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When you receive Christ into your heart, He takes all of your sins upon Himself. Now Jesus died a sinner's death, yet He was without sin. So how can He die a sinner's death when He never sinned. We know how, He died as us. He took our sins, and died as us. When we receive Him into our hearts and put our trust in His works, we then receive His righteousness. Jesus' perfection is accounted to us, and we are born again with His nature. The new nature which in found on the inside of every believer.
So the only thing that changed when we received Christ, was our spirit. It's there where we are perfect. These bodies weren't changed. They are still off the mark of how God created it to function, which is what sin means. So if we sin today, it's because we were leaning on our bodies feelings and trying to do things in our own effort. It's no surprise when we mess up when walking according to our effort. However, when we live according to our new spirit in Christ, we have the ability to live perfectly before the Lord, because now we are living according to the strength He's given us.
Yes, we can stumble in this life, but realize we stumble/sin because of these bodies. That is why you must renew your mind to the new nature in Christ. You must see yourself in Jesus, and you will sin less and less, even to the point where you don't sin. Yet if you do sin, again remember Jesus, what He did for you and who you are now, in Him. Say, literally, as Jesus is, so am I. Is Jesus righteous before our Father? Yes! So am I in this world. Is Jesus healthy? Yes! So am I in this world. Continue to identify yourself with Christ, and your life will reflect Him.
To the second part of this question, Satan was perfect when he was created. Yet he had free will, and he became proud in himself. With that pride, he then wanted to take God's position, so that everyone would worship him. So, he fell from perfection, and fell from his position in Heaven. All of that stemmed from his choice, not from his perfection or any lack of perfection.
Nope. In fact if God created Adam a sinner, Adam would be disobeying God if he all of a sudden became sinless. Adam made a choice, and corruption was the result of it.
Again you only stumble because you keep looking at yourself. You are looking at your ability to live a good life, but the body is weak. It's like trying to lift a ten story building with your bare hands. You're not going to be able to do that. Yet, most Christians try just that. Then once they realize over and over again they can't do it, they apologize to God, only to try the same thing again. There's so much confusion among Christians, and it's because our pastors and leaders aren't teaching correctly.
Firstly, when you are born again, you first acknowledge you are utterly sinful. Then you receive Christ's righteousness into your heart, and thus you are born with His nature inside of you. (You receive a new spirit, born of Jesus' nature) This is what repenting is about. The greek word for repentance means to change your mind. When it comes to sin, you do this once! You change your mind about your effort, because you are utterly sinful. (Your body and whole being is off the mark, because God originally created Adam perfect. Because we descended from Adam, we received his corruption at birth) Then you put on Christ, and receive His righteousness.
So to review, when we were born, we received Adam's corruption. So no matter how much good you did, you were still a sinner. You couldn't help it, it didn't matter if you saved 100 people from a burning house, you were still corrupt. In the same way, in Jesus, no matter how much bad you do in these corrupt bodies, you are still righteous because of Jesus. This is how you must see yourself, identify with your new nature in Christ, and your life will show it. Because now you are lifting that 10 story building in God's strength, not your own. You know you can't lift that building, just like you can't live a perfect life in your own strength. Yet you know if God is with you, in His strength you can do anything.
Finally I want to say, don't be conscious of your sin. If you sin, it's because of your body. Yet that sin is covered by the blood of Christ. Most Christians will say repent if you sin, as in apologize or confess it to God, make amends. Yet repentance doesn't mean that. Again the word for repentance in the NT is "metanoia", which means to change your mind. When it comes to sin, you do it once! After that you put your complete trust in Jesus. When it comes to God's grace, you are repenting all the time because again, repentance means to change your mind. There is always something new to be learned about God's grace. The more you learn and renew your mind, the more you will live righteously. Going from glory to glory. So if you mess up, if you sin, just take that moment to again remember who you are in Christ. Thank God for Jesus, and be strengthened.
Confessing sin to God is not accurate teaching for Christian living. For one, no one can confess all sins that you do every day. Don't you know even hating someone is murder? Don't you know lying is an abomination before God? Do we confess every white lie? Do we confess to every yeilded thought of lust? So if we don't confess every sin, we fall out of relationship with God until we confess them? Again, we probably sin hundreds of times throughout the day, and don't even know it. Yet we are still in relationship with our Father. That doesn't stop Him from talking to us, and lifting us up. The only thing that hinders our relationship with God, is our own self condemnation. We feel like we mess up so bad, that we "must do something" to get right. Namely confessing our sins.
So again, if you read all that, continue to realize who you are in Christ. If you mess up, remember Christ. Thank God for Jesus dying our death, so we can live. Don't mope around, and above all don't condemn yourself. The only reason you stumbled was because you were looking at your effort. Change your mind about who you are, and know that you are righteous in Jesus.
