Time does not wash away sin. Twenty years or more may pass after a sin is committed, and men’s memories may fade, but God’s memory does not. Children of God can deceive themselves into thinking they are fine or someone they love is fine, even when repentance has not occurred, but the blood of Christ is the only thing that can wash away sin, and simply waiting a certain length of time does not make one contact the blood. Contacting Christ’s saving blood is conditioned upon penitent believers being baptized into Christ’s body (where His blood is) and then remaining faithful members of that body, walking in the light of God’s Word. If they fall away, repentance and confession of sins in prayer is required to contact the blood once again. If the sin is public, it should be repented of publicly, so others will know to forgive, and so the bad example will be “replaced” by the good example of repentance. No, time will not save anyone, but time is precious, because once it ends, so will opportunities to contact the saving blood.
References: 2 Kin. 17:22; Psa. 119:11, 105; Mt. 4:4; 18:14-35; 26:28; Lk. 3:8; 17:3, 4; Jn. 19:33, 34; Acts 2:38-41, 47; 8:12-24; 20:28; 22:16; 26:20; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 12:13; 15:33; 2 Cor. 2:6-11; Eph. 5:23; 2 Thess. 3:6; Heb. 10:22-31; Jam. 1:18-27; 4:14; 5:16-20; 1 Pet. 3:20, 21; 2 Pet. 2:20-22; 3:9-12; 1 Jn. 1:6-2:6; Rev. 1:5.