Praying For Forgiveness After Past Sexual Sin

Praying for forgiveness after past sexual sin is a practice rooted in biblical tradition and theological understanding across various Christian and Jewish perspectives. Prayer itself is understood as direct address to God, an "intercourse of the soul with God" ^[3]. The Bible contains numerous examples of individuals praying for forgiveness for their sins ^[2].

In the Old Testament, there are instances where individuals, such as Pharaoh, explicitly ask for forgiveness for sin, stating, "Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once" (Exodus 10:17 KJV) ^[1]. The concept of atonement under the Law involved sacrifices and priestly intercession for various sins, including those committed ignorantly or willfully ^[4]. Confession of sin is a prerequisite for forgiveness, with promises of pardon for those who confess and forsake their transgressions ^[2].

Christian theology emphasizes the ongoing need for forgiveness. John Calvin, a key figure in Reformed theology, noted that while believers strive for perfection, they must also acknowledge their weakness and seek remedies for their necessities, which includes praying for the abolition of sin ^[5]. He also taught that baptism provides a once-for-all washing and purification, and believers should recall their baptism to find assurance of sin's remission when they fall ^[13]. Augustine of Hippo, a prominent Church Father, affirmed that sins require divine expiation and that God must be entreated for them to obtain pardon ^[9].

The Catholic tradition, as articulated by Aquinas, distinguishes between mortal and venial sins. While venial sins do not separate a person from God or the sacraments, and can be remitted through acts of grace or certain practices like the sprinkling of holy water, mortal sins require confession to a priest for reconciliation ^{[8, 11]}. Aquinas also argued that one cannot satisfy for one sin without satisfying for all, as the removal of offense requires the renewal of friendship with God, which is hindered by any unrepented sin ^[7].

Jewish tradition also emphasizes the importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness. Maimonides taught that teshuvah (repentance) and Yom Kippur atone for sins between a person and God, such as eating forbidden food or engaging in forbidden sexual relations. However, sins against another person require appeasement and forgiveness from the wronged individual in addition to seeking God's forgiveness ^[10]. The Babylonian Talmud records a prayer for mercy concerning the evil inclination for sexual matters, suggesting an ancient recognition of the struggle against such desires ^[6].

Across these traditions, the act of praying for forgiveness for past sexual sin is seen as a necessary component of repentance, involving confession, self-abasement, godly sorrow, and a commitment to forsake the sin ^[2]. The expectation is that such prayer, when offered with a sincere heart, will be met with God's pardon ^{[2, 12]}.

