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Isn't it great to be forgiven! This week we touch on one of the very basic truths in our lives in Christ: We have already been forgiven of ALL sins! The Bible makes it clear that we've already been forgiven of all trespasses - past, present and future - and we have no need to keep on going back to God and confessing sins and/or asking Him to forgive us time and time again.
It's a wonderful and marvelous thing that God has done for us. "He has made you alive together with Christ, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross" (Col 2:13-14). There is no condemnation whatsoever. Your sins have been taken away, forgiven completely and forever. Why wallow around in guilt when your sins have been forgiven and taken away!
I'm experiencing this "keeping short accounts" thing at my new church after moving back into the area again. I'm so disappointed they are teaching such things even with overwhelming scripture to the contrary. To me the very definition of faith is taking God at his word. It must be pride that says we must do something. May God have all the glory for he has already done all that is needed.
ReplyDeleteIt can have something to do with pride and human ego when people feel the need to mix law and faith. It can also be because people just don't know any better. Most of us have been exposed to or were rooted in religion that often misunderstands what the Gospel really is.
ReplyDeleteMost people will think the flesh only craves to do "bad stuff." Yet the flesh can also crave to attempt to earn our right-standing with God. The primary reason we feel the need to do this is because we haven't understood what was provided for us at the cross. Much of this misunderstanding is from religious teaching that has taken many of the most foundational scriptures out of their proper context and blended it with the old covenant of law and commandments (which we are no longer under); religious rules that demand a certain conformity rather than trusting in the finished work of Christ.
Once an individual begins to understand their identity in Christ, that is, who they have ALREADY become (because of what Jesus has done), then they can begin to grow in their understanding and walk in the love and freedom that God intended.
I agree that Jesus forgave all sin but how do you reconcile 1Jn 1:9?
ReplyDelete1John 1:9 was a passage that kept me in bondage for many years before I understood the Gospel. I was constantly confessing sins and this is really nothing different than what was done under the old covenant, except I wasn't sacrificing animals while I did it.
ReplyDeleteAnother point to realize about this passage is that the word sins in the greek is not a verb in this passage (verse 9) but rather a noun. John was not referring to individual sins but a state or condition of sin (something we were born into through Adam). We have talked about this in detail on some of our other programs, one of those being #104 entitled "One Confession." Another program related to this is #121 "Sin consciousness vs. righteous consciousness."
Kap
I agree with much of all that has been said, but I had always understood 1 John 1:9 as having to do with our "fellowship" with God. Confess means to "speak the same." It certainly is true that Jesus paid the price for the believer's past, present, and future sins, but confessing known sin in one's life is simply agreeing with God that the thought or act was not living in the control of the Holy Spirit. I acknowledge many use this verse and "ask for forgiveness" which they already have as believers.
ReplyDeleteI've also heard thoughts about 1 John 1:9 being about fellowship with God. Those thoughts don't line up with my personal line of thinking, as I believe other scriptures make the case that we have perfect fellowship with God and we are near to Him solely by the blood of Jesus, and not by a continual agreement with Him about our individual sins.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the definition of confession / agreement ("speak the same"), but I think the application is a one-time application, when an unbeliever makes the one-time 'confession' (agreement, speak the same) of sin (the sin nature, not individual sins), and is cleansed once-for-all of all unrighteousness. As Kap said, the word "sin" in this verse is not the verb form (as in individual sins) but the noun form. It's a general confession of the sin nature. After this one confession, the person then remains in a state of complete forgiveness and cleansing forever, because he or she has accepted / believed / confessed the one time offering of Jesus as the only true perfect sacrifice.
Thanks for keeping us on our toes. :) There is quite a wide range of thought on all of this, and it's ok if we don't all come to the same conclusions.