952. Fleeing From Falling into the Forlorn Futility of Frequent Forgiveness

When we talk about the once-for-all forgiveness found in the one sacrifice through the blood of Jesus, we'll often notice a variety of spiritual muscle spasms from those who had a (1) particular Bible verse taken out of context and pounded into them for many years, found in 1 John 1:9.

Considering what we have covered in recent programs about forgiveness, how does this mesh with what we find in other passages? Was John really talking to believers to encourage them to remember to confess each individual sin ... sins that God declared He would no longer remember inside of a new and better covenant? And if that were true, where would it leave a person if they didn't confess every wrongdoing? Can we walk in and out of fellowship with God while consistently going back and forth between abiding in the light or darkness? Is it confession or blood that causes us to receive forgiveness?

One more question that absolutely needs to be answered within our hearts: Is the forgiveness of sins from God dependent upon you or something you do ... or is it the result of a Savior who bled, died and rose one time? Let's get some answers with a consistent context that will help make people truly free indeed.



   
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897. False Assumptions: Unconfessed Sins Will Hinder Your Fellowship With God

When a single Bible verse is taken out of context and becomes completely misunderstood, it will often result in a ripple effect which will lead to more misunderstandings, which can lead us away from a better understanding of the truth as it relates to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We're following up from our previous program regarding the repeated confession of sins ... and how this false assumption leads to another one you may have heard or been taught.

A common church doctrine or teaching is that unconfessed sins are defined as unforgiven sins, which will hinder your "fellowship" with God. But is this what the Bible really says for us who are in Christ, inside of a new and better covenant? The answer is no. No matter how far off the trail that a works-based religion will try to take people, the true gospel is always good news.



   
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896. False Assumptions: Continuous Confessions Bring Repeated Forgiveness From God

It's our first program on the topic of false assumptions, regarding many traditional mindsets related to the Bible, Jesus, the gospel, etc. An overwhelming assumption taught by many church organizations is the need to confess sins to God in order to seek a renewed forgiveness. The idea pretty much revolves around one single, solitary Bible verse taken out of a much larger context, and then making a doctrine out of it. We'll bring "the verse" into a framework so it matches with the rest of Scripture as it relates to the New Covenant and also to whom John was speaking to in the first chapter of his first epistle.

In the Old Covenant, a temporary forgiveness came by repeatedly confessing sins onto sacrificial animals as their blood was shed, but it could never take away the sins of the people. God's eternal forgiveness came through blood through the Lamb of God—Jesus—and it only needed to be shed once for all. Continuously trying to keep up with every wrong thought or action is a heavy burden that will never deliver people from a consciousness of sin ... and yet, this is why Jesus came ... to free people into a realization of His gift of righteousness.

The "confessions" (plural) are not meant to be about your sorrow and trying to do something over and over in order to get right with God. That would be a place of hopelessness and failure. As is typically the case, the "confession" comes back to the One that is often overlooked when staring too long at the theology tree. It's simply meant to be an acknowledgement of the Person of Jesus.



   
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884. The Apostle Paul Never Mentioned Confessing Your Sins

Our conversation this week starts out with reflecting on the transition of experiencing the truth of the gospel of grace and how it is so radically different from typical teachings within the corporate church world. It really begins within the heart of a person as God reveals it, and then the mind and understanding begin to pick up on it.

On a related note, we also follow-up from our previous program about the tremendous misunderstandings regarding a Bible verse that appears to be saying that believers need to continually confess all of their sins in order to be forgiven (again) and cleansed from all unrighteousness (again). It’s a faulty doctrine that doesn’t add up with the many writings of Paul and it has kept people in chains. So who was John talking to in this specific passage and what was he really saying?

In case you missed it last week, Joel referenced a recent blog post he'd written on this subject, which can be found here, along with an older blog post series he'd written, which can be found here.



   
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883. A Podcast Without a Title

Once in a great while, we like the “rush” of recording a program without discussing what we’ll talk about ahead of time. This week, we just opened the microphones, and both talked about something randomly on our minds.

Kap: How many times is the Greek word for “gospel” found in the New Testament? And where is it most often found? What may surprise you is the books where it is seldom found or does not appear at all.

Joel: Examining the misunderstandings of “sin confession” from the book of 1 John and some little-known history behind the people John was addressing in the first chapter of his letter.  Joel referenced a blog post he had written on this subject, which can be found here.  Also, an older blog post series he'd written can be found here.



