Interesting tidbit - 23 (2 Cor 7:9-10)

Q: What exactly do the verses in 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (cf 1 Cor 5) mean?  They seem to be saying that as believers we need to ask for forgiveness when we sin to be saved.  Does this mean we lose our salvation each time we sin and have to ask for forgiveness in order to be saved again?

As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.


A:  There are different kinds of salvation in Scripture. Paul spoke about the salvation of our souls in Ephesians 2:8-9, but he also spoke about his physical salvation from prison in Philippians 1:19 (cf. Ex 14:13):

for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance (The KJV uses the word "salvation" instead of "deliverance"; both words are derived from the Greek word sōtērian).

Paul also told Timothy that if he continued in sound doctrine, he would "save" both himself and his hearers from the misery that always comes from not continuing in sound doctrine (1 Tim. 4:16). There is also the salvation from despair that the hope of the Rapture gives (Rom 8:23-24). And the Rapture itself is called a salvation in Romans 13:11.

The salvation in the verses you ask about is yet another kind. Paul says he made the Corinthians sorry "with a letter" (2 Cor 7:8), i.e., his first epistle to them, in which he scolded them for not disciplining a man for his sexual immorality (1 Cor 5). They then "were grieved into repenting" about this (2 Cor 7:9).  And remember, the word repent means to have a change of mind, not to ask for forgiveness.  So the Corinthians changed their minds about allowing this man to stay in their assembly. This "saved" them from the dangerous leavening effect that his presence would otherwise have among them, and so their godly grief produced a repentance that leads to salvation, a salvation they would not regret or repent of (change their minds about) later.

This also worked another kind of salvation among them, one similar to the salvation Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 5:5, where he speaks about the sexually immoral man and tells them:

"to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord."

In context we know that delivering this man to Satan meant putting him out of the assembly (1 Cor 2-5:2-13). Letting him wallow in sin might destroy his flesh, but it would bring him back to the Lord, and "save" him from a loss of rewards at the Judgment Seat (1 Cor 3:15). The Corinthian assembly would also be saved from such loss by their obedience to Paul's instructions. Their godly grief worked this kind of repentance to salvation as well, another salvation they would not regret because no one at the Judgment Seat will ever repent of (change their mind about) having done the right thing.

Repentance and Grace

When unbelievers, convicted by the Holy Spirit of the seriousness of sin and of judgment to come, cry out to the Lord to save them, they have, of course, repented, or changed their minds, as the Greek word signifies. Many pastors and speakers today, however, thinking only of the fact that unbelievers need this change of mind, conclude that the best way to produce results in their ministry is to stress repentance.

It should be remembered, however, that Israel's response to the calls to repentance under the Law was undeniably meager: John the Baptist called Israel to repent but was beheaded as a result (Matt 3:1-12; 14:3-10). The Lord Jesus took up the cry where John had left off (Matt 4:17), but was crucified for it. After the resurrection, He sent His disciples to preach "repentance and forgiveness of sins...in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47). But Jerusalem refused to repent, and it was not long before blood flowed again as Stephen was stoned to death and a great persecution followed (Acts 8:3).

Israel's hardness of heart increased too as the call to repentance was intensified.  Notice the progression:  While John's murder was permitted by the people, Christ's was demanded by them, and Stephen's was actually committed by them. So the so-called "Great Commission" was bogged down from the start, because if Jerusalem and the covenant people refused to repent, what hope was there that the "nations" (Luke 24:47) would?

"...but where sin increased, GRACE abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, GRACE also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 5:20-21).

After calls to repentance failed, the ascended Lord reached down to save Saul, who was far from being in a repentant mood, on the road to Damascus. Our Lord didn't speak to him in judgment but rather in the tenderest of tones showed him the glory of His grace.  Paul, this "trophy of grace", was then sent out to proclaim "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).

Repentance was the theme of God's message from John the Baptist until Paul, while grace, proclaimed through the cross and received by faith alone, gradually displaced it as the theme of God's message for today (Acts 20:24).

Along this same line, most believers know that Paul taught that if you are saved, the Lord has already forgiven you "all our trespasses" (Col 2:13).  But they also know that the apostle John taught that the Lord is "is faithful and just to forgive us our sins" if we confess them (1 John 1:9). So to reconcile these two opposite and contradictory messages, they conclude that believers are forgiven when they are saved, but need just a little more forgiveness when they sin. This despite the fact that forgiveness of sins is something believers receive the moment they are saved, along with salvation, justification, and redemption. Most believers wouldn’t dream of asking for more salvation, justification, or redemption when they sin, but asking for more forgiveness is the only way to get Paul and John to say the same thing.

Yet more reasons why it is so important to observe the progression of Scripture!

Are you sure?

I have to confess I have a real problem with the notion today that believers must persevere until the end in order to prove that they're saved.  In other words, we must look at how we're living and what works we're doing to see if we're really one of the elect.  I'm hearing this more and more frequently, too, particularly from the popular speakers of today.

One well-known speaker says this in one of his books: "One thing, however, is certain.  There is clearly a link between our assurance and our sanctification." And yet he goes on to say that one can be "certain of his salvation."  Still further on he says this about those who have fallen away: "The first possibility is that their profession was not genuine in the first place"... "The second possible explanation of those who make a profession of faith, give outward evidence of conversion, and then repudiate the faith, is that they are true believers who have fallen into serious and radical apostasy, but who will repent of their sin and be restored before they die.  If they persist in apostasy until death, then theirs is a full and final fall from grace, which is evidence that they were not genuine believers in the first place."  So they were true believers who persisted in apostasy until death so they weren't really true believers?  So our salvation isn't sure?  But who are we to judge anyway?  Can we see the heart?  No, but God can.  And He looks to see if we've placed our faith in His Son's death and resurrection, not at our works or whether or not we've sinned. It seems to me this author is just setting us all up to judge one another.

