Sin Confession: A Waste of Breath?

[joaniemarie]

I didnt even realize until recently that there exists christians who think Jesus' words are old covenant. This should be a thread of its own i think, i should make a poll about this. The thing is folks: Jesus said His words are forever, while He was alive He spoke the testament, which then came into force when He died and resurrected.
This is very clearly how a testament works, is it not? Wouldnt it be a bit deceiving of Jesus to teach the apostles all kindsa things and then flip the script so to speak and change everything where all His words dont apply no more?

Or did I misunderstand yalls view on this somehow? I really am confused on this. Do yall pick and choose what is "new covenant doctrine" and what isnt or how does it go? Im sure john 3:16 is used by yall. But why isnt the sermon on the mount "new covenant" then? Same Jesus, same time period? Help me out.

I hope this in part article will assist you Issachar to better understand this new covenant discussion. As I can't type out all the verses and commentary on all of it on one post myself. Don't listen to the bad opinions of some here who are against Christians who don't agree with them on every point.

I am one who can agree to disagree and yet still learn something. That is the way I see other Christians I admire relate and love one another who they don't agree with on every topic so I have decided to also show that kind of graciousness. I hope you and others will do the same as well.

This is not the only material on this topic not is this the only teacher or preacher I know who explains well. It's just the one I'm more familiar with. It took me a long time to learn how to maneuver around CC and still I'm not very good at it.


Elsewhere I have listed the top 12 blessings of the new covenant. The first of these is the complete and total forgiveness of all your sin – past, present and future. Other blessings include the free gift of Christ’s righteousness, holiness, indeed, his very life. All these blessings testify to God’s grace, which is one of six ways the new covenant can be distinguished from the old.

1. It’s a covenant of grace

In the old law-based covenant you reaped what you sow, but in the new we reap what Christ has sown. In the old you did to get, but in the new we get because Christ has done it all. This is grace and grace declares that all is a gift. Every spiritual blessing is ours in Jesus Christ (Eph 1:3).

2. It’s a covenant of rest

Under the old it was do, do, do, but in the new it’s done, done, done. Faith is a rest, not a work. Only when we rest in the finished work of Calvary can God begin his good work in us. And as his grace abounds, good works abound (2 Cor 9:8). Good works don’t produce faith, but faith produces good works.

The old covenant was characterized by ceaseless effort in the pursuit of holy demands that could never be met, but the new covenant is rest and peace in the Holy Spirit. Labor to enter his rest.

3. It’s a covenant of new life

Old covenant preaching will make you stupid and harden your heart to the goodness of God (2 Cor 3:14). But new covenant preaching removes the veil and reveals the Lord’s glory. As you behold him you become like him, transformed by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 3:18).

Under the old the best you could hope for was self-improvement that never lasts. But in the new you become new (2 Cor 5:17) – a brand new person with a new heart and a new spirit. Born of the Spirit you are no more a prisoner of sin, but a co-heir with Christ.

 

[BenFTW]

Jesus taught salvation by faith. Sooo many verses, if you believe in me you have eternal life. Even the Gospel of John is written so that:

John 20:31
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

That is exactly the point. Our salvation, our forgiveness, is by faith. It is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ that our sins have experienced remission. Hence, our forgiveness under the new covenant is by faith, through Christ's blood, and not our willingness to forgive others. If our forgiveness is dependent upon us forgiving others, then our salvation is not of faith. It is found in our willingness to forgive others. Which, as I hope you'd agree, is a false gospel and it isn't good news.

 

[UnderGrace]

Since you have made such a strong charge against me and the gospel of forgiveness and grace.... let me further elaborate......

License to sin is distorted reasoning, it is basically saying let us do evil that good may come.

Paul had lot to say about people who defamed the message of grace.

Roman 8:3 Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say,“ - Let us do evil that good may result?” Their condemnation is deserved!

To avoid the truth of grace or defame the message by saying that it may give a person the right to sin is to support the truth which is opposite of grace – then you are teaching that the law justifies.

