This is the final installment from our previous request ... asking listeners to share something that completely changed for them as they slipped from the roots of religious legalism into the grace of the gospel.
This week includes the topics of:
- The fear of participating in communion "in an unworthy manner" because of certain sins that religion declares will cause a separation with God or result in a negative effect on our fellowship with Him.
- The fear of bloodline curses or various curses from a lack of obedience in behavior.
- Church members putting a guilt trip on those who do not attend regularly or deem them to be in error when they leave or attend a different church building.
John stood in the middle of a river calling for Jewish people to repent—because the kingdom of heaven was at hand—and to be cleansed with water. Although there is no record of the Pharisees being baptized by John, they also were not surprised or shocked by such a cleansing ritual where people would confess their sins ... which was common under the law. However, they were curious as to the motivation and purpose of this one who came from the priestly tribe. The old priests didn't go to the people, the people went to the priest.
After John's arrest, Jesus would go out among the Jewish people saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” But exactly what was it that Jesus was calling for these people to do when He said to repent—these who were under the Mosaic law? If we assume His intent was to get them to stop sinning, He could have simply stated to work harder at keeping the law they were trying to live up to (but constantly failed at doing). Yet we know the law never resulted in reducing sin, but increasing it.
As we've done many times on the podcast over the years, we'll review the meaning of the word repent or repentance from the Greek and provide some specific consistency within the context. To repent is a good thing, but empty religion has defined it in a way that makes it impossible for people to do and only leads to a sin consciousness which Jesus came to free people from.
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.
If a believer in Christ becomes tempted to ask God for more forgiveness over and over, this is a sign they have not yet come to realize the plenitude of God's forgiveness that came through the one sacrifice of Jesus. It implies a lack of confidence in His shed blood. But since this is what the bulk of the religious message has coached people to do ... habits and uncertainties can be a challenge to break, especially when approaching these things from an old covenant perspective.
There were many priests under the Mosaic law who daily offered animal sacrifices time after time, yet never taking away sins. They could only provide a temporary covering. Sins kept happening so the blood of bulls and goats kept rolling down the sacrificial conveyor belt. And now the good news ... But the one High Priest (Jesus) "having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God." Why was this Priest able to sit down after the sacrifice of Himself? Because the issue of forgiveness was completed. He finished the job.
Even those claiming to be believers in Christ have experienced a fear of not being forgiven by God, sometimes walking around in guilt and condemnation rather than peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Many have been taught that repeated forgiveness is needed when we stumble—that we are forgiven for past sins up to this moment, but frequent requests must be made to God for more forgiveness when sin rears its ugly head again.
Context is often missing and leads to misunderstandings when we see a statement like Jesus made to His disciples ... that God would only forgive them if they would forgive others. If they did not forgive others, God would not forgive them. (Gulp!). Then we assume Jesus was also speaking to us in this reference. This would not be good news for anyone.
Let's take a closer look at what religion refuses to teach—that the blood of Jesus brought a permanent forgiveness of sins with a single sacrifice "for all time" (past, present, and future).
The Christian religion is often built upon the idea we should repeatedly be seeking a renewed forgiveness from God whenever we fall short.
It’s time to ask ourselves a question at it relates to the message of the gospel and the New Covenant of Jesus Christ: How can we be forgiven for something that God says He no longer remembers?
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.
