, and greed are not necessarily thought of as evil and would fall under the area of trespasses, unknown sins. It is good to know when we lead a person to Jesus, the moment they believe in Him their trespasses as well as their sins are forgiven and removed from them forever. As the person grows in their relationship with Jesus, the scale is tilted the other way and known sins now outweigh unknown. Thank God the blood of Jesus is more powerful than we can even imagine.

There Was Also a Sin and Trespass Offering Inside the Camp

“The priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will lay the most holy offerings, the grain offering, the sin offering and the trespass offering, for the place is holy.” Ezekiel 42:13

“Then the priest who makes him clean shall present the man who is to be made clean, and those things, before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And the priest shall take one male lamb and offer it as a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. Then he shall kill the lamb in the place where he kills the sin offering and the burnt offering, in a holy place; for as the sin offering is the priests, so is the trespass offering.  It is most holy.” Leviticus 14:11-13

Just like a sinner who was outside the camp needed forgiveness of his sins and trespasses which separated him from eternal life, a believer also, inside the camp, was in need of forgiveness of daily sins and trespasses which separated him from fellowship with God. Our sins are forgiven outside the door of the tabernacle, the place of fellowship with God. When we stand as a believer, forgiven of our daily sins, we are in the tabernacle where we have communion with God. When we sin, we move outside the tabernacle. God is still our Father, but like the prodigal son, we have separated ourselves from fellowship with Him (1 John 1:7). When we confess our sins, the door back into fellowship with God is wide open for us to reenter. So it was with the church at Laodicea (Revelation 3:20).

There Was a Separate Trespass Offering Inside the Camp

“If a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or do good, whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty in any of these matters. And it shall be, when he is guilty in any of these matters, that he shall confess that he has sinned in that thing; and he shall bring his trespass offering to the Lord for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb, or a kid of the goats as a sin offering. So, the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.”  Leviticus 5:4-6

Remember, a trespass is an unknown sin. It is forgiven as we confess our known sins to the Lord. Jesus’ blood not only forgives us from the sin we confessed, but also from “all unrighteousness.” Our unknown sins are automatically forgiven when we confess the ones we know about. But if we are informed that we have committed a sin we did not know was a sin, we are now obligated to confess it to the Lord as a known sin and receive forgiveness through Jesus’ blood (1 John 1:7).

In the Christian life, we should be in a constant state of growth in the word and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As we mature, we can find through the ministry of the word of God we have been ignorantly sinning against God and others around us. Maturity brings obligation to deal with areas of our life needing repair. No believer, no matter how strong he is in the Lord, has “arrived.” We still discover areas of our life needing to be dealt with. This is often areas of our thoughts and motives which lead to outward sins we then commit. Jesus taught us our thoughts are unseen sins which can eventually produce the sins seen by others (Matthew 5:21-30).  Dealing with our unknown sins of thoughts can often be harder than dealing with our visible deeds.

We Are Obligated to Forgive Trespasses in Other Believers

“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” Matthew 18:35

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1

Here is a case of someone sinning against you in ignorance.  They hurt you and did not know it. It takes a strong believer to forgive them in love.  Instead of “telling them off,” the heart of God’s forgiveness should be exercised with them. Forgive them as Jesus has forgiven you - in grace and mercy.  Instead of treating them as someone who “should have known better,” we need to forgive them.  After all, put yourself in their position. Haven’t you been guilty of saying or doing something you did not know was wrong and unintentionally hurt someone? Forgiveness is a quality God is strong in and wants us to be strong in also. Forgive others of their trespasses as well as their sins.