This is unbelief in the finished work of Jesus.

Read what Paul says about those who do such…….their condemnation is deserved!

So it is either grace or law it cannot be both.

My testimony.... thank God I have changed my mind (repented) and accepted what God says about His abounding grace, and escaped my own human reasoning which falters and fails even at the best of times.

One debt......paid in full.

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take 'heed', you've just given a lot of people a 'license to kill'...

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Have you ever woken up in the morning and said, “Today, I will not sin.” And as you leave your house, you say, “I must be careful not to fall into sin today. I don’t want to sin. I will not sin!” My friend, when you do this, you are no longer Christ-conscious but sin-conscious, even though you have not sinned yet.

Men, have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I don’t want to look at any woman in case I lust”? You are being sin-conscious when you think like that. And sooner or later, you will lust in your heart. You may not sin outwardly, but you will sin inwardly.

Have you also tried confessing every sin? I have! As a teenager, when a bad thought came, I would quickly say, “I’m sorry, Lord. Forgive me for this thought in Jesus’ name.” Then, another thought would come and I would quickly say, “Forgive me, Lord, for that thought in Jesus’ name.” Then, if I happen to doubt His forgiveness, I would confess my unbelief and ask for forgiveness: “Forgive me, Lord, for doubting You.” Before I knew it, I was oppressed in my mind and so sin-conscious instead of Christ-conscious!

My friend, when you fall into sin, God wants you to be Christ-conscious. This means that when you have missed it, God wants you to be conscious that in Christ, you have forgiveness of sins through His blood. God wants you to be conscious that Christ was wounded and bruised for your sins, and that the chastisement for your peace was upon Him. (Isaiah 53:5)

When you are Christ-conscious, you will have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1) You will know that you are the righteousness of God in Christ because He who knew no sin was made sin for you. (2 Corinthians 5:21) He took your sin and now you have His righteousness.

So when you fall, don’t be conscious of your failure and feel bad or condemned. Instead, be conscious of who you are in Christ, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and continue your walk with God!

Thought For The Day

When you fall, be conscious of who you are in Christ, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and continue your walk with God!

© Copyright Joseph Prince, 2008–2017
All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of the author.

 

[Issachar92]

a few people on here follow Ellis who may be worse than Prince

itching ears and someone to scratch them

I don't think God has ever been as popular as He now is

and yes, that last sentence does require some thought. think about why God has been so unpopular

then consider the new gospel being preached and it comes together

Well said sister.

The reason the new gospel is so popular is that repentance is usually removed. We dont like to repent.

 

[BenFTW]

Have you ever woken up in the morning and said, “Today, I will not sin.” And as you leave your house, you say, “I must be careful not to fall into sin today. I don’t want to sin. I will not sin!” My friend, when you do this, you are no longer Christ-conscious but sin-conscious, even though you have not sinned yet.

Men, have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I don’t want to look at any woman in case I lust”? You are being sin-conscious when you think like that. And sooner or later, you will lust in your heart. You may not sin outwardly, but you will sin inwardly.

Have you also tried confessing every sin? I have! As a teenager, when a bad thought came, I would quickly say, “I’m sorry, Lord. Forgive me for this thought in Jesus’ name.” Then, another thought would come and I would quickly say, “Forgive me, Lord, for that thought in Jesus’ name.” Then, if I happen to doubt His forgiveness, I would confess my unbelief and ask for forgiveness: “Forgive me, Lord, for doubting You.” Before I knew it, I was oppressed in my mind and so sin-conscious instead of Christ-conscious!

My friend, when you fall into sin, God wants you to be Christ-conscious. This means that when you have missed it, God wants you to be conscious that in Christ, you have forgiveness of sins through His blood. God wants you to be conscious that Christ was wounded and bruised for your sins, and that the chastisement for your peace was upon Him. (Isaiah 53:5)

When you are Christ-conscious, you will have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1) You will know that you are the righteousness of God in Christ because He who knew no sin was made sin for you. (2 Corinthians 5:21) He took your sin and now you have His righteousness.

