From the beginning of the Writings Of Moses(Torah), the CREATOR of the Heavens and the Earth has given us Laws and Teachings that we would learn to be Righteous. In the Garden of Eden, the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil only taught us what misbehaving was and thereby what righteousness was. Before we only did righteous and afterwards we knew what evil was, not that we should do evil. Having done evil, even without intent, we still need forgiveness, which happens when we turn back to GOD do the Law and to be Righteous before GOD.
Examples in the Tanakh:
“Ezekiel 18:21 But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 None of his transgressions that he hath committed shall be remembered against him; for his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.”
Ezekiel 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he hath done shall be remembered; for his trespass that he trespassed, and for his sin that he hath sinned, for them shall he die.
It is your actions and the results of are the witness of you. Hence, when you return to evil . . . .
Isaiah 1:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the LORD; I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. 12 When ye come to appear before Me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample My courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; it is an offering of abomination unto Me; new moon and sabbath, the holding of convocations–I cannot endure iniquity along with the solemn assembly. 14 Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hateth; they are a burden unto Me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes, cease to do evil; . . . .
Note –Read all of Isaiah 1.
So what do we learn with this? Stop doing that which, according to GOD is evil, do that which is righteous(Obey the WORD OF GOD) in your every action. From Isaiah 1 we are taught that the LORD knows out hearts and when we ask for forgiveness, we should really stop doing the evil that got us needing to repent.
Warning: If you think that you can do evil and then later just do that which is Righteous so that you will be Righteous at your death, REMEMBER You do not know if the next heart beat will be there, nor your next breath, so now, turn back to the LORD GOD and do that which is Righteous. Do that which the LORD declared and caused to be Written. The LORD already knows your heart and your intentions. HE IS NOT FOOLED.
In all of the Tanakh(Old Testament) no one, ever, was declared by the LORD as evil for not obeying the laws of man, only that we walk contrary to HIS WORD and Covenants. Your soul hangs in the balance, as does you children’s soul for you are the TEACHER of your children first and everyone that sees you, learns from you. Yet it is your soul first that is in danger.
Yaakov