And the thing is, if our assurance is based even in small part on our practical sanctification, then absolute certainty is impossible — because we all still sin.  Say, for example, you yell at your kids first thing in the morning.  Well there goes your assurance.  You get it back after you pray and confess, but then you think some unkind thoughts about your impossible neighbor before lunch and lose your assurance again.  And so it goes all day long and you've doubted your salvation again and again.  So how many days like that would it take to convince you that security is merely wishful thinking?

But never fear. Even Paul, in Rom 7:14-25, tells us that he frequently did the very things he didn't want to do. We all do.  Because we all still have our old sin natures, there's a battle raging within each one of us. But does Paul wonder if he is truly saved? No! In the very next two verses he breaks out with, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord ... there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom 7:25-8:1).

Still many Christians today believe that true believers persevere and false professors don't. They say that both may believe the same things in their minds, but the only way to find out if you're truly saved is by seeing if you persevere.  Of course, you can't be sure you will persevere until you die because you might die before you confess your latest sin and then you haven't persevered until the end. "Oh come on," you might say, "that's just being nit picky. If you've persevered right up to the end but then fall short, you're still good to go." But who says? Are there degrees of persevering? If so, then who gets to decide the cutoffs? Seems to me the best you can do is look at your works and see if they look like the type of works the Spirit does. But that certainly isn't fool-proof either because false professors do some good works that look like the real thing, too. So how can anybody really know? The plain fact is, when we take our focus off Christ and what He's done and put it on ourselves and what we do, assurance is tentative at best.

I think this author summarizes the problem with this way of thinking rather well: "The bottom line in ... [this type of thinking] ... is that the subjective elements (the works we do and the inner witness of the Holy Spirit) are the real grounds of assurance.  The objective promises of God only apply to me if Christ died for me, and He only died for me if I am elect and I can only know if I am elect by subjective means."

So the question that comes to my mind is this:  Why would anyone look to their imperfect walk for assurance instead of to the firm promises of God?  Many point to 2 Cor 13:5: "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?"  But let's not forget that context is king!  This verse does not tell us to look at our works for confirmation of our election.  Paul is continuing the subject of his credentials as a true apostle.  He begins this subject in 2 Cor12:11 and continues it through the end of the book.  In 2 Cor 13:5 Paul overwhelms the Corinthian believers by pointing out that if he is a reprobate apostle, then they are reprobate Christians because they are all his converts. He challenges them to examine themselves as to whether they are really Christians or not.  Of course they would promptly reply that they were, and so their confidence about themselves would admit and establish Paul's claim to be a true apostle. Now think back and compare this with 1 Cor 4:3-4 where Paul says he does not even examine himself: "But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord." Now it makes sense.

Over and over Scripture tells us that if we place our faith in Christ, we're saved, period (e.g., Rom 4:5; Eph 2:8-9; Gal 2:16-21; 3:1-3, 26-27). It's never about any works we do, either before or after we trust Christ. It's always and only about what Christ has done. So let's take our focus off ourselves and put it back where it belongs — on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2).

A word on the Beatitudes - 3

Isn't there any application in the Beatitudes for us today, then?

Of course there is — because "all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 2:16-17). But in order to apply it correctly, we must first remember who the audience is, the circumstances of the particular portion of Scripture, AND that Scripture isn't always written directly to us or about us.  For the Beatitudes, the audience is believing Jews who are still under the Law, and the circumstances are — the kingdom is at hand.

So keeping this in mind, let's look at the following beatitudes:

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (Matt 5:4).

We can apply this verse to ourselves in a general way.  Remember, prophecy tells us that Israel will one day repent and turn to Christ and mourn for all the years they didn't, and that this particular verse is referring to that and how they will be comforted when Christ reigns in the earthly kingdom.  However, we can apply this to when we were saved.  We too came to a point when we realized and mourned our sinful state before placing our faith in Christ's finished work on the cross for us.

This verse does not, however, give us permission to constantly dredge up every sin we remember committing between now and when we go home to be with our Lord and mourn over it. Never does Paul tell us to beat ourselves up over our sinfulness after we're saved.  In Romans 7 (cf. Gal 5:17) Paul acknowledges that he (and we) still sins — that a battle continues to wage between his "inmost self" and his "members" — but instead of mourning over it, he concludes that "I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin," and rejoices that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1)." And though continually admonishing us to keep putting off the old self and putting on the new (Eph 4:21-24; Col 3:5-17), he still tells us to — "Rejoice ALWAYS!" (1 Thes 5:16; Phil 4:4; cf Heb 10:1-12) 

This means that we shouldn't be mourning over our sins, then rejoicing, then mourning our sins, then rejoicing, etc.  What a vicious cycle to be in!  There is a difference, of course, between mourning temporarily about a sin we regularly fall into and mourning habitually about our sinfulness. The first is healthy, the second is not. Why?  Because in Christ we have already been forgiven all our sins — past, present, and future.  In Christ we are already clean!  So rejoice always in Christ!  (For more on this see "1 John 1:9" and "Complete in Him" and "I'm Clean!")

I like the way my late brother-in-law use to end his benedictions — "Leave Rejoicing in the Lord!"  Comforting indeed.

Let's look at another beatitude:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (Matt 5:6).

We shouldn't assume that our Lord was speaking of imputed righteousness here, because the theme of Paul's epistle to the Romans was clearly not the theme of our Lord's message to the Jewish disciples.

Let's imagine again that we are one of these Jewish believers so that we can get a clear understanding of His message to them.  Under the rule of Rome, the people of Israel had to bear a lot of injustice and unrighteousness.  They suffered a lot of injustice and unrighteousness from their own religious leaders, too (Matt 23:1-7).  This, of course, caused many to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and in this beatitude our Lord promised that in His kingdom their hunger and thirst will be satisfied.

