When One Sin Matters - and When Grace Still Covers

A Follow-up reflection on sin, grace, and the heart of God

In recent discussions about grace, sin, and salvation, a crucial question has been raised:

How seriously should we treat just one sin?

That’s a fair question, and it deserves a faithful answer.

One Sin Matters

I want to be perfectly understood: one sin matters.

• Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden for one act of disobedience (Genesis 3).

• Nadab and Abihu died for unauthorized fire (Leviticus 10:1-2).

• Uzzah was struck down for touching the ark (1 Chronicles 13:9-10).

• Ananias and Sapphira lied once and were judged (Acts 5:1-11).

These aren’t stories to minimize. They reveal God’s holiness and the seriousness of rebellion.

“The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)

“It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)

But That’s Not the Whole Story

Those examples don’t describe every Christian who sins.

What about Peter? He denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:61-62), but Jesus restored him (John 21:15-19).

What about David? He committed adultery and murder. But when he said, “I have sinned against the Lord,” the response was, “The Lord has taken away your sin” (2 Samuel 12:13).

What about the everyday Christian in 1 John 1?

“If we walk in the light… the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

When It’s More Than Once

Let’s be honest, David sinned more than once. He lied. He lusted. He abused power. He made sinful decisions later in life as well (2 Samuel 24).

Peter stumbled again even after Pentecost (Galatians 2:11-14).

Yet both remained in God’s grace, not because they were flawless, but because they humbled themselves and kept turning back to God.

They weren’t saved by sinning less.

They were saved by trusting more.

What About Simon the Sorcerer?

Simon believed and was baptized (Acts 8:13). This is not in dispute.

But what follows is serious:

• “Your heart is not right before God.” (v. 21)

• “You are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” (v. 23)

• “Repent… and pray to the Lord.” (v. 22)

It appears Simon didn’t repent. He said:

“Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” (v. 24)

That’s fear, not confession. That’s asking for prayer, not obeying the call to personal repentance.

Luke never says Simon repented.

The Silence is Sobering

If we rush to say, “Simon repented, it’s all fine,” we miss the point. Luke is showing us that:

• You can be baptized and still have a corrupt heart.

• You can try to buy things from God for personal gain.

• You can face serious spiritual danger even as a professing believer.

That’s why this story matters. It makes us examine our motives. It confronts us with the reality that repentance is not just about saying the right words; it’s about the condition of the heart.

This Story Clarifies What Real Repentance Looks Like

Simon didn’t say, “I have sinned.” He didn’t show brokenness. He didn’t fall on his knees like David in Psalm 51 or the prodigal son in Luke 15. He tried to go through Peter to fix it… “you pray for me.”

Real repentance is personal, direct, and involves a heart change, not just a fear of judgment. Grace is not automatic or superficial. It’s powerful, but it requires a surrendered heart.

Why Some Insist Simon Fully Repented

Some are quick to claim that Simon the Sorcerer repented and was fully restored. But why the insistence, especially when the text doesn’t confirm it?

Some want to defend a rigid model of repentance and confession

If Simon wasn’t fully restored, it challenges the view that every sin must be immediately confessed and repented of, or else a person is lost. For that system to hold, Simon must have repented. So his prayer request is often taken as proof, even though it’s not what Peter commanded.

To avoid theological tension

Simon’s story leaves us with questions:

• Was he truly penitent?

• Did he ever change? (Historical testimony suggests he did not.)

• What happened after Acts 8?

Since some are uncomfortable with unresolved stories, they try to fill in the gaps. However, Luke’s silence seems deliberate and worthy of respect.

To shift the focus away from the heart

Peter didn’t just confront an action; he exposed a deeper heart problem: “Your heart is not right before God.” That’s harder to deal with. It means someone can be baptized and still enslaved to sinful thinking. So to make the story cleaner, some reduce it to a one-time mistake Simon quickly corrected, something the text never says.

So What About the “In and Out” View?

Some dismiss this as a straw man, as if no one teaches that one unconfessed sin can cost you salvation.

But many Christians I have known live under that fear:

• “What if I forget to confess something?”

• “What if I sin and die before I can repent?”

• “Am I lost every time I fail?”

That’s not a made-up argument. That’s what they were taught.

This performance-based view leaves people anxious, not assured. It treats salvation like a switch, on when you’re doing well, off when you stumble.

But Scripture doesn’t teach that.

Walking in the Light

1 John 1:7 doesn’t say “if we never sin…”

It says:

“If we walk in the light… the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.”

Walking in the light means walking in humility, honesty, and dependence on Christ. It’s not about flawless execution. It’s about faithfulness and repentance.

I Still Believe in Repentance

Let’s be clear:

• I believe in repentance.

• I believe in confession.

• I believe in holiness.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive…” (1 John 1:9)

“Repent, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out…” (Acts 3:19)

I’m not excusing sin… I’m refusing to turn salvation into a treadmill of fear.

Isn’t This Dangerous?

Some might say this opens the door to carelessness.

It doesn’t. It closes the door to legalism.

“Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not!” (Romans 6:1-2)

Grace is not license.

But it also isn’t fragile.

God Is Holy and Merciful

“God will not be mocked.” (Galatians 6:7)

“Let everyone who names the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.” (2 Timothy 2:19)

God is just. But He is also full of mercy.

“There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

So, What Do We Do?

Take sin seriously and take grace seriously.

Don’t treat it lightly and don’t live in fear.

Keep your heart soft.

Confess when you fall.

Return when you drift.

Trust in Jesus completely.

Even on your worst day, His blood is enough.

“Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, without blemish and with great joy…” (Jude 24)