Telling someone that they don't need to acknowledge their sins to God is irresponsible. Acknowledging your sins is absolutely necessary in order to be restored to fellowship. Sin puts the believer into a state of carnality under the control of the old sin nature. That is why 1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
As I stated in a previous post, when you name your known sins to God, He also forgives the unknown sins, the sins you didn't know were sins. Unconfessed sin in your life keeps you out of fellowship. Being out of fellowship is not loss of salvation but loss of the filling of the Spirit. Not the indwelling of the Spirit as you cannot lose that, but the filling of the Spirit. When you sin, you lose the filling of the Spirit. That is why the believer is commanded to be filled with the Sprit as per Ephesians 5:18.
Only when the believer has named his sin to God can he function in the power of the Spirit as opposed to the energy of the flesh.
Telling someone that they don't need to acknowledge their sins to God is irresponsible. Acknowledging your sins is absolutely necessary in order to be restored to fellowship. Sin puts the believer into a state of carnality under the control of the old sin nature. That is why 1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
As I stated in a previous post, when you name your known sins to God, He also forgives the unknown sins, the sins you didn't know were sins. Unconfessed sin in your life keeps you out of fellowship. Being out of fellowship is not loss of salvation but loss of the filling of the Spirit. Not the indwelling of the Spirit as you cannot lose that, but the filling of the Spirit. When you sin, you lose the filling of the Spirit. That is why the believer is commanded to be filled with the Sprit as per Ephesians 5:18.
Only when the believer has named his sin to God can he function in the power of the Spirit as opposed to the energy of the flesh.
This is the most difficult lessons we have to learn when reading the letters of the NT. Yes, the NT is for our edification, but realize also these letters were written with a certain audience in mind. In the case of 1 John, his letter was written to those who have seen a major break off from the Church. There was a new denomination that formed in those days, who were saying sin doesn't exist. They were also saying Jesus didn't really come in the flesh. (You can look this up by the way) What John was doing, was reaffirming the things he saw concerning Jesus. Who Jesus is, and why He came to the earth.
What John was saying verse 9, is sin does exist, and if we confess them, God is not only faithful but just to forgive us. All these things were reaffirming the things the church was taught. If you look in chapter 2 and verse 1, he states he is telling them these things so they would "not" sin. And if anyone does sin, remember that we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. If confessing was important, he would have again said to confess your sin, instead of saying remember we have an advocate with the Father. So you have to look at the context to get the whole meaning.
Again, if confessing is important, you have to confess every sin. There is no exception, and you couldn't prove that exception with the Bible. (Saying God will forgive unconfessed sins is just your saying) Yet what this does, confessing sin, is putting your focus on your sin instead of Jesus. It actually does the opposite of what your saying because now I'm worried about confessing every sin I may or may not commit. That is what the Ten Commandments did, always putting the focus on our inability to keep God's commands. The only reason you feel comfortable with confessing sins, is because you feel like unconfessed sins will be forgiven as well. Yet as I said, there is no Bible teaching that says that, if confessing sin was important. If you have to confess sin, you must confess all sin, or else.
This is the most difficult lessons we have to learn when reading the letters of the NT. Yes, the NT is for our edification, but realize also these letters were written with a certain audience in mind. In the case of 1 John, his letter was written to those who have seen a major break off from the Church. There was a new denomination that formed in those days, who were saying sin doesn't exist. They were also saying Jesus didn't really come in the flesh. (You can look this up by the way) What John was doing, was reaffirming the things he saw concerning Jesus. Who Jesus is, and why He came to the earth.
What John was saying verse 9, is sin does exist, and if we confess them, God is not only faithful but just to forgive us. All these things were reaffirming the things the church was taught. If you look in chapter 2 and verse 1, he states he is telling them these things so they would "not" sin. And if anyone does sin, remember that we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. If confessing was important, he would have again said to confess your sin, instead of saying remember we have an advocate with the Father. So you have to look at the context to get the whole meaning.
Again, if confessing is important, you have to confess every sin. There is no exception, and you couldn't prove that exception with the Bible. (Saying God will forgive unconfessed sins is just your saying) Yet what this does, confessing sin, is putting your focus on your sin instead of Jesus. It actually does the opposite of what your saying because now I'm worried about confessing every sin I may or may not commit. That is what the Ten Commandments did, always putting the focus on our inability to keep God's commands. The only reason you feel comfortable with confessing sins, is because you feel like unconfessed sins will be forgiven as well. Yet as I said, there is no Bible teaching that says that, if confessing sin was important. If you have to confess sin, you must confess all sin, or else.
You are mistaken. The very first thing a new believer needs to know is that he must confess his sins so that he can in fellowship with God under the control of the Holy Spirit. There are some such as yourself who maintain that confession of sin is not necessary, but such teaching is a deviation from what the Bible teaches. The principle of confession of sin is taught in a number of verses in both the Old and New Testament.
For example, in Psalm 32:1-5 David addresses the need for confession of sin to God.
Psalm 32:1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2] How blessed is he to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whos spirit there is no deceit! 3] When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long. 4] For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. 5]I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
1 John 1:9 is a general principle which pertains to all believers since all believers sin.
As for God forgiving unknown sins when the known sins are named, that is what the second half of 1 John 1:9 refers to. If we name our sins (known sins) He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (unknown sins).
