(Lisa Robinson)
That question sounds radical, I know. But bear with me and hear me out. For all of my Christian life, when I’ve sinned I’ve asked the Lord to forgive me. And observing the landscape I know I’m not alone. How many of you do that when you sin? Lord, please forgive me. I’ve been thinking about this for a while and examining this concept against the breadth of scripture and have come to the conclusion that maybe asking forgiveness is not the best approach.
Why do I say this? Consider these verses
“In Him [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to his grace, which he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight” (Ephesians 1:7-8)
“Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in the newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4)
As a believer, I am united to Christ through the Holy Spirit (cf 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27). And if I am united to him, then Ephesians indicates that in Christ is the forgiveness of sins. Meaning, the forgiveness is already there. But here’s the passage that really got me to thinking about this;
“By this [Christ doing the will of the Father and offering himself as an atoning sacrifice for sins] we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all…for by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:10,14)
So what this tells me is that the sacrifice that Christ made, he made for sin of all times. It is finished! Putting this together with the previous verses it communicates that forgiveness is already there in the atoning sacrifice and automatically applied and available to those united in Christ. If I have to ask for forgiveness, I’m essentially asking for something that is already there.
But there’s a problem. I sin. You sin. It throws us out of whack, fills us with shame and puts focus on the flesh. So what do we do with the forgiveness that is already there? Here’s where I think 1 John 1:9 comes into play
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
Instead of asking for forgiveness, what I need to do is confess my sins. It is in the confession that forgiveness is applied from the sacrifice that was already made, which includes the forgiveness of sins. This is why I believe John is saying that the Father will forgive us. What I’ve realized is that if I ask for forgiveness as if it’s not already available, I’m essentially undermining the atoning sacrifice of Christ. The problem with my sin is not that I have not received forgiveness but that I am out of alignment with the forgiveness I have already received. This can have disastrous consequences if gone unattended because of the ensnaring tendencies of sin. Sin is a tough taskmaster and doesn’t care who it destroys.
Friends, this is where I think brutal honesty with God is necessary concerning our transgressions. I’m not talking about just naming sins, but looking them in the eye and identifying how they wooed you to do their bidding. There is a passivity of asking for forgiveness because it really does not force us to look at what we did only remove the shame associated with the transgression. And here’s where I think the transparent confession of sin should take us;
1) It should cause us to look at that transgression for what it is, the grievance against God. It will force us to identify with it and our complicity with it’s action. And that’s where you have to get honest. Tell God you did x or failed to do y because you are a rebel and you wanted your way. Own it. Identify with it. He knows anyway.
2) It should cause us to look at the remedy for sin. Where else to go after you’ve looked this ugly monster in the eye? The price that has already been paid, the forgiveness of sins that is there. That is what I believe repentance is – turning to Christ because of the transgressions. If not, then we’ll cower under the shame that sin produces.
3) It should cause us to remember the gospel and preach it to ourselves. Because it is in that confrontation that we’re reminded but for God’s reconciling work, there would be condemnation for these transgressions. But his grace we have received the gift of forgiveness. Will this not fuel a greater appreciation and love for the Lord?
3) It should cause us to seek help. So instead of asking for what you already have, it encourages us to ask for what we really need – help from the Holy Spirit. Because the flesh is weak and will fail. But we are risen with Christ. The Son sitting at the right hand of the Father means we can come boldly before his throne and ask for grace and help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Tell the Lord you cannot do this in your own strength.
So that is why I’m coming to the conclusion that asking for forgiveness may not be the best thing. Rather, it is alignment with the forgiveness that is already there and that comes through confession. It’s a radical concept I know. To be honest, ‘Lord please forgive me’ has been part of my vocabulary for so long that it just rolls off my lips. Hence the passivity. But I’ve been deliberate in shifting from the passivity of ‘Lord forgive me’ to the confrontation confession produces. And I’m thankful that though I fail, Christ’s sacrifice provides a lasting remedy for my transgressions.
What are your thoughts on this? I’d love to hear them.
36 replies to "Do I Need to Ask God for Forgiveness?"
