Does accepting Jesus as Saviour mean that all of our entire lifetime of sins - past, present and future - are forgiven?

When payment is made to a creditor on your behalf, who must be satisfied? You or the creditor? The creditor of course. As believers in Christ, we were all sin debtors to God and destined to perish and not have everlasting life. God lovingly gave up His own Son for us as payment for our entire lifetime of sins. He is fully satisfied with this payment. Every sin debt we owed - past, present and future - has been wiped away by Christ's "single sacrifice for sins,..." See Hebrews 10:12-

"But our High Priest offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then He sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand."

Christ's one-time sacrifice has overpaid the wages of the entire lifetime of sins of all who believe in Him. He is not going to come and die again for our sins of tomorrow. Romans 4:25 says of Him-

"who was delivered up because of our offences, and was raised up because of our being declared righteous."

See The Passion Translation - "Jesus was handed over to be crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and was raised back to life to prove that He had made us right with God!"

If our lifetime sin debt remained unsettled, Jesus would not have risen from the dead. God raised Jesus from the dead because we have been declared righteous. His resurrection is the divine receipt that our entire lifetime of sins have been paid in full and that we are righteous in God's reckoning- no longer owing the wages of sin. All of our entire lifetime of sins forgiven and every demand of the Law fulfilled for all who believe in Christ Jesus.

But sometimes, we who have zero resources of ourselves and can do nothing apart from Christ still get concerned about paying future rent on a house that has been fully paid and is being maintained for us by our heavenly Father in Christ. For any who might be concerned about our “future sins:"

The wages of sin is death. One death for our entire lifetime of sins- past, present and future. Whether you sinned a thousand times or just one time, you can only die the death that is the wages of sin once. Christ died that death once for all, fulfilling every single demand that the Law made of us. Hebrews 9 tells us:

"27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. ..."

Believer, Jesus is not going to come and die again or demand payment for sins that you might commit in the future. All of our lifetime of sins have been fully paid by Him. This is Grace- undeserved, unearned unmerited favour. This is the Wisdom of God that saves from sin and death. Apart from God's saving Grace, the Good News is foolishness and illogical to man:

“For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

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But let's address the underlying theme of this question:

“Does this mean that Christians have a free pass to commit sins?”

Count yourself blessed if you have been falsely accused of preaching that God who sent His own Son to save us from our sins gives believers in Christ a free pass for committing sins. You are in good company. Since the time of the early church, religious folk who claim to be for God have perpetuated the lie that the message of the cross is a “free pass” for living a reckless and sinful life. Some religious people falsely accused Paul and his companions of preaching this way: “The more we sin, the better it is!” See this in Romans 3:7-8–

7 “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights His truthfulness and brings Him more glory?” 8 And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.”

See a wonderful summary of the message of Christ as written by Paul in Romans 3-

"26...for He himself is fair and just, and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus. 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."

Why on earth did Paul write those famous Holy Spirit-inspired words: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ…?” It was because, to the self-righteous and religious folk whose hearts were set on attaining freedom from sins and godliness by their own useless will-power (arm of flesh) at keeping the Law, the message of Christ was illogical. Like their religious and seemingy godly counterparts today, they accused Paul and his companions of preaching that believers have a free pass to commit sins since we are under Grace.

By Grace alone, Paul preached the truth of the gospel in its pure form. He didn't try to “balance” the message of the cross by putting some human effort-driven terms and conditions forward in order to make the gospel not look like “easy believism” or to complete a work that Christ described as “Finished!” as He hung on the cross for the same sins that many expect to be punished for.

He did not try to put believers in check regarding sins by placing some of the burden of their salvation from sins on their own will-power to obey (law-keeping) as some preachers do today. Rather, God's word written by Paul says falling from Grace- undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour - and being under law is how sin has dominion. And how does one fall from Grace-

For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace.” Galatians 5:4.

Beloved of God, God's Grace is a Person. He does not need any assistance with being balanced much less balancing by human hands aka the arm of flesh that will fail. His name is Jesus Christ. Titus 2:11 says of Him:

"God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone."

Verse 14 of the same Titus 2 says: "He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."

Due to their hearing of false doctrines, many churchgoers depend on their own will-power to try to help God to make His word in these verses come to pass through human striving at being sin-free/attaining godliness and bearing the fruit of good deeds. This thought has its root in the belief that God's work cannot succeed without our making it so by some forceful effort on our part, much like how "Uzzah put out his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled" in 2 Samuel 6:6. Another long story in here but will try to cut it short:

The Ark of God was meant to be carried by the Israelite priests. Instead, it was being carried in a new cart that was pulled by oxen - the same way the Philistines who didn't know any better did.

The Ark of God is a picture of Christ.