Jeremiah 23:5 confirms this interpretation of the passage because it says that our Lord, in His coming reign, will "execute justice and righteousness in the land."  Isaiah 11:4 tells us that He will "decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth."  In other words, he will judge in their behalf.  Isaiah 32:1 tells us that under His reign "princes will rule in justice," and Isaiah 26:9 that "the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness."  In fact, Old Testament prophecy is full of promises and descriptions of the righteousness that will prevail on earth at that time.

But in Paul's epistles our Lord goes straight to the heart of the matter and explains that man's case is hopeless apart from redeeming grace. "Scripture," he says, "imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe" (Gal 3:22), since "none is righteous, no, not one" (Rom 3:10).  In fact, he explains that the Law was given for the exact purpose of demonstrating man's unrighteousness (Rom 3:19) and his desperate need for a Savior.

BUT NOW the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom 3:21-26).

"...not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (Phil 3:9). 

Blessed for sure are those who hunger and thirst after this righteousness — righteousness that is not their own — for they will be satisfied!

Okay, last one:

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (Matt 5:9).

While the words "blessed are the peacemakers" apply to God's people in every age, the promise which follows certainly does not.  Today peacemakers are by no means always, or even generally, "called sons of God."  In fact, they're often called troublemakers.

But the whole passage does apply specifically to the kingdom which our Lord proclaimed "at hand" while He was on earth.  The  Messianic kingdom will be characterized by the peace that will prevail then.  When our Lord returns to reign, "He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Isa 2:4).

In Isaiah 9:6-7 it says that Messiah is "the Prince of Peace," and that "of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end..."  But before international peace can be achieved there must be peace among God's people, and this is the theme of the Sermon on the Mount: the peace that flows from sincere love will one day flow from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

This peace we, as members of the Church today, should daily seek to foster (Rom 14:19), not in view of the kingdom being established, but as fellow members of the "one body" (Eph 4:3-6).

While there can be no international peace until our Lord returns to judge between the nations (Isa 2:4), the message that we have been commissioned to proclaim is one of "grace and peace," not peace among men, but personal peace with God, made possible by His grace.

The peace that men will enjoy under Messiah's reign will be largely destroyed again at its close (though the kingdom itself and His people will not be destroyed - Isa 9:7), as we read in Revelation 20:7-9.  But the peace that Paul's epistles proclaim will never be disrupted, because it is the gift of God's grace through the finished work of Christ, "who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom 4:25-5:1).

Not only do we by faith have "peace with God," but we also by faith have access to the "peace of God, which surpasses all understanding" (Phil 4:6-7).

May God help us to fulfil our commission to proclaim reconciliation and peace to a world at war with Him, so that many more may come to know "peace with God" and "the peace of God."

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:14-21).

Interesting tidbit - 17 (Matthew 6:14-15)

Q:  I often hear people quote Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" and then say, "See, God won't forgive us if we don't forget others."  But is this true?  Does His forgiveness really depend on whether or not I forgive others?  I thought we are forgiven through faith alone.


A:  No, it isn't true.  We must remember that Matthew chronicles the time when Christ was on the earth and that He said this to people who were still under the Law (Matt 5:17-20; 19:16-19; 23:2-3, 23-27; Mk 12:28-34; Lk 10:25-28; 18:18-22), which meant faith demonstrated by works was required for salvation at that time.** Today we are forgiven past, present and future, based solely on faith in Christ's death and resurrection on our behalf.

I find it fascinating the way things are flipped around after the cross.  Compare Matthew 6:14-15 with Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:13:

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matt 6:14-15).

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you (Eph 4:32).

...bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive (Col 3:13).

What a difference!  Paul makes it clear that, under grace, God has already forgiven the believer all sins.  Under the Law God's forgiveness was based upon a like spirit, but today we are forgiven for Christ's sake and told to forgive others as the Lord has forgiven us.

So you see, of course we should still forgive one another, not so that God will forgive us — but because God in Christ has already forgiven us!

Acts 13:38-39 tells us, "Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses."

Praise God that our forgiveness of others is not on the grounds of the Law; but of grace — after God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven us all our sins and freed us from all things.

**The Law was meant to show man that it is impossible to earn salvation (Rom 3:19-20; 7:12-13).

I'm clean!

I've written quite a bit over the past several years but have never told you how I came to know the Lord.  I'd like to do that now.  Better late than never, I guess.

My testimony isn't as dramatic as some.  I didn't come out of the drug culture or any kind of self-destructing life style.  Nor did I go through a long period of searching for the true meaning of life before coming to Christ.  You see, I was raised in a Christian home and accepted Christ as my savior when I was about 6 years old.

After church one Sunday I had a lot of questions about becoming a Christian.  My father very patiently answered them by showing me verse after verse in the Bible.  He explained to me that I could become a Christian by placing my faith in what Jesus Christ did for me on the cross and not by doing good things.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16).

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

Then my father prayed with me.  My faith was very simplistic because I was so young, but I still remember it very plainly.

Over the years I've had spiritual growth spurts as well as plateaus and valleys, just like every other believer, as I constantly battle this old nature of mine.  But how freeing to know that I stand justified ("just as if I'd never sinned") before God because — and only because! — of His Son's death on the cross and resurrection!

It took me a while to fully comprehend this fact, though.  Too many times I had been told in church that I must constantly confess my sins to God, that I must "keep short lists" of my sins with Him, so that I wouldn't forget to ask for forgiveness for each and every one.  Of course this made me worry that I might actually forget to confess some of them...and then what?  I wasn't sure.  So I got into the habit of not only constantly focusing on and confessing every sin I could think of, but also, just for good measure, of saying a "blanket" prayer asking forgiveness for any sins I happened to forget.  Whew, I was covered!  But what a tremendous burden I lived under.