Jesus taught the need to confess sins using footwashing as an illustration (John 13:1-11).
At the last supper on the night He was arrested, Jesus poured water into a basin and began washing the disciples' feet. Peter objected to the Lord washing his feet. To this objection Jesus said, ''If I do not wash you, you have no part of me.'' The reference was not to eternal salvation but to the matter of Peter not abiding in Christ or having rapport with Christ. Peter then asked Jesus to wash not only his feet but also his hands and head. Jesus then said that one who has bathed (reference to eternal salvation) needs only to wash his feet (reference to confession of sin). He further said that that person is completely clean [verse 10]. To that He added, ''and you [hymeis - plural] are clean''. The word 'you' is plural and means that Jesus was referring to all the disciples with the exception of one. He said, ''but not all''. The reference was to Judas, who was not clean. He had never trusted in Christ for salvation.
Regarding John 12:9-10, the Bible Knowledge Commentary says...
Peter continued to miss the spiritual lesson, but he was certain of his desire to be joined to Jesus. Therefore he asked Jesus to wash his hands and head as well as his feet.Jesus answered, A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. (Some Gr. mss. omit the words ''his feet.'') Roman Catholics sometimes have interpreted verse 10 to mean that after infant baptism only penance is needed. A preferable interpretation is that after salvation all one needs is confession of sins, the continual application of Jesus' death to cleanse one's daily sins (cf. 1 John 1:7; 2:1-2). When Jesus added that not every one of you is clean, He was referring to Judas (cf. John 13:11, 18) This suggests that Judas was not converted. [The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, pg. 320]
The command to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18) requires a means by which to be filled with the Spirit. That means is the acknowledgement of sin as per 1 John 1:9.
Another way of saying that we must confess our sins is put forth in 1 Corinthians 11:31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. Judging ourselves refers to self examination. The alternative is judgment by God in the form of divine discipline. The context of 1 Cor. 11:31 concerns coming to the Lord's Supper with unconfessed sin.
Now for the benefit not only of the original poster, but for all who are reading this, I provide some studies on the doctrine of confession of sin which can be called 'Rebound'. The term refers to rebounding from a state of carnality caused by sin, back into a state of spirituality by confession of sin. Each of these studies is by a different pastor.
Any believer in Jesus Christ who does not name his sins to God the Father is in a state of perpetual carnality under the control of his old sin nature, and unable to grow spiritually.
I'm having a hard time right now. Idk if this thread is already somewhere else, if so just tell me.
Anywho, I'm just going to go off the top of my head. I have a few questions
Quote:
Originally Posted by tonyurban
1. If you are a born again Christian, are you now considered sinless? If not, do you become sinless when you enter heaven? And if so, how was Satan and is entourage able to rebel in heaven if they were sinless beings.
When one is born from above one has positional righteousness [sinless] in the Eyes of the Father because of the Blood of Yeshua, however, one is still trapped in a body of sin...
Rom 7:1 Or are you ignorant, brothers, (for I speak to those knowing Law), that the Law lords it over the man for as long a time as he lives?
Rom 7:2 For the married woman was bound by Law to the living husband; but if the husband dies, she is set free from the Law of the husband.
Rom 7:3 So then, if the husband is living, she will be called an adulteress if she becomes another man's. But if the husband dies, she is free from the Law, so as for her not to be an adulteress by becoming another man's.
Rom 7:4 So that, my brothers, you also were made dead to the Law through the body of Christ, for you to become Another's, to the One raised from the dead, so that we may bear fruit to God.
Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sin were working in our members through the Law for the bearing of fruit unto death.
Rom 7:6 But now we have been set free from the Law, having died to that in which we were held, so as for us to serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Let it not be! But I did not know sin except through Law; for also I did not know lust except the Law said, "You shall not lust." Ex. 20:17
Rom 7:8 But sin taking occasion through the commandment worked every lust in me; for apart from Law, sin is dead.
Rom 7:9 And I was alive apart from Law once, but the commandment came, and sin came alive, and I died.
Rom 7:10 And the commandment which was to life, this was found to be death to me;
Rom 7:11 for sin taking occasion through the commandment deceived me, and through it killed me.
Rom 7:12 So indeed the Law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
Rom 7:13 Then that which is good, has it become death to me? Let it not be! But sin, that it might appear to be sin, having worked out death to me through the good, in order that sin might become excessively sinful through the commandment. Rom 7:14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, having been sold under sin. Rom 7:15 For what I work out, I do not know. For what I do not will, this I do. But what I hate, this I do. Rom 7:16 But if I do what I do not will, I agree with the Law, that it is good. Rom 7:17 But now I no longer work it out, but the sin dwelling in me. Rom 7:18 For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwells no good. For to will is present to me, but to work out the good I do not find. Rom 7:19 For what good I desire, I do not do. But the evil I do not desire, this I do. Rom 7:20 But if I do what I do not desire, it is no longer I working it out, but the sin dwelling in me. Rom 7:21 I find then the law, when I desire to do the right, that evil is present with me. Rom 7:22 For I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man; Rom 7:23 but I see another law in my members having warred against the law of my mind, and taking me captive by the law of sin being in my members. Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then I myself with the mind truly serve the Law of God, and with the flesh the law of sin.
