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)

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."