I remember coming across a book sometime during my high school years in which a young married couple talked about how joyful their Christian walks had become since coming to realize what Christ's death and resurrection for them really meant.  They seemed so happy, so free.  I didn't understand what they were talking about, but I knew I wanted to.

It was still several years after that — during my college years — before I finally understood that God had forgiven me — not only for my past sins, but also for my present and future sins — from the moment I placed my faith in His Son's death and resurrection on my behalf.  And now, because I'm in Christ (Col 2:8-12), I stand before God just as if I'd never sinned.  Isn't that amazing?!

You've probably noticed that I frequently post this quote from Bob George based on Heb 10:1-14.  I like it because it explains so vividly where I was then and where I am now:

When the Israelite who hears that Christ's sacrifice has taken away his sin continues to go on the Day of Atonement to offer animal sacrifices, what is he saying about the blood of Christ? When the Catholic continues to rely on his priest for forgiveness, what is he saying about the Spirit of grace? When the Protestant continues to send up prayers of confession to bring about forgiveness, what is he saying about the blood of the covenant? The Christian world tells the Israelites, "You no longer have to offer animal sacrifices." The Protestants are saying to the Catholics, "You don't have to confess to a priest, you can go directly to God." And God in heaven is saying to all of us, "IT IS FINISHED."

I wasn't going to the confessional per se', but I might as well have been.

I still struggle with my old sin nature, of course, just like every other believer.  The Apostle Paul talked about these struggles:

So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (Rom 7:17-8:2).

But now I know that in Christ I'm clean!

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21). 

I've also come to learn that it's in fully understanding God's grace towards me — not confession — that helps me to say no to sin.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:11-14).

I look forward to the day when I no longer have to struggle with my old sin nature and we are all together in heaven with our Savior.  What a wonderful day that will be — AND, it's going to be forever!

justme ("just as if I'd never sinned" me)

ALL will be judged

The fact that there will be a final judgment for all men, both believers and unbelievers, is clearly stated in many passages of Scripture. Every person will one day stand before Christ and be judged for his or her deeds.

But, there will be several judgments.

The first judgment is a judgment of believers’ works and will take place at the rapture or very shortly thereafter, when we've been caught up into the air. This judgment is often referred to as the "judgment seat [bema] of Christ." Paul uses the Greek word bema to describe the place where this judgment will take place. Bema was the name for the platform on which the chief judge of the Grecian games in Athens presided, which was associated with honor, authority and reward, not punishment. 

In 2 Corinthians 5:10 we are told that "...we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." Romans 14:10-12 also says, "...we will all stand before God’s judgment seat..."  In context, it is clear that both scriptures are referring to believers, not unbelievers.  Therefore, the judgment seat of Christ will not determine our salvation, which is by faith alone (Eph 2:8-9), nor question our sin. Because all our sins have been forgiven past, present and future, we will never be condemned for them (Rom 8:1-2).

Our position in Christ is the "foundation" spoken of in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15. What we build upon that foundation can be of "gold, silver, and precious stones" or of "wood, hay and stubble." The judgment seat of Christ will separate the bad from the good; those things we have done with wrong motives will be removed and only the things of true value will remain and be rewarded. Therefore, we should not look at the judgment seat of Christ as God judging our sins, but rather as God rewarding us for our lives, based on how faithfully we served Christ (1 Cor 9:4-27; 2 Tim 2:5).

There is another aspect to this judgment.  Most, if not all, of us have unresolved issues with other believers (not with God!), things that have lain hidden beneath the surface — jealousy, bitterness, cruelty, abuse, etc.  We won't drag these reminders of our sinfulness into heaven with us. The Lord will bring all these things into the open and resolve them (1 Cor 4:5).

After the rapture and the judgment seat of Christ, we will then reign with Christ (2 Tim 2:12).

The second judgment is the judgment of the sheep and the goats or the judgment of the nations (Matt 25:31-36). This takes place after the tribulation period but before the millennium. Its purpose is to determine who will enter the millennial kingdom.

Reading Scripture literally and progressively, we see that God has a plan for His chosen people, Israel. When our Lord returns to earth at the end of the tribulation, He will set up His millennial kingdom. But, "...not all who are descended from Israel are Israel..." (Rom 9:6). So just as Ezekiel prophesied, "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am the LORD" (Ezek 20:37-38).

Because our Lord will be on earth at this time, this judgment will occur on earth. Those who have believed will enter the Kingdom. Those who have not believed will be thrown into the outer darkness...where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 25:30). 

The unsaved Gentiles who are alive at our Lord's second coming will also be judged at this time (Matt 13:47-50). They will be judged in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2). The name Jehoshaphat means "Jehovah judges." Although the millennial kingdom centers on Israel, many Old Testament prophecies show that people from other nations will be blessed through God's chosen people (Dan 7:14).

The third judgment is the great white throne judgment at the end of the millennium (Rev 20:11-15). This judgment does not determine salvation either because everyone at this judgment is an unbeliever and is therefore already doomed to the lake of fire (Rev 20:4-5). These are all the unbelievers who have died from every age, plus any still living at the end of the 1000 years...if there are any, that is.

Revelation 20:12 says that unbelievers will be judged from the things which are written in the books, according to their deeds. Those who have refused to believe will be judged based on their works alone, and because the Bible tells us that "by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified" (Gal 2:16), they will be condemned. No amount of good works and/or keeping God’s laws is sufficient to atone for sin, so all their thoughts, words and actions will be judged against God’s perfect standard and found wanting. There will be no reward for them, only eternal condemnation and punishment. Maybe you think this is all a bit harsh, but don't forget the step God took to save us from His own justice:

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (Jn 3:16).