1Co 6:12 All things are lawful to me, but not all things profit. All things are lawful to me, but I will not be ruled by any.
1Co 10:23 All things are lawful to me, but not all things profit. All things are lawful to me, but not all things build up.
Psa 17:3 You will test my heart; You will visit in the night; You will refine me; You will find nothing; my thoughts do not pass beyond my mouth.
1Co 9:27 but I buffet my body and lead it captive, lest proclaiming to others I myself might be disapproved.
Pro 25:28 A man to whom there is no control to his spirit is like a broken down city without a wall.
Gal 5:16 But I say, Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
A believer has positional righteousness through Yeshua...Sanctification is a lifelong process...This is why Paul implores us to bring our flesh under subjection...Do not let it have mastery over you...
Quote:
Originally Posted by tonyurban
2. Was Adam and Eve sinless before they ate the forbidden fruit? This one puzzles me because, if they were sinless and perfect at first, since they disobeyed God, wasn't they actually sinful from the beginning. You have to already be a sinner to disobey.
To this I will repeat:
Psa 17:3 You will test my heart; You will visit in the night; You will refine me; You will find nothing; my thoughts do not pass beyond my mouth.
David is stating here that he has brought not only his own body under subjection but he also controls his thoughts and will not allow them out of his mouth...
One does not neccessarily have to be already a sinner to disobey...David was a man after HaShem's own heart until one day he allowed his thoughts to escape through his mouth and he sinned with Bathsheba and murdered her husband to cover up his own sin...He allowed temptaion to rule his members...
Quote:
Originally Posted by tonyurban
3. How in the world am I supposed to please God if I am forever a wicked person on this Earth? This correlates to question 1. We can't possibly do EVERYTHING perfectly. So aren't we all SOL.
Rom_10:9 Because if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Eph 5:5 For be knowing this, that every fornicator, or unclean one, or covetous one, who is an idolater, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for through these things the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience.
Eph 5:7 Then do not become partakers with them;
Eph 5:8 for you then were darkness, but are now light in the Lord; walk as children of light.
Eph 5:9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth,
Eph 5:10 proving what is pleasing to the Lord.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them.
Eph 5:12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things being done by them in secret.
Eph 5:13 But all things being exposed by the light are clearly revealed, for everything having been revealed is light.
Eph 5:14 Because of this, He says, Arise, sleeping ones and stand up out of the dead ones, and Christ will shine on you. No OT passage
Eph 5:15 Then watch how carefully you walk, not as unwise, but as wise ones,
Eph 5:16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Eph 5:17 For this reason, do not be foolish, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Eph 5:18 And "do not be drunk with wine," in which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, Prov. 23:31
Eph 5:19 speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and praising in your heart to the Lord,
Eph 5:20 giving thanks at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, even to God the Father,
Eph 5:21 having been subject to one another in the fear of God.
Do you desire to please HaShem or yourself?...
Quote:
Originally Posted by tonyurban
Example: I am born again, now I am sinless. However, I commit a sin, now obviously I am not a born again christian. HOWEVER, if I am born again Christian and I still have sin, what's the point in trying to be righteous. This is starting to seem like a lose, lose game. Now you might say he forgives, but how do I know he has forgiven me when I am still a sinner and he says only the righteous will enter his kingdom. None of us are righteous. So will none of us enter.
I hope this makes sense. Ask me to clarify if needed.
Rom 6:12 Then do not let sin reign in your mortal body, to obey it in its lusts.
Rom 6:13 Neither present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as one living from the dead, and your members instruments of righteousness to God.
Rom 6:14 For your sin shall not lord it over you, for you are not under Law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under Law, but under grace? Let it not be!
Rom 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or obedience to righteousness?
You are mistaken. The very first thing a new believer needs to know is that he must confess his sins so that he can in fellowship with God under the control of the Holy Spirit. There are some such as yourself who maintain that confession of sin is not necessary, but such teaching is a deviation from what the Bible teaches. The principle of confession of sin is taught in a number of verses in both the Old and New Testament.
For example, in Psalm 32:1-5 David addresses the need for confession of sin to God.
Psalm 32:1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2] How blessed is he to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whos spirit there is no deceit! 3] When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long. 4] For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. 5]I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
1 John 1:9 is a general principle which pertains to all believers since all believers sin.
As for God forgiving unknown sins when the known sins are named, that is what the second half of 1 John 1:9 refers to. If we name our sins (known sins) He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (unknown sins).
Jesus taught the need to confess sins using footwashing as an illustration (John 13:1-11).