   
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842. The Bondage of Seeking Repeated Forgiveness From God (Part 2)

Taking a single Bible verse out of the proper context can have a negative impact in the minds of well-meaning people seeking the truth. Perhaps this is nearly unrivaled when it comes to 1 John 1:9—where it has been interpreted by many that there is a requirement to keep “confessing” all of your sins to be forgiven or for you to remain forgiven. But who was John speaking to in this first chapter? Believers or those who did not believe?

How does this (false) assumption compare to statements made by Paul and the letter to the Hebrews? How does it compare to things John would say in the very next chapter and near the end of his letter? And just exactly what does confession really mean? We’re following up on last week’s program about the finality of God’s forgiveness through the blood of Jesus and His one (1) sacrifice that addressed the sin issue, once for all.

   
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841. The Bondage of Seeking Repeated Forgiveness From God (Part 1)

Without blood being shed, forgiveness from God was not extended. Even long before the Mosaic law, sin resulted in the repeated sacrifices of innocent animals where the sins were transferred onto the animal. Seeking a renewed forgiveness from God was ongoing. Then the master plan was put into motion and Jesus happened … and offered one (1) sacrifice as the perfect lamb of God. His blood did what had never happened before by any other sacrifice … it took sins away.

But today the religious community has taught that we need to confess all of our sins to be forgiven (again and again). The only thing missing is the bloody beast to go with it. What happens if you don’t confess every single sin? What if you died with an unconfessed or “unforgiven” sin still hanging over your head? Can you see the impossible requirement with that? This misleading mindset leads to fear and bondage, ignorant of the power of the finished work of the cross. If you think God will forgive you every time you ask or if you express sorrow for your sins, we have even better news for you.

   
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805. The 800 Club: Looking Back - Forgiveness by Blood - Not Repeated Confessions

As we reflect on the benchmark of more than 800 podcasts, one of the topics we’ve spent some time on is the misunderstanding of thinking believers need to continuously ask God for a renewed forgiveness. The concept comes from a single Bible verse that often misses the context surrounding it. Thinking that one needs to keeping seeking more forgiveness for each individual sin by repeatedly asking God to extend another round again—it diminishes the power of the blood of Jesus and His finished work. And you won’t be able to confess every single wrongful thought and action, leaving you to wonder where you stand with God and whether you are truly forgiven. The gospel reveals that we already are forgiven in Him by the blood of Jesus, through one sacrifice. This brings us into a place of peace and rest, and frees us to forgive others.

We've talked about this many times in the past here on the Growing in Grace podcast.  Here are a couple of those times, if you want to explore this a little more:

A six-part series on 1 John 1:9 begins here (click on Newer Post at the bottom left of each post to get to each of the six parts), and a single episode that we did as part of a series called "Born Identity" can be found here.

   
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706. Born Identity: Forever Forgiven - Unconditionally

How can we know for certain we’re forgiven by God? Is it based on the condition we repeatedly confess all our sins? Is it dependent on whether we forgive others or not? Water baptism?

Let’s ask a different question that contains a very significant answer: Why did our High Priest offer His blood by a sacrifice that occurred “once for all” and afterwards - He sat down? Knowing you are completely forgiven by God should never be something you have to wonder about.



   
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682. 1 John 1:9 (Part 6) Bottom Line: Acknowledging Sin Leads to A Confession of Jesus

This is the sixth and final program from our recent series on the Bible verse of 1 John 1:9. We summarize with the conclusion that the Apostle John was not instructing believers in Jesus Christ to continually confess all of their sins to God in order to receive a fresh forgiveness every time they commit a wrongful thought or action. If repeated forgiveness were still needed from God for each sin, Jesus would have had to offer Himself repeatedly with the shedding of more blood. As we begin to see that John was addressing unbelieving people in the first chapter of 1 John - and then continue reading the other four chapters written to believers - we’ll begin to see the bigger point John is making… a confession of Jesus Christ.

To acknowledge a sinful condition leads (unbelieving) people to realize we have all fallen short of God’s perfect standard and have need of a Savior. His blood has brought forgiveness and cleanses us from all unrighteousness (once for all). Confessing the Son - the Word of Life - allows us to receive His life through belief, resulting in salvation and righteousness. It results in us abiding in Him; but to deny the Son is to deny God. As people who have been born of God, perfect love has guaranteed our forgiveness in Him is certain and we can now have boldness in the day of judgement… “because as He is so also are we in this world.”



   
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