So when you fall, don’t be conscious of your failure and feel bad or condemned. Instead, be conscious of who you are in Christ, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and continue your walk with God!

Thought For The Day

When you fall, be conscious of who you are in Christ, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and continue your walk with God!

© Copyright Joseph Prince, 2008–2017
All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of the author.

That was your 666th post. lol

 

[BenFTW]

Well said sister.

The reason the new gospel is so popular is that repentance is usually removed. We dont like to repent.

I think its so popular because people are realizing that their walk with God doesn't have to be one full of condemnation and guilt, or defeat. They get to stand before God without condemnation, boldly in Christ. They get to fellowship with their heavenly Father, not with a task master. Love is present and fear erased, knowing that God wants to fellowship with them and does not seek to condemn them but sent Jesus to save them.

Repentance is ever so necessary still. Its only that such repentance comes about through an emphasis on Christ, identity, and approaching the throne of grace in time of need. It is a renewal of the mind as we continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, ever growing in understanding and wisdom as to what we have in the riches of His grace.

 

[UnderGrace]

What is repentance?

The word is metanoia

Properly translated it means to change one's mind

How many times are we to change our minds? Scripture teaches for salvation it is once.

Well said sister.

The reason the new gospel is so popular is that repentance is usually removed. We dont like to repent.

 

[Issachar92]

Our works, be it work of the law, good works, or any other work, does not save us.

Jesus and His work saves us.

His work is the complete and finished work, we access His righteousness by belief in what He has done on our behalf.

I agree. We are saved by faith.
By the way, I suggest checking out Hebrews 11, where we see faith in action, what faith produces and does. (That chapter sounds a lot like James 2)

 

[FlSnookman7]

=============================================

take 'heed', you've just given a lot of people a 'license to kill'...

I notice most people never needed a "license" to kill or sin. Realizing we are forgiven and redeemed allows us to walk in the light of the truth and from that flows correct living not the other way around.

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

That was your 666th post. lol

Notice whose name is in bold print...is the Holy Spirit revealing something to us?

 

[BenFTW]

Notice whose name is in bold print...is the Holy Spirit revealing something to us?

Maybe the intent of your post? haha

 

[oldethennew]

So are you using the same argument Paul was dealing with that grace is a license to sin?
This is twisted logic and Paul clearly tell us in

Romans 3:8

And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, "The more we sin, the better it is!" Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.
NIV

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UG,

we know that this must have been a mistake, but you have turned' what we said,
'UP-SIDE-DOWN', and the clowns seem to have rushed in! beware, they despise Jesus...

 

[UnderGrace]

I have no understanding why you think believing in the finished work of the cross means that a person despises Jesus.

Please explain?

=======================================

UG,

we know that this must have been a mistake, but you have turned' what we said,
'UP-SIDE-DOWN', and the clowns seem to have rushed in! beware, they despise Jesus...

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Maybe the intent of your post? haha

The scripture says, "He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous..." Proverbs 2:7

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Ephesians 1:17 (God's perspective on all matters)

1 John 2:12-14 gives us the three levels of Christians; little children - young men - and fathers (these three levels of Christians could be any age and are also female). So, where are the fathers?

The Believer only grows in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18 - Luke 24:45) by Faith exclusively in Christ and His Finished Work, i.e., The Cross of Christ, i.e., The Blood of Jesus (Romans 8:2). This allows the Holy Spirit the legal means to help us in every capacity of life. The Holy Spirit only works in the perimeter of Jesus Christ and the Cross, i.e., The Blood of Jesus, i.e., The Finished Work of Christ. (For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.)

There are many who are of the Faith, but really do not understand the Faith, so they walk in defeat. We are to give them the Message of the Cross, in order that they might walk in perpetual Victory (Romans 8:2) (This is the duty of the fathers -1 John 2:12-14 ).

