WE DO NOT HAVE TO CONFESS OUR SINS TO BE FORGIVEN!!!!
But what about 1John 1 9??
Simply put.This chapter of the epistle of John was written mainly to gnostic unbelievers.These people did not believe in the existance of sin,Nor did they believe that Jesus actually came as flesh and died on the cross.The gnostics believed Jesus came as a Spirit.In other words,these people were a bunch of heretics.I will explain the context of the first chapter of 1st John below
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life" (1 John 1:1). The Gnostics taught that Jesus didn't come in the flesh, so John assures his readers that Jesus was real and not an illusion.
"We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you ALSO MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH US. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ" (verse 3).can you see the capital letters.....this is proof that John was speaking to unbelievers and not christians.
"If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." (verse 6). The Gnostics were great at claiming they were saved, in Christ; but in reality they were lying to themselves and others and were not living by truth.
"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin" (verse 7). So, walking in the light is walking in the truth of Jesus and that the blood of Jesus goes on forever, eternally to cleanse us from all sin.WALKING IN THE LIGHT IN THESE CONTEXT DOES NOT MEAN FOCUSING ON THE WORKS OF THE FLESH AS MANY MAY TEACH.OK..to verse 8
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (verse 8). Sin to the Gnostics was a figment of their imagination. They felt, and believed they had no sin in their lives and so John addresses this directly with a very strong statement of fact. If anyone, including me, you, they, we, he, or she claims they are without sin, that person is deceived and the truth is missing in their lives. Jesus is the truth, and Jesus is missing in a person who claims to be without sin.
and finally to the verse that has been used for years to bring sincere christians into bondage albeit unknowingly through erroneous teaching...verse 9
On the other hand, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) The Gnostics were told in no uncertain terms, if they were to confess (agree with God completely) that they did indeed have sins in their lives, that God would purify them for all unrighteousness.Yes...the word confess in greek is....homologeĊ, translated confess, means to agree with God completely. It does not mean to ask for forgiveness as many people teach.Ask any of your greek friends on facebook or wherever.
The literal meaning of 1 John 1:9 verse is to have forgiven and to have cleansed. Jesus' past action continues on into the eternal future. People can enter into the complete forgiveness and complete cleansing of all sins by God, through faith in Jesus Christ, not by confessing each and every individual sin, but by agreeing with God in regards to a person having and committing sins in their lives.
The whole of this chapter in the most accurate summary is John trying to convince unbelievers in the existence of sin and how they must believe in a real life Jesus who was not a spirit as gnostics claimed.
And you who still say that you must confess all your sins....what happens if you forget one.Then you are not forgiven and should expect fiery judgment.What if you did not know it was a sin??or you learnt later..or u simply forgot.You will be so sin conscious all the while God Himself "Remembers your sins no more."
So what should we do when we sin??
When you sin,keep in mind and heart that your sins past present and future are forgiven and that you are still a child of God.It is by keeping your eyes on the glory of the Lord (Jesus and His work on the cross) that we are transformed from glory to glory into a similar image.2 corinthians 3 18.
Friends God loves you and does not want you to have a consciousness of sin.Instead He wants you to have peace and confidence when you approach Him.God is Holy and just and cannot tolerate any sin...but there is no sin He imputes to you,not that you do not sin,No one is perfect.But your All your sins past present and future were punished in the body of another,therefore you are spotlessly clean in God's eyes.
But what about 1John 1 9??
Simply put.This chapter of the epistle of John was written mainly to gnostic unbelievers.These people did not believe in the existance of sin,Nor did they believe that Jesus actually came as flesh and died on the cross.The gnostics believed Jesus came as a Spirit.In other words,these people were a bunch of heretics.I will explain the context of the first chapter of 1st John below
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life" (1 John 1:1). The Gnostics taught that Jesus didn't come in the flesh, so John assures his readers that Jesus was real and not an illusion.
"We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you ALSO MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH US. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ" (verse 3).can you see the capital letters.....this is proof that John was speaking to unbelievers and not christians.
"If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." (verse 6). The Gnostics were great at claiming they were saved, in Christ; but in reality they were lying to themselves and others and were not living by truth.
"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin" (verse 7). So, walking in the light is walking in the truth of Jesus and that the blood of Jesus goes on forever, eternally to cleanse us from all sin.WALKING IN THE LIGHT IN THESE CONTEXT DOES NOT MEAN FOCUSING ON THE WORKS OF THE FLESH AS MANY MAY TEACH.OK..to verse 8
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (verse 8). Sin to the Gnostics was a figment of their imagination. They felt, and believed they had no sin in their lives and so John addresses this directly with a very strong statement of fact. If anyone, including me, you, they, we, he, or she claims they are without sin, that person is deceived and the truth is missing in their lives. Jesus is the truth, and Jesus is missing in a person who claims to be without sin.
and finally to the verse that has been used for years to bring sincere christians into bondage albeit unknowingly through erroneous teaching...verse 9
On the other hand, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) The Gnostics were told in no uncertain terms, if they were to confess (agree with God completely) that they did indeed have sins in their lives, that God would purify them for all unrighteousness.Yes...the word confess in greek is....homologeĊ, translated confess, means to agree with God completely. It does not mean to ask for forgiveness as many people teach.Ask any of your greek friends on facebook or wherever.
The literal meaning of 1 John 1:9 verse is to have forgiven and to have cleansed. Jesus' past action continues on into the eternal future. People can enter into the complete forgiveness and complete cleansing of all sins by God, through faith in Jesus Christ, not by confessing each and every individual sin, but by agreeing with God in regards to a person having and committing sins in their lives.
The whole of this chapter in the most accurate summary is John trying to convince unbelievers in the existence of sin and how they must believe in a real life Jesus who was not a spirit as gnostics claimed.
And you who still say that you must confess all your sins....what happens if you forget one.Then you are not forgiven and should expect fiery judgment.What if you did not know it was a sin??or you learnt later..or u simply forgot.You will be so sin conscious all the while God Himself "Remembers your sins no more."
So what should we do when we sin??
When you sin,keep in mind and heart that your sins past present and future are forgiven and that you are still a child of God.It is by keeping your eyes on the glory of the Lord (Jesus and His work on the cross) that we are transformed from glory to glory into a similar image.2 corinthians 3 18.
Friends God loves you and does not want you to have a consciousness of sin.Instead He wants you to have peace and confidence when you approach Him.God is Holy and just and cannot tolerate any sin...but there is no sin He imputes to you,not that you do not sin,No one is perfect.But your All your sins past present and future were punished in the body of another,therefore you are spotlessly clean in God's eyes.