Confession

What does the word "confess" mean? Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words lists three Greek words which mean "confess" or "confession." The first is homologeo, which literally means "to speak the same thing, to assent, accord, agree with"; the second is exomolegeo, with the same meaning of the first but adds "out" and "intensive", making it stronger than the first word; and the third is homologia, which is akin to the first two words but adds "denotes confession by acknowledgment of the truth." In other words — "to agree with."

Yet most believers seem to think it means to ask for forgiveness; to say they're sorry — and really feel it deep down inside — so that God will forgive them again, thereby restoring fellowship with Him (all erroneously based on 1 John 1:3-9). On top of this, there's usually an added inferred promise that they'll try harder next time round, too. Just like the foolish Galatians, they came to Christ by faith, but soon their old religious flesh insisted on getting in on the action, doing something for God and trying to please Him through self-effort.

But it isn't about trying harder, it's about putting off the old man (stop focusing on ourselves) and putting on the new man (putting the focus back on Christ), and that can be done at a moment's notice. We do get better at this over time, if we're in the Word, talking with the Lord, fellow-shipping with other believers, etc. But there will always be that struggle within us while we're on this earth.

It seems to me, however, that too many of us are trying to discipline our old natures, when what we should be doing is putting them off (Rom 13:12; Eph 4:20-24; Col 3:8-10). Besides, it can't be done. Scripture has shown us that over and over again. Scripture also tells us that focusing on what we have failed to do, doesn't keep us from sinning, it just keeps us focused on our failures (our old natures) instead of on Christ and what He's done for us (Phil 3:12-14). Moreover, it's grace that teaches us to say no to sin, not confession (Titus 2:11-12). God's provision for our sin isn't in confessing them one by one. Rather, it's through the renewal of our minds (Rom 12:1-2; Gal 5:16, 22).

The fact that we are already forgiven doesn't mean we don't agree with God when we have acted or thought in a way inconsistent with our new identity in Christ. We are told to talk to God about everything, and that would include sins we're battling, but not for forgiveness because we've already been eternally forgiven. Of course God is quite aware of our continuing struggles with our old natures and Satan; He just wants us to depend on Him.

Also, being forgiven doesn't mean we shouldn't speak to our brothers and sisters in Christ if they've gone astray (1 Thes 5:14; 2 Thes 3:11-15; 2 Cor 2:4-8; Gal 6:1). Sometimes I don't think we even realize we've let our old natures take control; other times we're quite aware and don't care, don't want to change, or don't seem to know what to do about it. The Holy Spirit and Scripture, first and foremost (Rom 15:4-5), encourage us to keep putting off the old and putting on the new, but fellow believers (1 Thes 5:11-14), and prayer, etc. can also encourage us to do so (Phil 4:6-8; Rom 12:12). And when other people have been hurt by our actions, we need to go to them and confess our wrong-doing to them and make it right (James 5:16), but this issue is between brothers and sisters in Christ; God's forgiveness is not in question here.

Confession, then, is to agree with God, not only concerning sin, but also that we are eternally forgiven. It even goes a step further and agrees with God concerning what attitudes and actions are consistent with our new natures. You see, true confession doesn't focus our minds on our failures, but back to what Christ accomplished for us on the cross, which leads to a thankful heart. It is when we agree with God concerning forgiveness that our minds begin to see the vastness of His grace that He has for us in Christ Jesus. And understanding God's grace is what changes the way we live by enabling us to see people, circumstances, and things from His perspective and to respond out of love for Him.


*I have reposted the last two posts to refute what Alan Redpath used to say to believers, “God has not promised to forgive one sin that you will not forsake.”  (See also these posts, 1 John 1:9 and 1 John 1:9 cont.)  From the standpoint of logic, if this is truly the way it is, none of us would even make it into heaven.  But more importantly — I know of no Scripture in context to support such a statement.  Do you?  

Once for all

In Romans 3 Paul declares that God has presented Christ as payment for man’s sin, and that we are made righteous in God’s sight by faith in His blood, entirely apart from works (Rom 3:21-26). However, in this same passage he also says that this forgiveness concerns the sins previously committed (v 25). What does Paul mean by this?

Some believe this verse means that God forgave us up to the point when we trusted Him in faith and thereafter we must ask for forgiveness in order to have a "fresh sprinkling" of His blood to cover our sins. This is not true, however. Our sins have been forgiven past, present and future (Heb 10:10, 14), and when God looks at us now, He sees Christ's righteousness (1 Cor 1:30; Rom 5:17; Phil 3:9).

In Romans 3:25 Paul is not saying that only our past sins have been forgiven, he is looking back to past ages, saying that people who lived under the Law (like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, etc…) were actually saved by the redemption Christ brought, although His death was still future in their day. In other words, Christ died, not only for the sins we commit, but also for those “previously committed.” The believers of past ages simply believed what God told them then, and He counted them righteous (Gen 15:6) on the basis of Christ’s coming payment of sin. Hebrews 9:15 says the same thing; Christ’s death redeemed the sins committed under the first covenant.

The fact is, when we don't believe we're eternally forgiven, we become sin-focused instead of Christ-focused, and the more we think about sin, the more we sin (Rom 7:7-13). If only all believers could have the assurance that we are forever forgiven, what tremendous freedom we would experience from unnecessary guilt...

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming — not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am — it is written about me in the scroll — I have come to do your will, O God.'" First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy (Heb 10:1-14).

...and from sin itself, for grace teaches us to say no to sin:

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).