At the last supper on the night He was arrested, Jesus poured water into a basin and began washing the disciples' feet. Peter objected to the Lord washing his feet. To this objection Jesus said, ''If I do not wash you, you have no part of me.'' The reference was not to eternal salvation but to the matter of Peter not abiding in Christ or having rapport with Christ. Peter then asked Jesus to wash not only his feet but also his hands and head. Jesus then said that one who has bathed (reference to eternal salvation) needs only to wash his feet (reference to confession of sin). He further said that that person is completely clean [verse 10]. To that He added, ''and you [hymeis - plural] are clean''. The word 'you' is plural and means that Jesus was referring to all the disciples with the exception of one. He said, ''but not all''. The reference was to Judas, who was not clean. He had never trusted in Christ for salvation.
Regarding John 12:9-10, the Bible Knowledge Commentary says...
Peter continued to miss the spiritual lesson, but he was certain of his desire to be joined to Jesus. Therefore he asked Jesus to wash his hands and head as well as his feet.Jesus answered, A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. (Some Gr. mss. omit the words ''his feet.'') Roman Catholics sometimes have interpreted verse 10 to mean that after infant baptism only penance is needed. A preferable interpretation is that after salvation all one needs is confession of sins, the continual application of Jesus' death to cleanse one's daily sins (cf. 1 John 1:7; 2:1-2). When Jesus added that not every one of you is clean, He was referring to Judas (cf. John 13:11, 18) This suggests that Judas was not converted. [The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, pg. 320]
The command to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18) requires a means by which to be filled with the Spirit. That means is the acknowledgement of sin as per 1 John 1:9.
Another way of saying that we must confess our sins is put forth in 1 Corinthians 11:31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. Judging ourselves refers to self examination. The alternative is judgment by God in the form of divine discipline. The context of 1 Cor. 11:31 concerns coming to the Lord's Supper with unconfessed sin.
Now for the benefit not only of the original poster, but for all who are reading this, I provide some studies on the doctrine of confession of sin which can be called 'Rebound'. The term refers to rebounding from a state of carnality caused by sin, back into a state of spirituality by confession of sin. Each of these studies is by a different pastor.
Any believer in Jesus Christ who does not name his sins to God the Father is in a state of perpetual carnality under the control of his old sin nature, and unable to grow spiritually.
I don't have a lot of time to respond to everything in this post, but I'll be back to go further into. Yet there is so much you have wrong in this, and it's this teaching that is holding the Church back from what it was once doing. (When Paul and the boys were preaching and miracles were taking place)
Have you read a word I've typed in my last post? You keep saying 1 John 1: 9, 1 John 1:9. Yet I've showed you the context. I've showed you that John was reviewing who Jesus is and why He came. I've showed you in chapter 2 and verse 1 states he is going over these things so that we may not sin, because there was a new sect saying sin doesn't exist at all and that Jesus never came in the flesh. If the people believed this new sect, they would enter into sin, because they would then reject the very reason Jesus came. John was reaffirming the things taught to the people. If confessing your sins was an important doctrine to Christian living, he would have reiterated that point in chapter 2 and verse 1. He would have said, "if you anyone sins, confess them to your Father so you may be forgiven". No, instead he says, "If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous". He said remember Jesus, basically He is your righteousness before God. The more we behold Him, the more we will be transformed into that same image, going from glory to glory.
To keep confessing the sins of the body, and most confess the same ones over and over again, is to put your focus on sin instead of Christ. You know and I know it. The Bible doesn't teach this. What it does teach is that we confess our sins when we were an unbeliever, en route to receiving Christ for our salvation. We do this once, once and for all! Once you receive Jesus, you now continually renew your mind to your new found righteousness. As you continue to live in this world, you will have times where you feel like you are out of relationship with God. Satan accuses you because you messed up here or there, people accuse you of this or that. Yet the truth is you are still righteous in Jesus. The washing of the feet is simply being reminded of who you are in Christ.
When Peter messed up after denying Christ, Jesus asked Him three questions. Do you love Me? Jesus didn't say, "Peter! Confess your sins before God, in order that you might be in fellowship again". No, Jesus reaffirmed to Peter that it is His love for him that grounds him. Don't you think that would have been a primetime oppurtunity to introduce the teaching of confessing your sins? Yet Jesus didn't do that.
Paul was dealing with a lot of stuff concerning the Corinthian Church. Yet he didn't tell them once to confess their sins. Don't you think that would have been a prime oppurtunity if this teaching is so critical to a Christian's life?
I will return and do an in depth study on the things I've spoken on. Also the teaching that you must remember your sin before taking communion. That is one of the most sad teachings going on in the Church today! Jesus said to take the bread and wine in remembrance of Him, not in remembrance of our sin. That is the very definition of taking it in an unworthy manner. Because by the time you dread up every sin you've committed because of these bodies, you will feel unworthy and condemned to partake in the Lord's supper. You are eating and drinking condemnation onto yourself, it doesn't say this condemnation comes from God. So I'll return to talk on these things.
Alright, I'm back. Also I don't want to sound like I know everything, because I'm still learning and will continue to learn. Even pastors and leaders in the Church are always learning. Yet this teaching about confessing sin is preventing us from going further into God's grace.