Sources

Exodus “Exodus 10:17 (KJV) — Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the Lord your God, that he may take away from me this death only.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Confession of Sin — God requires -- Le 5:5; Ho 5:15. God regards -- Job 33:27,28; Da 9:20-23. Exhortation to -- Jos 7:19; Jer 3:13; Jas 5:16. Promises to -- Le 26:40-42; Pr 28:13. Should be accompanied with Submission to punishment. -- Le 26:41; Ne 9:33; Ezr 9:13. Prayer for forgiveness. -- 2Sa 24:10; Ps 25:11; 51:1; Jer 14:7-9,20. Self-abasement. -- Isa 64:5,6; Jer 3:25. Godly sorrow. -- Ps 38:18; La 1:20. Forsaking sin. -- Pr 28:13. Restitution. -- Nu 5:6,7. Should be full and unreserved -- Ps 32:5; 51:3; 106:6. Followed by pardon -- Ps 32:5; 1Jo 1:9. Illustrated -”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Atonement, Under the Law — Made by sacrifice -- Le 1:4,5. By priests alone -- 1Ch 6:49; 2Ch 29:24. Necessary for Propitiating God. -- Ex 32:30; Le 23:27,28; 2Sa 21:3. Ransoming. -- Ex 30:15,16; Job 33:24. Purifying. -- Ex 29:36. Offered for The congregation. -- Nu 15:25; 2Ch 29:24. The priests. -- Ex 29:31-33; Le 8:34. Persons sinning ignorantly. -- Le 4:20-35. Persons sinning wilfully. -- Le 6:7. Persons swearing rashly. -- Le 5:4,6. Persons withholding evidence. -- Le 5:1,6. Persons unclean. -- Le 5:2,3,6. Women after childbirth. -- Le 12:8. The altar. -- Ex 29:36,”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: also to themselves and their followers, in that they encourage themselves in a carelessness diametrically opposed to the mercy of God. It is excessively childish to object, that when they long for the advent of the kingdom of God, they at the same time pray for the abolition of sin. In the former division of the prayer absolute perfection is set before us; but in the latter our own weakness. Thus the two fitly correspond to each other—we strive for the goal, 2195 and at the same time neglect not the remedies which our necessities r”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 64a.8: When they saw that the evil inclination for idol worship was delivered into their hands as they requested, the Sages said: Since it is an auspicious time, let us pray for mercy concerning the evil inclination for sin concerning sexual matters. They prayed for mercy, and it was also delivered into their hands.”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of the Quality of Satisfaction, Art. 1: Article: Whether a man can satisfy for one sin without satisfying for another? I answer that, Some have held that it is possible to make satisfaction for one sin and not for another, as the Master states (Sent. iv, D, 15). But this cannot be. For since the previous offense has to be removed by satisfaction, the mode of satisfaction must needs be consistent with the removal of the offense. Now removal of offense is renewal of friendship: wherefore if there be anything to hinder the renewal of friendshi”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of the Minister of Confession, Art. 3: Article: Whether, outside a case of necessity, anyone who is not a priest may hear the confession of venial sins? I answer that, By venial sin man is separated neither from God nor from the sacraments of the Church: wherefore he does not need to receive any further grace for the forgiveness of such a sin, nor does he need to be reconciled to the Church. Consequently a man does not need to confess his venial sins to a priest. And since confession made to a layman is a sacramental, although it is not a p”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 20 [XVIII.] -- WHAT PRAYER PELAGIUS WOULD ADMIT TO BE NECESSARY.: He confesses that "sins which have been committed do notwithstanding require to be divinely expiated, and that the Lord must be entreated because of them," -- that is, for the purpose, of course, of obtaining pardon; "because that which has been done cannot," it is his own admission, "be undone," by that "power of nature and will of man" which he talks about so much. From this necessity, therefore, it follows that a man must pray to be forgiven. That a man, however, requires to be h”
Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Repentance 2:9: Teshuvah and Yom Kippur only atone for sins between man and God; for example, a person who ate a forbidden food or engaged in forbidden sexual relations, and the like. However, sins between man and man; for example, someone who injures a colleague, curses a colleague, steals from him, or the like will never be forgiven until he gives his colleague what he owes him and appeases him. [It must be emphasized that] even if a person restores the money that he owes [the person he wronged], he must appease him and ask him to forgive him. Eve”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Remission of Venial Sin, Art. 3: Article: Whether venial sins are removed by the sprinkling of holy water and the like? I answer that, As stated above (Article [2]), no infusion of fresh grace is required for the forgiveness of a venial sin, but it is enough to have an act proceeding from grace, in detestation of that venial sin, either explicit or at least implicit, as when one is moved fervently to God. Hence, for three reasons, certain things cause the remission of venial sins: first, because they imply the infusion of grace, since”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 32:6: For this shall everyone that is godly pray unto thee,.... Meaning either that the success he had met with, in acknowledging his sin, would encourage others also to take a like step, and make their supplications to the Lord also; or that every godly person should pray to God for the same blessing of pardoning grace likewise. Pardon of sin is to be prayed for; not only Moses, David, Daniel, and other Old Testament saints, prayed for it; but Christ has directed his disciples and followers, under the Gospel dispensation, to do the same, Luk 11:4; and which must be underst”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 97: in extreme danger, and they were drawing their last breath, that they might thus obtain pardon for all the past. Against this preposterous precaution ancient bishops frequently inveigh in their writings. We ought to consider that at whatever time we are baptised, we are washed and purified once for the whole of life. Wherefore, as often as we fall, we must recall the remembrance of our baptism, and thus fortify our minds, so as to feel certain and secure of the remission of sins. For though, when once administered, it seems to have”

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