Some time ago I came upon a publication that included this quote. I think it states rather well our standing in Christ today:

When the Israelite who hears that Christ's sacrifice has taken away his sin continues to go on the Day of Atonement to offer animal sacrifices, what is he saying about the blood of Christ? When the Catholic continues to rely on his priest for forgiveness, what is he saying about the Spirit of grace? When the Protestant continues to send up prayers of confession to bring about forgiveness, what is he saying about the blood of the covenant? The Christian world tells the Israelites, "You no longer have to offer animal sacrifices." The Protestants are saying to the Catholics, "You don't have to confess to a priest, you can go directly to God." And God in heaven is saying to all of us, "IT IS FINISHED."

When the Israelite who hears that Christ's sacrifice has taken away his sin continues to go on the Day of Atonement to offer animal sacrifices, what is he saying about the blood of Christ? When the Catholic continues to rely on his priest for forgiveness, what is he saying about the Spirit of grace? When the Protestant continues to send up prayers of confession to bring about forgiveness, what is he saying about the blood of the covenant? The Christian world tells the Israelites, "You no longer have to offer animal sacrifices." The Protestants are saying to the Catholics, "You don't have to confess to a priest, you can go directly to God." And God in heaven is saying to all of us, "IT IS FINISHED." 
(Bob George)

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'" When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Heb 10:1-14).

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (Jn 3:16).

Neither repetition nor supplementation needed

The Law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming — not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am — it is written about me in the scroll — I have come to do your will, O God.'" First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the Law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy

(Heb 10:1-14).

Progressive Revelation

A few Sundays ago my pastor made an excellent point — John 6:53-56 sounds like it’s about the Lord’s Supper but it’s not. However, the Lord’s Supper is about John 6:53-56.

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him (Jn 6:53-56).

You see, when comparing the events of the four gospels, the Lord’s Supper doesn’t take place until around John 13. This is important because whereas John 6:53-56 refers to the sacrificial death of Christ, the Lord’s Supper is to be a reminder to us of that event. But if we aren't careful, we might interpret John 6:53-56 as being the Lord’s Supper and conclude that partaking of the communion table saves us.

My pastor’s point got me to thinking the rest of the week about how easy it is to misinterpret Scripture. If we pull a verse or passage out of the middle of the Bible and interpret it without considering the context or the progression of revelation, we can easily put down the first building blocks of a false doctrine. And by using those false conclusions to help us interpret other portions of Scripture, we can build ourselves a faulty theology in no time at all.

Unfortunately, this happens all too often. One reason it does is many of us seem to believe progressive revelation includes the possibility that subsequent revelation may change the meaning of something previously revealed. In other words, instead of interpreting Scripture progressively — as it was meant to be understood — we read back a later revelation into something previously revealed and completely change its meaning. I have often witnessed this very thing. Someone will state that because it says such and such in Romans, James doesn’t actually mean what it says. Or, because Ephesians says such and such, Matthew such and such really means something different than what is written. You have to give us kudos, though, because it’s rather difficult to reconcile two opposing concepts. However, with a bit of twisting here and a little back-reading there, we usually manage quite well to come up with something or other.

Clear as mud, right? Okay, well let’s look at an example from Ephesians and Matthew:

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtor (Matt 6:12).
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you (Matt 6:14).

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you (Eph 4:32).

Did you notice that Eph 4:32 is completely flipped around from what Matt 6:12 and 14 say? Matthew 6:12 and 14 were spoken by our Lord before His death and resurrection, when people were still under the Law. Ephesians 4:32, however, was spoken by Paul after Christ’s death and resurrection, when we were no longer under the Law. Therefore, in Matthew forgiveness was dependent on faith plus what we did (works), whereas in Ephesians forgiveness has already been granted apart from the Law (no works) because of what Christ has done for us. And the fact of the matter is, salvation by grace through faith alone had not yet been manifested in Matthew.

What do we usually do with these verses, though? We either read back Eph 4:32 into Matt 6:12, 14 and say Matt 6:12 and 14 really mean what Eph 4:32 is saying. Or, we state that in view of Eph 4:32, (and Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16) the forgiveness spoken of in Matt 6:12, 14 is only for the purposes of believers restoring fellowship with God (most likely reading back 1 John 1:3-9 into Matthew as well); all in an attempt to accommodate the meanings of both Matthew and Ephesians.

But later revelation on a subject does not make an earlier revelation mean something different. It may add to it or even supersede it, but it never changes its original meaning. Progressive revelation is rather like a building — and certainly the superstructure never replaces the foundation.

Complete in Him

Does God ever refuse to listen to us as believers today? When we sin, does God turn His face away from us until we repent? Many places in the OT as well as a few in the NT (like Jn 9:31, which is referring back to before Christ's sacrifice on our behalf) state that because of sin, He did turn His back on the unrighteous. But, does God turn away from believers today if they sin?

I have come to the conclusion that He does not. Not because of anything we've done or haven't done, but because, and only because, of Christ's finished work on the cross.

At the moment of our conversion, we were eternally cleansed and made complete in Him. Now we can rest in the fact that Jesus died for our past, present and future sins once and for all, and that when God looks at us, He see Christ's righteousness, not our failings. There is nothing left for us to improve on, or any way for us to get additional forgiveness or righteousness. It's finished, it's done.

This wasn't the case under the old covenant. No one was ever cleansed just once because the animal sacrifices were not sufficient to take away the sins of the people. They could never rest because they had to keep doing something to be forgiven. In fact, the sacrifices were just a regular reminder of sin, of the fact that the debt of punishment still needed to be paid.

And the blood of the bulls and goats only covered sins, which is called "atonement." But Jesus Christ didn't come to atone for sins, He came to take them away once and for all. Unfortunately, we've dragged the word atonement into the NT, even though it can't be found there. One commentary explains that "Through continued theological usage the word 'atonement' has become an acceptable translation." It's pretty sad when only continual theological usage becomes the standard for biblical interpretation. The reason the original Greek doesn't say atonement is because Jesus didn't come to atone for sin, He came to take them away forever, never to be seen again (Heb 10:5-10). In Christ Jesus we have been made complete, and what can be added to or taken away from God's completeness?

