Clearing up misunderstandings concerning, repentance vs. confession of sins, and remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God

Clearing up misunderstandings concerning, repentance vs. confession of sins, and remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God

STATEMENT:

You say, “we do not practice confession of sins because our salvation and fellowship with God are not dependent of OUR performance”, and further in the post you also say, “How many times can we be forgiven of "all unrighteousness?" Only once. In Christ, now and forever, we are forgiven of all sins ----past, present, and future!” 

So, answer me these. 

1- If Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles, why did he write, “…and then to the Gentiles, that they should REPENT and turn to God, and DO WORKS meet for repentance”, Acts 26:20. You should know that repent is also known as ‘confession of sins’. 

2- Future sins? “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins THAT ARE PAST, through the forbearance of God” Rom 3:25

RESPONSE:

Thank you for continuing our dialog and for providing two verses that we can analyze. Let’s have a look at both in the context of your reasoning,

Act 26:20  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

that they should repent

Both Jews and Gentiles need to “repent,” “turn to God,” and “do works meet for repentance.” To “repent” is to emphatically change one’s mind about a belief. The word “repent” is not a synonym for confession of sins. Repentance can of course involve confession of sins, as they did under the Kingdom dispensation, Mar.1:5, but repentance is not exclusive to confession, as you are trying to imply. 

and do works meet for repentance

To continue the verse, the phrase, “works meet for repentance” has nothing to do with repentance coming through an individual’s work, like confession, or anything else. No one needs to prove they are worthy of salvation because no one is, and no one can earn it or even deserve it by things they do or say. Salvation comes by faith alone. That way God and not the individual gets the glory in working.

Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 

for the remission of sins that are past 

“Sins that are past” is not the sins committed by the believer before they got saved, as you interpret, but it refers to the sins committed under the Old Testament dispensation. God forbore the punishment of the sins before the death of Christ. Those who sacrificed an animal for sin before Christ only received forgiveness provisionally or temporarily until Christ died. God could forbear sins because He anticipated the death of Christ. This is evidence of His grace. He passed over sins of the Old Testament temporarily to be dealt with permanently by the death of Christ.

through the forbearance of God; [literally, holding back of God’s judgment]

The word “forbearance” means to hold back, delay. God did not execute justice in the past until Christ came. Atonement for sin was only provisional in the Old Testament; that system is no longer necessary in light of the effectiveness of Christ’s death which was the ultimate and final answer to the sin of man. This does not mean that God disregarded sin in the past, but that He anticipated an ultimate answer to sin.

I appreciate your time.

God bless.