When people who aren't “kings and priests in Christ” (born-again, having Christ as their Righteousness and Strength) carry the message of Christ, they carry it wrong and when they do, they and those who follow them feel that they must bring some human effort-driven “balance” (Grace plus some human effort at obedience aka law-keeping) to “steady” the Message because it just doesn't seem right to them. They feel that Grace (the message of Jesus Christ) needs some balancing and so try to introduce some human effort at keeping the law from being broken to keep believers in check.

Uzzah must have had only good intentions and thought he was doing a good thing - trying to prevent the tablets of stone in the Ark aka the Law from being broken- , but he died from his action. The letter kills. God's Grace does not need “balancing" with some human effort (arm of flesh) at obedience aka law-keeping. This is what law-keeping does - it seems right to man but the end is death - Proverbs 14:12-

"There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death."

By Grace, preach pure Grace with no terms and conditions attached and Grace will open the eyes of His people to understand as well as save His people from their sins and death. Don't worry about the message of the cross being too “advanced" for some people. If Grace could cause illiterate Galilean fishermen like Peter, seasoned and intelligent Pharisees like pre-conversion Paul and the formerly hopeless sinner that is writing this answer to understand and be saved by Grace, even salvation from sins, then He can save anybody.

Let Grace deal with those who hide under the guise of Grace to accommodate or legitimise their sins too - Jude 1 talks about “scoundrels" who try to pervert the Grace of God and turn it into lewdness. These perverts will exist as long as the message of the cross is being preached but this is no excuse for anyone to try to “balance" the gospel of Christ with some dependence on human effort/will-power at being godly (be like God.) pure Grace- Christ crucified and raised from the dead. Like Paul, let's not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

Let's not fear those who make fun of us with taunts of “hypergrace" or “easy believism.” The gospel is undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour- Grace. It is God's super(hyper)-abounding Grace that saves from sin and death.

Also see what Matt. 1:21 says of Christ: “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Can you imagine an oncologist father punishing his beloved and helpless child who has terminal cancer and who looks to him for salvation because the child has cancer and is exhibiting its symptoms? See Christ's response to the self-righteous folk who accused Him of eating with tax collectors and notorious sinners in Mark 2:17-

“On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.””

Jesus did not come to save the healthy (those who can be sin-free by themselves.) He came to save the sick (sinners who know that they are sinners and look to Him for salvation.)

Even those sins in Revelation 21:8 that many “pastors" threaten the believer who is trying so hard to live right with -

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

God gave His beloved Son to save us from our sins, including those in the verse above. He gave Jesus to save us from perishing on earth and in hell (second death) as we see in the most popular bible verse in the world and the verse after it:

16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

There is no error in believing that in Christ, our past, present and future sins have been forgiven and that we have been declared righteous in God's sight through the blood of Jesus.

The error is in people who profess Christ thinking that they can keep the Law, live a godly life, save themselves from their sins or contribute an iota of righteousness to their eligibility for salvation by sheer determination and human effort/will-power aka arm of flesh that will fail. See God's word concerning the good in man and man's will-power (arm of flesh) at living a godly life in Romans 7:18 as was Paul's experience:

"For I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is right are within me, but will-power is not enough to accomplish it."

God's word says will-power (the arm of flesh) at accomplishing anything - in this context, living a godly life - will fail. But Pride in the arm of flesh (human effort) that will fail says:

"No, I can. God must be wrong. I still have some good in me. I can keep the Ten Commandments and live a sinless life if I clench my teeth hard enough and other people should too. Afterall, I am doing it."

Reminds one of Peter thinking that Christ was wrong when He told him of his then upcoming denials. No humility here. The reason why anyone can choose to not commit particular sins is because he has not been tempted beyond what he can bear. Peter found this out when he denied Christ three times after he boasted and knew 100% that he would not. The potential to commit heinous crimes is in everybody. God sees this potential and how favourable circumstances make some churchgoers think that some sins are beneath them. Boasting in your ability to keep even the “easiest” laws gives Satan the opportunity to sift a person like wheat. The arm of flesh (human effort) will fail and you can be sure that Satan will not come into the boxing ring with “kid-gloves” tests. Never trust yourself. Trust in Christ.

To commit sin is to break the law. To be worried that your past, present or future sins (which you are helpless against and which Christ gave Himself to free you from) are a barrier to entering God's rest is to be under Law. To depend on your own will-power (arm of flesh) to make you sin-free and godly is to try to keep the Law in order to get right with God. This is the result of such efforts-

“For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the Law you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's Grace.” Galatians 5:4.

As it was with pre-denial Peter who boasted in his strength to do right and Paul's accusers who accused him of preaching easy believism, many today who trust in their own will-power (arm of flesh) to do the hard believism of keeping the law/overcoming sins cannot understand that without God's saving Grace through whom we are utterly freed from the shackles of our sin debt to God and the penalty of death that follows, mankind can never be free from sin and death.