We're constantly told, however, that when we sin we have to repent to get back into fellowship with Him or He will turn His face away and not listen to us. But Heb 10:14 says, "For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified." And Rom 8:1 says, "Therefore there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." Also, Col 2:10a says, "and in Him you have been made complete..." "Well sure," we're told, "that's after we've confessed our sins and been forgiven........again, and again, and again." Sounds like we've gone right back under the old covenant, doesn't it? I don't see anything in those passages that even hint at our needing to get back into fellowship with Him, only that we already are, no matter what we do. When we sin, we are, for all practical purposes, turning away from God; however, from His perspective the line of communication between us remains open because we're complete in Christ and righteous in His eyes. Therefore, we may turn away from Him, but He never turns away from us (2 Tim 2:13).

Why is it so often assumed that forgiveness of sins is doled out to us on an "as needed" basis? Of course 1 Jn 1:9 is quoted and then something like this is said: "See, this is what we're supposed to be doing." But how can we say on the one hand that we are forgiven past, present and future, and then turn around and say we need to confess our sins to receive forgiveness? It seems that we've taken one verse and built a whole doctrine around it. (See 1 John 1:9 post here.)

Sometimes I think we're afraid to believe we're eternally forgiven because we think it will give us license to sin and then we're sure to run amok. But most people I know, me included, certainly don't need a license to sin. I sin quite well without a license. We all do. And frankly, the idea that believing we have been totally forgiven leads to a sinful lifestyle is an insult to the indwelling Holy Spirit. Why would keeping "short accounts with God" — asking Him to forgive us every time we sin — keep us from sinning anyway? It seems to me that only encourages sin because we become sin-focused instead of walking by faith. Besides, you could also reason it this way: If all it costs me is a confession and everything's okay again, couldn't that equally be said to lead to license? If, on the other hand, we rest in the fact that we are forgiven, then the only thing we can do is enter into His presence, talk to Him, thank and praise Him for what He's done on our behalf, and then get right back out there and walk by faith in the Spirit (Gal 5:16).

I appreciate what Charles H Spurgeon said in his book Faith's Checkbook concerning Christ's sacrifice on the cross:

According to this gracious covenant, the Lord treats His people as if they had never sinned. Practically, He forgets all their trespasses. Sins of all kinds He treats as if they had never been; as if they were quite erased from His memory. O miracle of grace! God here does that which in certain aspects is impossible to Him. His mercy works miracles which far transcends all other miracles. Our God ignores our sin now that the sacrifice of Jesus has ratified the covenant. We may rejoice in Him without fear that He will be provoked to anger against us because of our iniquities. See! He puts us among the children; He accepts us as righteous; He takes delight in us as if we were perfectly holy. He even puts us in places of trust; makes us guardians of His honor, trustees of the crown jewels, stewards of the gospel. He counts us worthy, and gives us a ministry; this is the highest and most special proof that He does not remember our sins. Even when we forgive an enemy, we are very slow to trust him; we judge it to be imprudent to do so. But the Lord forgets our sins, and treats us as if we had never erred. O my soul, what a promise is this! Believe it and be happy.

I agree — believe it and be happy!

1 John 1:9 cont.

John's epistles were written around 90 AD. At this point in history, the temple had already been destroyed and John was an old man.

The overall message of John's epistles is the humanity of Christ (1 Jn 4:2, 3; 2 Jn 7). It is commonly held that at the time John wrote these books, Gnosticism had begun to infiltrate the church assemblies. And one of the reasons these epistles were written was to counteract these heretical teachings.

Gnosticism (after the Greek word gnôsis, meaning "knowledge" or "insight") flourished in the first and second centuries AD. Among its teachings were that (1) the nonliteral interpretation of Scripture is correct and can be understood only by a select few, (2) transcendental or intuitional knowledge (roughly translated as meaning ‘to look inside’ or ‘to contemplate’) is superior to virtue, (3) God could not be the only creator because evil exists in the world, (4) all matter is evil, only spirit is good, (5) the incarnation is unbelievable because deity cannot unite itself with anything material such as a body, and (6) there is no resurrection of the flesh.

Today we find some of these same doctrines taught through such groups as the Christian Scientists and other metaphysical "churches."

Another reason for writing these epistles was to make clear the distinguishing features of those who are born of God in contrast to those which mark the children of the evil one.

So as we begin the book of 1 John we read:

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life--(v 1-2).

"What" is referring to the Word Himself, Jesus Christ. "From the beginning" means from eternity, being equivalent with "in the beginning" in John 1:1. Regarding "concerning the Word of Life", Jesus Christ is termed the "Word" (John 1:1) and the "Life" (John 1:4); because He is the living Word of God.

The Gnostics denied that an actual physical human body of the Lord Jesus ever existed. It was declared to have been visible but not real. Jesus' deity was also denied. It seems John starts his first letter seeking to dispel this Gnostic heresy by stating that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God and that he (John) was an eye-witness. John, with the other apostles, had walked and talked with Jesus when He was on the earth. Indeed, John had seen the risen Christ and with his own hands had touched His wounds (Jn 20:19-21:25). So, to the assembly he is saying, I was there! And I saw and touched Jesus Christ, and heard and believed what He said.

John goes on to say, "and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us--what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete" (v 3-4). Right from the beginning John seems to be appealing to unbelievers in the assembly, that they too might come into fellowship with the apostles and ultimately with the Father and the Son.

John expounds further on the message itself in verses 5-7. The contrast between light and darkness—between believer and unbeliever—characterizes this section.