 

[Ahwatukee]

Please notice that such confession is not to God, but to man. "Confess your faults to another." In other words, right your wrongs.

Hell Ben! If I am reading your post correctly, you are saying that, as Christians, there is no need to confess our sins. The fact is that Jesus demonstrated that it should be apart of our daily prayer:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One day in a place where Jesus had just finished praying, one of His disciples requested, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
So Jesus told them, “When you pray, say:

'Father, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’ "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was/is an example and a catalyst for daily prayer. In the prayer is mentioned giving thanks for our daily food, and confession of sin is included. Are we to give thanks for our daily food only one time when we come to Christ, or daily?

So when we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanses us of all unrighteousness. Jesus as our high priest is sitting at the right hand of God and making intercession for us when we confess them.

Not confessing our sins is an Arnold Murray teaching, of which he says "when you sin just forget about it. if we do confess our sins our heavenly Father will punish us for it."

I personally will continue to go to the Father in the name of the Lord and ask "forgive me for any and all sins that I do commit against you, whether in deed or in thought, as I would forgive those who sin against me."

 

[Nehemiah6]

What is repentance? The word is metanoia. Properly translated it means to change one's mind
How many times are we to change our minds? Scripture teaches for salvation it is once.

While that word literally means a change of mind, spiritually it means a lot more. It means a total turnaround in your life -- a TURNING AWAY FROM sins and idols, and TURNING TO God and Christ, with godly sorrow for sins committed, and a genuine desire to renounce the world, the flesh, and the devil. For an example of repentance study the conversion of Saul the persecutor to Paul the apostle. For those who practiced occultism, ti meant burning all their occult artifacts and books, no matter how expensive. Study the book of Acts.

Now you have referred to repentance for salvation, which is COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC. So after salvation, you must repent as often as necessary while confessing your present sins. Why has this become such a stumbling block? Unless Antinomianism was being promoted in many churches, Christians would all agree that this is Bible truth,

 

[UnderGrace]

Scripture also tells us to pray without ceasing (1Thess 5 16-18)

What I am trying to understand is why when Jesus is teaching and shedding light on the character of God and His purposes, humans turn it into a some kind of necessary behavior (work) to stay in God's good graces.

Hell Ben! If I am reading your post correctly, you are saying that, as Christians, there is no need to confess our sins. The fact is that Jesus demonstrated that it should be apart of our daily prayer:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One day in a place where Jesus had just finished praying, one of His disciples requested, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
So Jesus told them, “When you pray, say:

'Father, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’ "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was/is an example and a catalyst for daily prayer. In the prayer is mentioned giving thanks for our daily food, and confession of sin is included. Are we only to give thanks for our daily food only one time?

So when confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanses us of all unrighteousness. Jesus as our high priest is sitting at the right hand of God and making intercession for us when we confess them.

Not confessing our sins is an Arnold Murray teaching, of which he says "when you sin just forget about it. if we do confess our sins our heavenly Father will punish us for it."

I personally will continue to go to the Father in the name of the Lord and ask "forgive me for any and all sins that I do commit against you, whether in deed or in thought, as I would forgive those who sin against me."

 

[Hizikyah]

Scripture also tells us to pray without ceasing (1Thess 5 16-18)

What I am trying to understand is why when Jesus is teaching and shedding light on the character of God and His purposes, humans turn it into a some kind of necessary behavior (work) to stay in God's good graces.

Jesus did it;

John/Yahanan 12:48, "He who rejects Me, and does not follow My words has One Who judges him. The word that I have spoken, the same will be used to judge him in the last day."

 

[Desertsrose]

Quote by John McArthur.

In other words, a spirit of perpetual repentance ought to permeate and characterize the life of every true believer. The repentance that takes place at conversion begins a progressive, lifelong process of confession and forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

That spirit of continual repentance in no way undermines the assurance of a true child of God. On the contrary, it is the very thing that feeds our assurance and keeps it alive.