Can someone be forgiven if he purposely sins?
Question:
My friend lost his virginity because he wanted to. The person he did it with had already done it a couple of times. He felt really bad because he is a Christian. Can God forgive him if he confesses to a priest?
Answer:
Confession to a priest is a Catholic practice. It is not mentioned in the New Testament and has nothing to do with forgiveness. See: Must I confess my sins to a priest to be forgiven?
To be forgiven of sin, a person must first acknowledge that what he did was wrong (I John 1:9). That confession of sin is to God and not some man. He has to be want to change his behavior as well as his attitude toward sin (II Corinthians 7:10-11). It sounds like your friend feels guilt over what he did, but I can't tell you if he is willing to change. That is something he must decide.
