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Old 06-12-2009, 01:49 PM
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Forrest Forrest is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Texas, USA
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Originally Posted by chette777 View Post
I would like to see what you all think about this please take poll and give a response. if we sin and seeing our sins are forgiven should we confess them or not?
Based on the poll question, I answered OTHER. Here’s why.

NO. I do not confess my sins as a believer based on 1 John 1:9. In other words, as a born again believer who is washed in the blood of Jesus (once and for all) from all sin and all unrighteousness, I am not required to confess my sins because GOD IS FAITHFUL to “to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It is not conditional to my faithfulness.

Forgiveness and cleansing is indeed contingent on confession but I believe verse 9 is written specifically to all who are lost, in darkness, and have no fellowship with God the Father through Christ Jesus. The Gospel we believe “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;” (1 Corinthians 15:3) identifies us as a sinner and we must “confess” and agree with God in order to be forgiven of our sins and cleansed from all unrighteousness. For “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).

AS A BELIEVER WHO IS IN CHRIST ongoing forgiveness of sins and cleansing from all unrighteousness is not a result of our confession of sins. Forgiveness and cleansing is always at work because it the result of the efficacy and power of Christ’s shed blood. We do not reactivate the power of His blood every time we confess a sin. His blood is always cleansing and washing me.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Consider this. If the forgiveness of our sin and cleansing from all unrighteousness were conditional to our confessing sin then we are in a constant state of darkness and broken fellowship with God because if we are being completely honest even my righteousnesses are as filthy rags. We should all know how utterly righteous, holy, perfect, and sinless God is and that my condition in Christ has made me the righteousness of God.

I don't believe the scripture is saying to the believer, "If you confess your sins HE WILL FORGIVE AND CLEANSE YOU BUT IF YOU MISS CONFESSING A SIN DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT BECAUSE HIS BLOOD KEEPS WASHING YOU ANYWAY. DON'T WORRY, HE TAKE YOU BACK OUT OF DARKNESS AND PUTS YOU BACK IN THE LIGHT. AND OH YEAH, THE FELLOWSHIP THING, HE WILL ALSO PUT YOU BACK IN FELLOWSHIP IF YOU MISS CONFESSING ONE."

Concerning the first chapter of 1 John, I believe John gives a clear description of the saved person who is in the light (because God who is LIGHT and the LIGHT of the world, Jesus, is in him) and clear description of the lost person who is in darkness and has no fellowship with God. There is fellowship that we have with one another and there is fellowship with God. My fellowship with man can be broken and must be restored but my fellowship with God is never broken. I believe “fellowship” with God is based solely on our vital union through Christ Jesus, not our pious behavior or continued confession of every single sinful thought, sinful word, sinful deed, sinful attitude or sinful disposition.

Think about God, brethren, and who He is. Do you actually believe you’re fellowship with Him is conditional to confessing a sin? Do you actually believe you are all "confessed up" since the moment you were saved? “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). I have fellowship with the Heavenly Father only because I am in Christ and am now an adopted SON.
Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
YES. I believe we should confess, admit, acknowledge, and say “Lord that thought was sinful. Please help me to bring every thought captive to Christ and help me to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and full of virtue. I praise you Lord Jesus for the cleansing power of thy blood and the forgiveness of my sins.”

There are many things we are admonished in scripture to do. Put off, put on, put away, flee, yield, not yield, mortify the deeds of the flesh, grieve not, quench not, examine, cleanse ourselves, reckon, abstain, sin not, stop lying, stop stealing, be kind, have charity, forgive one another, and resist to name just a few.

All of this Biblical action is repentance, not confession. Of course I confess to God when I sin. I ADMIT IT. But not according to 1 John 1:9. I do it because there is Biblical precedence to do so and because I love my Father and will not abuse His grace. Will grace abound if I do not confess my sin? Will grace abound even if I continue to sin now that I’m saved? ABSOLUTELY. Chastisement, correction, scourging, rebuke, and reproof is a whole other doctrine. Stay usable, be like CHRIST.

Is GRACE a divine permission slip to go out and sin and have a flagrant attitude toward sin? Should we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. ABSOLUTELY NOT. But personally, I no longer confess my sins for the sole purpose of being forgiven of sins and in order to be cleansed from all unrighteousness when I already am.

I glory in what JESUS CHRIST has accomplished for me in His death for my sins, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating above all principalities, power, dominion, and might. I rejoice in the fact that Jesus has destroyed the works of the devil. I rest in the fact that His "seed" remains in me and I am the child of God in Christ and therefore I am always justified, righteous, forgiven, sanctified, redeemed, and reconciled. IT IS FINISHED.