Thanks for the truths – I read them quickly this am but will come back again later. I do think of this below; maybe more later
Matt 6: “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come.Your will be done,On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’] Matt 6:9-13
I’ve been thinking about this a lot since you mentioned it on Facebook. Glad to read the finished blog…it really makes a great point. Paul gives us a spectacular example of the model you suggest in Romans 7:21-25:
“So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”
Confession and examination, acknowledgement of the gospel and seeking help in the right place. No request for forgiveness.
I was hoping you would address the problem that The Lord’s Prayer poses, as Jesus Himself instructs the disciples to ask for forgiveness. As I pondered this, the answer I arrived at was that, when He gave these instructions, He was still with us and not yet died for forgiveness of our sins. I wonder if you think that satisfies the issue?
When I disciple others in the area of prayer, I suggest a series of steps to help them focus. Confessing sin is a step and repentance is another. In between them, I have always suggested “Ask for AND RECEIVE forgiveness,” as a single step. So, in a way, I suppose I have been in agreement with your assertion since I don’t see these as separate steps. The point I made when you brought it up on Facebook was that God wants us to ask to help us remain mindful of His authority and our need to remain humble and reliant on Him. I was saying that the asking is not necessary to receive forgiveness, rather necessary for our spiritual development. However, between my own study and prayer since that day and now reading this blog, I believe I have arrived at the same place you have…
I believe God has already forgiven any past, present, and future sins that believers have committed based on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Confession of sin in an area where we have messed up is an act of humility and comes in line of agreement with God in His view concerning that sin. Confession allows us to receive the forgiveness that is already made available to us. We receive that forgiveness because we can have faith in God that he is faithful and just to forgive us of it. We don’t have to beg God to forgive us.
We also have to remember that 1 John 1:9 is in the context of fellowship, not relationship. Our relationship with Him cannot be broken but sin can affect our fellowship with Him. Confession of sin and asking for forgiveness restores that fellowship with Him. For example, just like a married couple. When a husband messes up and offends his wife their relationship isn’t broken but their fellowship is broken. Asking the wife for forgiveness is an act of humility on the part of the husband, the husband then receives that forgiveness from his wife and the broken fellowship with his spouse is restored.
I think Lynn brought up a good point: what about the Lord’s prayer? Also that brings up the fact that our forgiveness hangs on how we forgive others. I don’t think the Lord spoke these words to the people only to be negated after His death and resurrection..I think we are forgiven by Christ’s atonement, and I completely agree that it all hangs on God’s grace but how that is played out and is applied is another matter. I think our neat systematic theological ideas only scratch the surface..
My response to the Lord’s Prayer is this. The Lord’s prayer was a model of prayer that Jesus gave the disciples while Jesus was on the earth. This is not a picture of the Church praying under the new covenant. We don’t even see direction to pray “in the name of Jesus” in the prayer which Jesus later instructed to do so. When this prayer was given it was given before the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ that purchased our forgiveness for past, present and future sins. Under the new covenant we receive the forgiveness he has already purchased and we do that by the confession of our sin and acknowledgement of it before him and repent of it.
I believe in asking for forgiveness but I don’t believe in it to try and beg God to forgive us. We do so to receive what has already been purchased for us. We appropriate the blood of Jesus that already has been shed for us.
Another thing we must remember when it comes to committing a sin is that there is a difference between feeling guilty and feeling shame. Guilt will lead a person back to God to receive forgiveness. But when we allow shame to enter our life then we allow the accuser of the brethren to put condemnation on us. We must remember Romans 8:1, “There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”
I believe the way we appropriate the promises of God in our life is by Faith. Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” and then Romans 10:17, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” So when we apply faith to 1 John 1:9 when we read that, we then can have Faith in the justice of God. That His divine justice and wrath was poured out on Jesus for my sin. He was my substitute. So then He is just in his forgiveness for me. Then I can have faith in the faithfulness of God that He has forgiven me and I receive this forgiveness by faith. I think many times Christians keep asking God to forgive them because they don’t “feel” like He…
“DO I NEED TO ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS?”
No. Not as a requirement of anything.
But why wouldn’t you want to?
I don’t know about the Lord’s prayer being only in place for the few years from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry up until His death – that does not make sense to me..please forgive me for this but I sense way too often that we often throw away Christ’s very words for our theology. I mean whoever said that our faith should be something we can categorize into neat little boxes? I tend to think that His teachings exemplify the New Covenant, He taught it to His disciples so that they would impart it to his church.
“But why wouldn’t you want to?”
