How is the Protestant concept of sin related to prayer?

[meltzerboy]

From what I’ve learned on this Forum and elsewhere, (most) Protestants do not accept the Catholic division of sin into mortal sin and venial sin because they believe this division is not supported by Scripture, which they claim makes no such distinction. They believe instead that all sin is in essence mortal. For the most part, Protestants believe that Catholicism’s atonement for sin by means of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is basically a process of good works that shifts the responsibility of repentance onto the individual, who they state cannot merit by this sacramental act, mediated by a priest, being forgiven, because forgiveness has already occurred through Jesus’ sacrifice for all sins: past, present, and future. The Protestant idea (if one can speak of a single idea in Protestantism), as I understand it, is that when an individual accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior, he is given to leading a life of faith and charity, admittedly not free of sin, but nonetheless in a perpetual state of grace and forgiveness.

My question to Protestants, as well as all others who care to discuss this topic CHARITABLY, is what exact role does individual prayer play in relation to sin, given that all sins have already been forgiven by the suffering and death of Jesus? More bluntly, while prayer serves other functions, why is it needed in the case of sin?

 

[ltwin]

I would say that evangelical Protestants recognize that every Christian is a priest, part of a royal priesthood. Our one, sole mediator is Christ. We have no need to confess our sin to a priest, because we can approach the throne of grace boldly and bring our petitions to Jesus. That is the role of prayer. When I sin, I go to God in prayer. In the name of Jesus, I ask forgiveness for my sins and I commit my life to be one of repentance. I pray that by the power of Christ, my mind would be continually renewed and transformed into an ever greater likeness of Christ.

1 John 1,

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.