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 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 (v 5-7).

Another prominent teaching of the Gnostics was that we don't have a sin nature, or even if we did, it doesn't matter. And when we look at the verses before and after verse 9, we see that John addresses that heresy, "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us (v 8)." and "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us (v 10)." Second John 1 and 2 help to clarify that these verses are written about unbelievers:

The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever (2 John 1,2).

Compare these verses with 1 John 1:8, which says, "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us." If the truth abides in us as believers and will be with us forever, then can we ever say that the truth is not in us? How can these two verses both be referring to the believer? It only makes sense that those who claim to be without sin in 1 John 1:8 are lost.

Which of course brings us to 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Some say that verses 8 and 10 are merely contrasts to verse 9 and that verse 9 is indeed for the Christian. But that certainly is a stretch, especially considering the content of the verse itself. I believe it makes much more sense to interpret it as being for the unbeliever as well.

Dr. John Best, a foremost Greek language professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, had for years accepted the common explanation that 1 John 1:9 is written to the Christian. However, when he investigated deeper, he is now certain that it is written to the unbeliever. He explains it like this:

First of all, it is addressed to the lost Gnostics who claim to be without sin. To them the Apostle John states, "If we [an editorial we] claim to be without sin, we are deceiving ourselves and God's truth is not in us." Now for the "if." In 1 John 1:9, the phrase, "if we confess our sins," is classified as a third-class conditional clause, which means that the condition stated by the "if" clause is in question. The Apostle John was not sure whether or not the Gnostics would agree with God concerning their sins and turn to Him for salvation. The Greek structure of this passage forces the following interpretation: "I don't know if you are ever going to come to your senses or not and agree with God concerning your sins. But, if at anytime—today, tomorrow, or whenever—you should decide to turn to Him, God can be depended upon to have forgiven your sins and to have cleansed you of all unrighteousness." (Note the past tense.)

So, 1 John in context appears to have been written to an assembly that included both believers and unbelieving Gnostics, and 1 John 1:9 was written to these unbelievers, not the believers. It is similar to when my pastor invites those in the congregation who have never placed their faith in Jesus Christ to do so. And although many believers are listening and being built up in their faith, his appeal is to the unbelievers.

This is the only interpretation that makes sense to me, and it does not violate the interpretation of other post-cross Scripture.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:9).

What does 1 John 1:9 mean? I know the traditional interpretation is that John is addressing Christians when he wrote it, but I wonder if that's right. And here are my reasons:

First of all, we are told that all our sins—past, present and future—have already been forgiven.

Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43).
...rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me (Acts 26:17-18).

God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Cor 1:9).

Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-19).

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name's sake (1 Jn 2:12).

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Col 2:13-14).

...bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you (Col 3:13).

So is there still more forgiveness for us to receive? I don't believe there is.

Don't get me wrong. I do believe confession (which means "to admit or agree with") has a definite place in a believer's life, but not for forgiveness. Whenever we humbly acknowledge our sin, whenever we remember that God's way is far better than our way, whenever we put on the new man, we are confessing. Confession agrees with God, not only about sin, but also with the truth that we are forgiven.

True confession focuses our mind, not on our failures, but back to the finished work of Christ on the cross, which then leads us to a thankful heart. And confession should be a continual, dependent attitude throughout our life, not just a once-in-a-while response. When we learn to agree with God about His total forgiveness toward us, our minds begin to see the completeness of grace that God has for us in Jesus Christ. He did it all, because we were incapable of doing any of it.

So then, what about 1 John 1:9? In light of what I've just mentioned about forgiveness and confession, it seems incongruous to me.

Most of the commentaries I've read concerning 1 John 1:9 say that confessing our sins means that we as believers should frankly admit our known sins, realizing they come from our old sin natures which are still with us. And, we should also realize that we when we sin, we break fellowship with God and that confession accompanied by repentance (which they say means a turning from our sins to the sacrifice of Christ as the means of cleansing from our defilement) restores our fellowship with God. So apparently, the "He will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" means that God promises to remove our sins which are a barrier to our fellowship with Him.

But that happened at our conversion! Now, there is no longer any condemnation for us. Now, we are in Christ, and now God sees Christ's righteousness when He looks at us.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21).

It is interesting to note that right after Romans 7 where Paul tells us he does the things he does not want to do and doesn't do the things he does want to do, that he breaks forth in Romans 8:1, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Notice He did not say, "Therefore we must confess our sins so that our fellowship with God will be restored." Paul never speaks about asking forgiveness in any of his letters. In fact, no where in the NT, after the cross, is there any verse or passage that speaks of asking for God's forgiveness. We are either forgiven and in fellowship and saved, OR not forgiven and out of fellowship and lost.

So what remedy is given in Scripture when we do something wrong? In Ephesians there were some among them who apparently were stealing. And Paul's counsel to those who were guilty was to steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need (Eph 4:28). In other words, "Stop it! That's not who you are anymore." (Rather reminds me of that old Bob Newhart skit. ha!) He didn't tell those who stole to confess their sins to God, because their sins had already been wiped away—and not only forgiven but forgotten.

To me, it creates such unnecessary anxiety and confusion when we're taught our sins are forgiven past, present and future, AND that every time we sin we're out of fellowship with God until we confess and clear our account with Him. It seems we are preoccupied with sin and how to get rid of it, when our main focus should be on what Christ has accomplished for us on the cross — because the more we think about sin, the more "we sow to the sinful flesh." Understanding God's grace is what changes how we live by enabling us to see people, circumstances, and things from His perspective.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age (2 Titus 2:11-12).

Any good theologian will tell us that it's intellectual suicide to build an entire doctrine around one verse of Scripture, but isn't that what we've done with 1 John 1:9? Or am I not seeing something right?


(To be continued.)