I will say this. Scripture does teach us to confess our sins to each other. By that, if I've done you wrong, I need to go to you and apologize to you. What I've done to you was wrong, can you please forgive me. The reason for that is this, God has forgiven us all our sins, people ain't! If we wrong each other, they will hold that against you, some would even pray that God strike them dead. Ultimately, it would hinder us, and as a result people will become sick. (Because they will hold on to bitterness)
Yet with God, He's forgiven us our sins, and now see us through Jesus. He has removed our sin from us, as far as the east is from the west. It's time we also see ourselves in Jesus. This is what the Bible tells us to do, that is important to our Christian life. Romans 12 1-2:
"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
Paul is telling us we are transformed by the renewing of our mind. That our bodies, which causes us to stumble, be presented as a living sacrifice. Many Christians still think they can live a good life before God, then when they mess up and keep messing up, they confess and tell God their sorry. Yet the thing is, you can't live a perfect life on the strength of your body, by your effort. The body is still corrupt, that didn't change once you got born again. What changed is your spirit. Now you must change your mind and think according to your new spirit. Don't trust on your effort to please God, but rely on the new nature He's given you in Christ. Once you've changed your mind and continually change your mind, you will be able to ignore the bodies feelings, and force it to line up with Christ.
Jesus gave us a new commandment. To love one another as "He" loved us. He didn't say to love one another with our love, but His love. So this is an example of renewing our mind, taking Jesus' nature and living this life. Letting Jesus live through yourself, and that is done by seeing yourself in Jesus.
Let me talk on communion. Many churches preach that before we take it, that we think about any sin we committed before hand, and confess or get right with God. Because of this teaching, some Christians even decided not to take communion for fear something bad would happen to them because they don't see themselves as worthy. That is not what Paul meant when he said examine yourselves before eating and drinking.
Firstly, let's say you have to confess your sins before taking the Lord's Supper. What does that sound like to you? That you have to get yourself right, before you can partake? That sounds a whole lot like we have to be perfect, before we receive Christ as our Saviour does it not? Yet if we could get ourselves perfect before Jesus can save us, there would be nothing to save us from, because we are now perfect. In the same way, the reason why we take the Lord's Supper, is to remind us that Jesus took our sicknesses and made us whole. To remind us that He took our sin, and made us righteous. To remember you sins before taking communion is like saying Jesus didn't take them at all. It's like saying Jesus didn't really take them in the first place, and we now have to get right. That is taking it in an unworthy manner. Jesus said as often as you do this, do it in remembrance of Him. The supper is to remind us of what Jesus did, that He took our sins and our sicknesses. It is a celebration of Him. Yet people hate taking communion because the priests and pastors always remind us of sin, as though Jesus didn't take them.
When we take communion, we should take it in this way. We should thank Jesus for taking our sicknesses to receive His wholeness, and eat the bread. We should thank Jesus for taking our sins to receive His righteousness, and drink the wine/grape juice. This is taking it in a worthy manner. It's a celebration of what Jesus has done for us.
Finally, confessing your sins constantly is not an accurate teaching from Scripture. I've explained 1 John 1 9 in it's context. For those so adamant that confession of sins is key, explain to me 1 John 3 4-9.
I don't have a lot of time to respond to everything in this post, but I'll be back to go further into. Yet there is so much you have wrong in this, and it's this teaching that is holding the Church back from what it was once doing. (When Paul and the boys were preaching and miracles were taking place)
Have you read a word I've typed in my last post? You keep saying 1 John 1: 9, 1 John 1:9. Yet I've showed you the context. I've showed you that John was reviewing who Jesus is and why He came. I've showed you in chapter 2 and verse 1 states he is going over these things so that we may not sin, because there was a new sect saying sin doesn't exist at all and that Jesus never came in the flesh. If the people believed this new sect, they would enter into sin, because they would then reject the very reason Jesus came. John was reaffirming the things taught to the people. If confessing your sins was an important doctrine to Christian living, he would have reiterated that point in chapter 2 and verse 1. He would have said, "if you anyone sins, confess them to your Father so you may be forgiven". No, instead he says, "If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous". He said remember Jesus, basically He is your righteousness before God. The more we behold Him, the more we will be transformed into that same image, going from glory to glory.
To keep confessing the sins of the body, and most confess the same ones over and over again, is to put your focus on sin instead of Christ. You know and I know it. The Bible doesn't teach this. What it does teach is that we confess our sins when we were an unbeliever, en route to receiving Christ for our salvation. We do this once, once and for all! Once you receive Jesus, you now continually renew your mind to your new found righteousness. As you continue to live in this world, you will have times where you feel like you are out of relationship with God. Satan accuses you because you messed up here or there, people accuse you of this or that. Yet the truth is you are still righteous in Jesus. The washing of the feet is simply being reminded of who you are in Christ.