Antichrist pastors prey on man's desire to see the logic in Christ's message. Such reject the finished work of Christ in making the sinner who believes (acknowledges his sins and looks utterly to Christ for salvation from sin and death) forever righteous in God's sight- Romans 5:9-

“And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

False doctrine teachers preach dependence on human effort at attaining righteousness/ godliness (be like God,) just as Satan did with Eve. Spiritual wickedness in high places don't carry out their work wearing red underwear, sporting ugly horns and carrying pitchforks. They present themselves as ministers of righteousness; seemingly pro-God but subtly antichrist-

“14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

Satan never tempted Eve to fornicate with him or lie. He deceived Eve into trying to be godly (be like God) through dependence on her own will-power/human effort, an effort in futility-

“For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the Law commands. The Law simpy shows us how sinful we are.” Romans 3:20.

See the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as a picture of the Law that many are trying to keep in order to be sinless/righteous/godly (be like God) in Romans 7:8-12 (MSG.)

Recall the things that we wrestle against in 2 Corinthians 10? Antichrist teachers in the church exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and derisively describe the truth in God's written word as “hypergrace.” Such raise false arguments and sow thoughts of doubt and guilt from behind pulpits, leading many churchgoers to worry about future sins, doubt God's gift of everlasting righteousness in Christ and think that God’s abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ will make people go on sinning sprees. But God's word says differently in Romans 5:16–17:

“16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.”

God's word says we get to live in triumph over sin and death by receiving His love gifts above. This is God's word but it is illogical “easy believism" for the self-righteous and the religious who, like pre-denial Peter, think that they can keep the Law to get some righteousness of their own or that some sins are beneath them. The message of the cross is illogical to those who are being deceived to trust in their own human effort at obedience (the arm of flesh) in order to live a godly life (be like God.)

The spirit of the antichrist is not anti-God. It is anti-Christ, just as it manifested in the religious Pharisees whose lives were all about shunning sin and obeying God's law. They hated Christ. Since the Garden of Eden, the theme of the antichrist has been the same:

“You are not yet godly (like God) so you have to do something by your own will-power (arm of flesh) in order to be godly (be like God.)”

Satan made Eve believe that she was not like God. But God made she and Adam in His likeness. Isaiah prophesied of Christ's suffering for us in Isaiah 53. See the result of His decease which He accomplished in Isaiah 53:11-

"After He has suffered, He will see the light of life. And He will be satisfied. My godly servant will make many people godly because of what He will accomplish. He will be punished for their sins."

God's word says that in Christ, we are godly- like God. His word says in Christ, the entire lifetime of sins of all who believe in Jesus Christ have been forgiven and that all who receive His love gifts (abundance of Grace and His gift of Righteousness) will reign over sin and death aka will not continue to live in sin.

But false preachers say that we who believe in Jesus are not godly and that our sins are still hanging unpaid somewhere until we do something about them with our puny arm of flesh. Some even promote the addition of some human effort/will-power at attaining godliness and right living in order to put Christians in check concerning the issue of sins. Judas tried this approach. He fell into depression and committed suicide.

Because of their false teaching, many churchgoers are yet to understand the weight and power of the Word of the Almighty about how we get to bear “much fruit" (John 15:5) as well as how we get to live in triumph over sin and death”- only through the power of Christ working in us are we transformed.

Being in Christ without bearing “much fruit” and living in triumph over sin and death is as impossible as jumping into the sea naked without getting wet. Godliness is the “wet.” The fruit of the Spirit is the “wet.” Not perish but have eternal life is the “wet.” You do absolutely nothing to be wet except be in the Water that is Christ, and even this is a gift of Grace says Christ in John 6:43-46 (MSG)-

"Jesus said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over Me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent Me is in charge. He draws people to Me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do My work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End."

Nothing to do with self-effort. All to do with Christ from beginning to end. But some branches feel that their ability to bear fruit and also become a part of the Vine is dependent on how hard they clench their teeth in their bid to be sinless. Such feel that they have to bear fruit before they can become a part of the Vine. Not so. Christ does it all. In Him, we can rest, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”Philippians 1:6.

Our salvation in Christ is not at all about who committed what sins. Christ came to save us from our sins. All of us who believe were dead in sins. God raised us and made us alive in Christ who came to save us from our sins. Salvation is about utter dependence and trust in Christ. Without Christ, we have no life. No good. No righteousness, no matter how good we try to be.

With His life in us, we can rest confidently in Him to transform us to godly living and take care of those future sins that antichrist pastors try to get us all flustered about. Titus 2:14 says of Him:

"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”

“Saviour from sins” is His job description.