I have been disturbed lately by some very false teachings floating around that say that as a born again believer, we no longer need to confess sin when we miss it. Just as a basic foundation, I want to remind you that the Old Testament revealed the plan and purpose of God to bring the Savior into the world through the nation of Israel. The God of the Bible established covenant with His chosen people so that whoever would receive Him as their God would have provision for every area of their lives.
When Jesus came to this earth, He operated as a man and NOT as God. He never stopped being God, but He never operated AS God. Everything that Jesus did in and through His earthly ministry was done under the authority of the Word of God and the Covenant established through Abraham and then Moses. Things spoken of and accomplished in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were all according to and within the scope of the Old Covenant! Just look at what Jesus accomplished! AFTER the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the New Covenant, established in HIS blood, was in force. THIS Covenant is a better Covenant, being based on even better promises than the Old (Hebrews 8:6).
That brings us to the Epistles, which were letters written to the churches which consisted of born again, Spirit-filled believers. These instructions were NOT for unbelievers, but for believers! The only instructions that unbelievers have is to be born again by receiving Jesus as Lord and personal Savior. They CANNOT understand the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:14) and the promises of this New Covenant were NOT for them! Anyone who had not received Jesus as Lord and Savior have only the Old Covenant, the Law, to live by, and they must be perfect! (No one, except for Jesus, ever could or ever has been able to keep the Law!) The instructions in the letters to the churches (Epistles) are instructions for walking out this born again, Spirit-filled, New Covenant Christian life! Any and every instruction given is for the successful and prosperous Kingdom of God life that He provided for us to live here as we go about fulfilling the Ministry of Reconciliation in whatever specific and unique way He has called each and every one of us to (3 John 2; 2 Corinthians 5:18).
As we looked at on Sunday on this blog, at the new birth our spirits were immediately made new. At the catching away of the church our bodies will immediately, in the twinkling of an eye, be made new. While we are waiting for THAT wonderful day, we are told to prosper our souls (3 John 2) by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) so that we can be DOERS of Philippians 2:12:
12 So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].
"Salvation" here is NOT referring to our eternal salvation, as that has already been taken care of instantly at the New Birth. This is the Greek word "soteria", which means: rescue, safety, deliverance, preservation, health, peace. This is for THIS present life! We are to obey the Word of God in order to walk in the fullness of His Blessing here and now! Nothing that we do here after being born again and becoming a member of the family of God and the Body of Christ will change our new relationship with the God of the Bible. What this life does affect is our fellowship with Him and our ability to appropriate the blessings that He has already called ours! That brings us to 1 John 1:9:
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. KJV
This unrighteousness is a completely different word than the one in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that tells us that we have been made HIS righteousness. THAT is referring to our new nature while the unrighteousness mentioned in 1 John 1:9 is referring to the affects that sin will have on our souls and on our lives. We do NOT want to be walking around, as New Covenant believers, operating in sin which opens the door for the enemy, who has no legal rights to trespass, into our lives! It would be like having a powerful security system in place for your home, and then leaving the doors and windows unlocked! Someone CAN break in and cause harm, even though they have no right to! The instructions in the Epistles are God's provision for us to lead a John 10:10 life while still on this earth where the curse is still active. Do you see that? I hope that you will meditate on these things and search them out for yourselves so that YOU will not be hindered or tripped up by the enemy! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Scandal of Grace":
Shalom in Him!