When Peter messed up after denying Christ, Jesus asked Him three questions. Do you love Me? Jesus didn't say, "Peter! Confess your sins before God, in order that you might be in fellowship again". No, Jesus reaffirmed to Peter that it is His love for him that grounds him. Don't you think that would have been a primetime oppurtunity to introduce the teaching of confessing your sins? Yet Jesus didn't do that.
Paul was dealing with a lot of stuff concerning the Corinthian Church. Yet he didn't tell them once to confess their sins. Don't you think that would have been a prime oppurtunity if this teaching is so critical to a Christian's life?
I will return and do an in depth study on the things I've spoken on. Also the teaching that you must remember your sin before taking communion. That is one of the most sad teachings going on in the Church today! Jesus said to take the bread and wine in remembrance of Him, not in remembrance of our sin. That is the very definition of taking it in an unworthy manner. Because by the time you dread up every sin you've committed because of these bodies, you will feel unworthy and condemned to partake in the Lord's supper. You are eating and drinking condemnation onto yourself, it doesn't say this condemnation comes from God. So I'll return to talk on these things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heavenese
Alright, I'm back. Also I don't want to sound like I know everything, because I'm still learning and will continue to learn. Even pastors and leaders in the Church are always learning. Yet this teaching about confessing sin is preventing us from going further into God's grace.
I will say this. Scripture does teach us to confess our sins to each other. By that, if I've done you wrong, I need to go to you and apologize to you. What I've done to you was wrong, can you please forgive me. The reason for that is this, God has forgiven us all our sins, people ain't! If we wrong each other, they will hold that against you, some would even pray that God strike them dead. Ultimately, it would hinder us, and as a result people will become sick. (Because they will hold on to bitterness)
Yet with God, He's forgiven us our sins, and now see us through Jesus. He has removed our sin from us, as far as the east is from the west. It's time we also see ourselves in Jesus. This is what the Bible tells us to do, that is important to our Christian life. Romans 12 1-2:
"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
Paul is telling us we are transformed by the renewing of our mind. That our bodies, which causes us to stumble, be presented as a living sacrifice. Many Christians still think they can live a good life before God, then when they mess up and keep messing up, they confess and tell God their sorry. Yet the thing is, you can't live a perfect life on the strength of your body, by your effort. The body is still corrupt, that didn't change once you got born again. What changed is your spirit. Now you must change your mind and think according to your new spirit. Don't trust on your effort to please God, but rely on the new nature He's given you in Christ. Once you've changed your mind and continually change your mind, you will be able to ignore the bodies feelings, and force it to line up with Christ.
Jesus gave us a new commandment. To love one another as "He" loved us. He didn't say to love one another with our love, but His love. So this is an example of renewing our mind, taking Jesus' nature and living this life. Letting Jesus live through yourself, and that is done by seeing yourself in Jesus.
Let me talk on communion. Many churches preach that before we take it, that we think about any sin we committed before hand, and confess or get right with God. Because of this teaching, some Christians even decided not to take communion for fear something bad would happen to them because they don't see themselves as worthy. That is not what Paul meant when he said examine yourselves before eating and drinking.
Firstly, let's say you have to confess your sins before taking the Lord's Supper. What does that sound like to you? That you have to get yourself right, before you can partake? That sounds a whole lot like we have to be perfect, before we receive Christ as our Saviour does it not? Yet if we could get ourselves perfect before Jesus can save us, there would be nothing to save us from, because we are now perfect. In the same way, the reason why we take the Lord's Supper, is to remind us that Jesus took our sicknesses and made us whole. To remind us that He took our sin, and made us righteous. To remember you sins before taking communion is like saying Jesus didn't take them at all. It's like saying Jesus didn't really take them in the first place, and we now have to get right. That is taking it in an unworthy manner. Jesus said as often as you do this, do it in remembrance of Him. The supper is to remind us of what Jesus did, that He took our sins and our sicknesses. It is a celebration of Him. Yet people hate taking communion because the priests and pastors always remind us of sin, as though Jesus didn't take them.
When we take communion, we should take it in this way. We should thank Jesus for taking our sicknesses to receive His wholeness, and eat the bread. We should thank Jesus for taking our sins to receive His righteousness, and drink the wine/grape juice. This is taking it in a worthy manner. It's a celebration of what Jesus has done for us.
Finally, confessing your sins constantly is not an accurate teaching from Scripture. I've explained 1 John 1 9 in it's context. For those so adamant that confession of sins is key, explain to me 1 John 3 4-9.
Heavenese, there is not one pastor/teacher that I know of, and certainly none from who I have learned who would agree with you that the believer does not need to confess his sins to God or that 1 John 1:9 is not relevent to all believers. Your conclusions are simply wrong.
Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder and first President of Dallas Theological Seminary, and Professor of Theology said in Systematic Theology, Vol 1, pg. 339, that 1 John 1:1-2:2 is the central passage in the Scriptures on what he called household forgiveness - the believer's sins being forgiven. He says that the believer's forgiveness is not the once for all forgiveness which is a part of salvation, but rather that the forgiveness in view is that of the one who is already a part of the family of God. This forgiveness is for the purpose of fellowship and communion with God.
