smiley wrote:According to this site's explanation, confession is not necessary for forgiveness, just belief in Jesus Christ.
However, I have a couple of questions:
1) Since I am an Orthodox Christian, is it any different for me?
2) The site uses this verse to demonstrate that confession is not necessary:
"but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
- But what exactly does "walking in the Light" refer to? Sincere belief in God? How do we know it isn't metaphorically telling us that we have to repent and confess our sins?
3) I'm not sure I understand the concept very well. If I sincerely believe in God, I will do my best to commit as few sins as possible. But, what about the times when I commit a sin advertently, knowing I am going against the laws God established? Surely, just thinking deep down in myself "I will be forgiven because I believe in Jesus Christ" doesn't justify doing whatever comes into my head, even when I know that it's wrong?
On the other hand, living a sinless life is also impossible, so it seems logical to me that confessing our sins, or at least feeling bad for what we did would be necessary. As in, "I am deeply sorry for what I did and I will never do it again".
Thanks.
1 John 1:9 states what?
There is a neglected doctrine modern Christendom and it's neglect has infected many congregations into seeking sense oriented experiences rather than the true experience that grows actual assurance into a believers heart.
What is this neglected doctrine?
Romans 6:6, 7, "…
this knowing, that our old man was crucified with him , that the body of the sin may be made useless, for our no longer serving the sin; 7 for he who hath died hath been set free from the sin.” YLT
That the sin may be made useless, for our no longer serving the sin — that is the neglected doctrine which will give a seeker the experience of assurance many seek. Think about it, what did Christ save is from? Is it not therefeore freedom from the power of sin that works death? Yet, for many, this freedom lacks and leads many people into not grasping what confession is to be about and thus for many, we fail to find the experience of assurance in the heart.
1 John 4:4 states this biblical principle concerning the Holy Spirit: "...
for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." ESV
As a believer in Christ you now have the Holy Spirit of God residing within.
Since that is so, why is it that sin wins over more than the power of God within you? Yet the bible tells us the opposite is to be the norm!
Let me briefly share the essence of confession as Paul wrote about in Titus 2:11-12,
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age…” ESV
God's grace trains us to renounce. Is that ever taught as part of the modern Christian experience? That, You have the ability to say
NO to sin… That your sin nature has been utterly destroyed…
Don't believe me? Look at what Paul declares:
Rom 6:1,2 - "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?"
Rom 6:3-4, "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."
Rom 6:6-7, "We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin."
Rom 6:11, "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace."
Rom 6:15, 16 - "What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?" ESV
Paul points out that for those who are Born Again — Sin is now a choice — you have the power to make either the choice to sin or not. You no longer need be a slave to anger, malice, pride, slander, living life as a lie, no longer to slave to always making life ugly and mean around you and for yourself.
An unbeliever has no power over jealousy, envy, strife, selfish ambition — those are not a choice but rather new moral standards for living one's life by. But for the believer of Christ, he / she has a choice! As Paul so eloquently stated : Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness…
Sin for the believer is a choice — you can renounce it and say no to it. By doing so, beginning this, you'll discover a living assurance of your salvation because you experience the ability to SAY NO and overcome!
So what happens when we fail to say no to it? Well the answer is simple enough — life will be a struggle, may develop feelings like God has abandoned you, guilt, and even the experience of the chastisement of the Lord meant to cause you to come to your senses and confess — owe up to the error of you ways that you chose over his way of grace.
Grace? Way of Grace? 1 John 1:9 teaches that way easy enough. Confess — owe up to the Lord — admit you made that choice and simply from that point on start saying NO to whatever sin tempts you!
Start living in the freedom Christ bought with his blood and that living in the liberty of a new life cemented to Christ.
So, is what Christ proclaimed true or not?
John 8:34, 35, 36,
"Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
John 8:31,32, "
So Jesus said to the people who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Why is it that we are so afraid to teach this liberty? That Sin is now a choice and since a choice you can now break the habit of sin because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. By this, we can run boldly to the throne of grace and find help in time of need! (Hebrews 4:16 and 1 John 4:4)
That is out confession.
What confession will you and I choose to make?
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