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:

Conditional instructions versus grace

Conditional instructions versus grace

STATEMENT:

The Bible is clear that we must confess our sins. Please read 1st John 1:9 which says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sin …".

RESPONSE:

The verse you reference in 1 John is applicable to the believers that live during a different dispensation. It is not the dispensation you and I live in today. So, although we can learn from what John writes, concerning their doctrine and life, it is not something that applies to us today. I can validate what I say by pointing you to the very nature of the words used by John in the verse you quote. Let’s compare:

Comments and questions concerning confession of sins according to right dividing.

Comments and questions concerning confession of sins according to right dividing.

The following post contains comments made by an individual in response to this post. I separated out the comments (enlarged blue text) and provided my responses accordingly. I believe that there are some valuable things to learn from the conversation, hence publishing it here.

I think this is a dangerously flawed view.

Believe me when I say that I get this warning a lot. I hold a dispensational view of scripture which appears to challenge the views of many people and how they interpret various topics in scripture. I’d have no doctrine left to write about if I submit to the many views where people say I’m wrong or mislead. Dispensationalism has brought me out of a 40-year mould of wrong biblical orientation. In the 10-years I’ve studied scripture rightly divided (2Tim.2:15), it has opened the scripture to me in deeper ways than in all 40-years of kingdom theology, and similar that I have been exposed to.

Why does Paul, writer of two-thirds of the New Testament, not mention confession of sins?

Why does Paul, writer of two-thirds of the New Testament, not mention confession of sins?

According to doctrine

Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, never commands that members of the Body of Christ must confess sins. Paul received a deeper truth from the ascended Christ for grace believers, and unlike the Old Covenant and the Kingdom program, this does not contain instructions regarding the confessing of our sins. Paul only mentions the word "confessing" (Gk, homologeo, "acknowledge") in the context of "acknowledging Jesus Christ is Lord", as we see in Romans 10:10.

Since we are not under the law, we do not practice confession of sins because our salvation and fellowship with God are not dependent of OUR performance. We are forgiven, apart from anything we have done. In Colossians 2:13, our Apostle Paul tells us that we are "forgiven of all trespasses [in Christ]". In Ephesians 4:32 it is written, "God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you", and Colossians 3:13, "even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye". We are forgiven (past tense), not because we confess our sins, but because of Christ’s finished cross work on Calvary. In Christ, we have unbroken fellowship with God forever and ever. 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!

What does the account of Cain and Abel teach us about the only acceptable sin offering?

What does the account of Cain and Abel teach us about the only acceptable sin offering?

Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Shortly after Adam fell into sin, we read the above verse that tells us that the Lord God slew some sort of animal and clothed them with its hide. The covering of Adam and Eve alludes to God covering their sins, and the sacrifice of an animal alludes to the fact that the life (or lifeblood) of another was the price required for that covering.

Adam, no doubt would have passed this knowledge on to his sons. So, when the time came for both Cain and Abel to offer up a sacrifice, it was Abel’s sacrifice that pleased the Lord.

Dedicated Reply to a Comment

QUESTION:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "What is wrong thinking about the law of God?":

Is it still important for a child of God to acknowledge when they sin, confess their sin, turn away from sin and ask the Father to forgive us our sin? For the Lord’s Prayer is a framework prayer that states, “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Paul states in Romans that God’s Law is not done away with because Paul says that we must uphold the Law. The problem lies with our attitude towards the Law. Are we keeping the Law to be saved or do we still obey it because this is the only way we can show God that we love Him?

ANSWER:

Justification is not by the law, but freely given by God through His Son

Justification is not by the law, but freely given by God through His Son

“What things soever the law saith it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.” Rom 3:19.

What does the law declare? It declares the whole world guilty before God, and here's the conclusion, “therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

The law cannot justify you because the law exposes who you are. The law brings to light your condemnation and your guilt, and so, if God is to judge you according to your works by the law, He cannot justify you, He cannot declare you innocent, because the law declares you guilty.

Do you have to be saved to get forgiveness for your sins?

Do you have to be saved to get forgiveness for your sins?

QUESTION:

Do you have to be saved to get forgiveness for your sins?

INCORRECT AND UNSCRIPTURAL ANSWER:

The best way to be forgiven sins is to try and make amendments for all you have done that weighs on you. If you cannot make things right in particular instances then try and sort out what is happening around you, being helpful and loving making things better in the here and now.

The fact is that no form of words will wipe out your ‘sinful’ past only ‘good’ actions from now on. There’s no-one floating about elsewhere who can alter the past.

SCRIPTURAL ANSWER:

A response to the article called: How do we live according to Christ?

A response to the article called: How do we live according to Christ?

RESPONSE

The Bible provides several explicit teachings on how to live like Christ. Here are some key principles and instructions:

Love God and love others: Jesus taught that the greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40). This emphasis on love is foundational to living a Christ-like life.

Follow Jesus' example: Jesus is the perfect example of how to live a righteous and holy life. Believers are called to follow His footsteps, imitate His actions, and adopt His attitudes (1 Peter 2:21, Philippians 2:5-8).

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 5)

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 5 --- A Future Salvation, Endurance and Being Overcomers)

We continue with the comparison of the gospel of God and the gospel of Christ by looking at key elements that distinguish them from each other. I recommend to start at the beginning of this comparison to gain the necessary context of this series of posts.

Salvation was Future

A simple fact that does not need much proof is that in the gospel of the Kingdom, and the gospel of God, the hope of salvation lay out in the future. This of course is very different to the gospel of Christ (or the Grace gospel), where salvation is not a hope out in the future based on one's works and the conditional requirement to endure to the end, but rather an immediate, factual, and unconditional sealing of one's salvation by the Holy Spirit because of the cross work of Christ.

OBS: ACTS - The Transition (Part 5 - Insights into the New Covenant)

OBS: ACTS, The Transition (Part 5) The focus is not so much on studying Acts, as it is on using the book to teach us about dispensation truths.

Acts 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

See the video lesson of this study here.

Insights into the New Covenant

Q-A: Must we confess our sins

Q-A: Does the Bible instruct us to "Confess our sins?"