Now in post #15 I provided you with 4 different studies on the subject of the believer's confession of sin, which all say that you are wrong.
I will now refer you to a class on 1 John 1:9 given by Dr. Robert Dean of West Houston Bible Church. Here is his bio with his credentials >>> Dean Bible Ministries
1st-John-012 <<<---Click Here for the audio.
Grace solution for Sin • 1 John 1:8-10 • Mar 11, 2001
1st John-013
Confession, Questions, Answers • 1 John 1:9-2:2 • Mar 18, 2001
1st John-014
Confession and FHS • 1 John 1:9, Eph. 5:18 • Mar 25, 2001
And finally, the Bible Knowledge Commentary, which was produced by the faculty of Dallas Seminary says regarding 1 John 1:9 that each believer is responsible to acknowledge his sins, and that when he does so, a complete and perfect cleansing occurs over sins of which one is unaware.
I will tell you this again. If you are not confessing your sins to God you are in a continual state of carnality and you have no spiritual production whatsoever. You are dead in the water so far as your spiritual life is concerned. A believer who does not confess his sins is a carnal Christian. The believer simply cannot execute the Christian way of life without the filling of the Spirit, and the filling of the Spirit depends on acknowledging your known sins to God.
If you want to learn, then I suggest that you go into those studies I provided in post #15 and that you avail yourself of Dr. Dean's Bible study on 1 John. And not just the particular classes dealing with 1 John 1:9. If you don't want to make the effort to do so, then that is your affair.
Heavenese, there is not one pastor/teacher that I know of, and certainly none from who I have learned who would agree with you that the believer does not need to confess his sins to God or that 1 John 1:9 is not relevent to all believers. Your conclusions are simply wrong.
Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder and first President of Dallas Theological Seminary, and Professor of Theology said in Systematic Theology, Vol 1, pg. 339, that 1 John 1:1-2:2 is the central passage in the Scriptures on what he called household forgiveness - the believer's sins being forgiven. He says that the believer's forgiveness is not the once for all forgiveness which is a part of salvation, but rather that the forgiveness in view is that of the one who is already a part of the family of God. This forgiveness is for the purpose of fellowship and communion with God.
Now in post #15 I provided you with 4 different studies on the subject of the believer's confession of sin, which all say that you are wrong.
I will now refer you to a class on 1 John 1:9 given by Dr. Robert Dean of West Houston Bible Church. Here is his bio with his credentials >>> Dean Bible Ministries
1st-John-012 <<<---Click Here for the audio.
Grace solution for Sin • 1 John 1:8-10 • Mar 11, 2001
1st John-013
Confession, Questions, Answers • 1 John 1:9-2:2 • Mar 18, 2001
1st John-014
Confession and FHS • 1 John 1:9, Eph. 5:18 • Mar 25, 2001
And finally, the Bible Knowledge Commentary, which was produced by the faculty of Dallas Seminary says regarding 1 John 1:9 that each believer is responsible to acknowledge his sins, and that when he does so, a complete and perfect cleansing occurs over sins of which one is unaware.
I will tell you this again. If you are not confessing your sins to God you are in a continual state of carnality and you have no spiritual production whatsoever. You are dead in the water so far as your spiritual life is concerned. A believer who does not confess his sins is a carnal Christian. The believer simply cannot execute the Christian way of life without the filling of the Spirit, and the filling of the Spirit depends on acknowledging your known sins to God.
If you want to learn, then I suggest that you go into those studies I provided in post #15 and that you avail yourself of Dr. Dean's Bible study on 1 John. And not just the particular classes dealing with 1 John 1:9. If you don't want to make the effort to do so, then that is your affair.
I'll definitely take a look at the preachers you have mentioned, and how they talk on 1 John 1 9. Yet let me say this. Don't be surprise to find out the leadership within the church, turns out to be teaching a wrong doctrine. Think about it, confessing sins is an easy teaching to teach, it seems right.
Now let me ask you a question. Have you ever confessed to certain sin more than once?
I present this question to all who confess sins, and who say confession to God increases spiritual growth. Have you ever confessed certain sins more than once.
^^^ Very insightful, and so it seems, non biased response. So is it expected of me to live my life as perfect as possible? It seems nearly impossible to do something that isn't a sin. If I have to keep asking for forgiveness, how am I ever to be righteous in His eyes? Or is He understanding and knows that we will keep sinning and wants to see if we will confess every time.
Matthew 3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
Galatians 5:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
The more one humbles him/her self , confesses sin, asks forgiveness and knows he is forgiven by the sacrifice of Christ and His ressurection and asks God to help one bear fruit and not sin the more one becomes holy. Holiness leads to eternal life.
God Bless,
Mercy
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Adam made a choice, and corruption was the result of it.
You change your mind about your effort, because you are utterly sinful. (Your body and whole being is off the mark, because God originally created Adam perfect. Because we descended from Adam, we received his corruption at birth) Then you put on Christ, and receive His righteousness.