Steve, maybe it’s psychological but when I ask for something its for something I don’t already possess. Now Lynn made a good point about asking and receiving being a single step. But the question I ask is this, when I’m asking is it to relieve my sense of guilt, i.e. do I need to feel forgiven? Sometimes I wonder if that’s not what its about though I certainly can’t speak for everyone.
Lisa,
Good questions.
I think I ask because, although I know He has forgiven me, and He does forgive me, and He will forgive me…I don’t want to presume on that forgiveness or ever take it for granted.
My wife knows that I love her. But I still want to tell her anyway.
My kids always knew that I would forgive them, no matter what they did. Nevertheless, it was (is) always nice when they would ask my forgiveness (even though they already had it).
Just out of curiosity, how do we factor in Matthew 6:14-16 and Mark 11:25 into this discussion?
“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
“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
These are not about asking for forgiveness from God but allude to a conditional and not irreversible forgiveness toward us. Are the gospel passages null and void now as these statements were made pre-crucifixion and resurrection?
Just asking! (John From Down Under)
Law.
To expose our need of a Savior.
Would any one of us want to be forgiven on the basis of how we have forgiven others?
Not me.
Lisa, let me begin by saying that I appreciate the struggle you are expressing, that between the full accomplishment of our salvation on the cross, and its application over the course of the Christian life. I recognize the tension that you are highlighting. But I would have to disagree with the premise of this post on several grounds. Although I am speaking bluntly below, I hope it doesn’t come across as harsh as it may sound.
1) You are voicing a private opinion about a question that simply is not a question in the Christian religion. No body of Christendom, whether Rome, the Greek East, or any Protestant creed, catechism or confession, advocates the novelty that we do not need to ask for forgivenss of sins after we are initially converted. Individuals do not get to invent their own rules for spiritual discipline.
2) Psalm 32 and 51 make it clear that even justified believers (like David) still need to have their sins continually forgiven. Paul cites from Psalm 32 in Romans 4:7-8, so obviously such prayers cannot simply be dismissed as pre-Christian.
3) The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to ask for forgiveness daily (Lk. 11:4). It is absurd for some to say that this no longer applies to us, for that would render obsolete virtually everything Jesus teaches in the canonical gospels (since it was all delivered before the cross).
4) Hebrews 10:26-27 emphatically teaches that ongoing forgiveness of sins is necessary to avoid damnation. So if it is necessary for our sins to be forgiven, it is also logical to ask God for that forgiveness.
God does not forgive us on the basis of whether we ask, or not.
“Father forgive them for they know NOT what they do.”
We couldn’t come up with all the different ways we have sinned in a weeks time. Of commission and omission.
But we ought tell Him our sins and ask forgiveness. That’s what happens in a relationship. There is no quid pro quo.
I think scripture is pretty clear on the matter. Although we are eternally forgiven via our redemption in Christ, in everyday life we are told to practice forgiveness.
I also think that includes ourselves. After all, if we didn’t recognize our own sin we wouldn’t bother asking for forgiveness in the first place.
Not liking a text Steve and calling it “Law” does not qualify as exegesis.
We need to wrestle with the text and figure out how it fits within the overall teaching of Scripture.
What you’re suggesting is that Jesus didn’t REALLY mean that God won’t forgive if we don’t forgive others but only said it to “expose our need for a savior”. So in essence he actually lied to the people he was speaking to by saying one thing and meaning another. Doublespeak…kind of.
Sorry, but that sounds absurd!
JFDU,
“Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.”
OK…what would you call that one? Law…or gospel?
Jesus told us to do all sorts of things that we flat out refuse to do, JFDU.
Have YOU sold all your possessions and given the money to the poor?
This may help:
http://theoldadam.com/2012/08/23/properly-distinguishing-gods-law-from-gods-gospel-to-avoid-confusion-in-the-christian-faith/
It helped me learn the purposes of the law and how to properly distinguish the law from the gospel.
Thanks.
Steve,
Sorry to disagree, but the gospel is about forgiveness. However, we cannot just assume because Christ had forgiven us eternally speaking, that we don’t have to go by His word in the Bible. regarding our life on earth.
Easy to say that is the “Law” but no it isn’t. It’s what Christ asked us to do, in the spirit of our hearts. If we don’t think we can apply that to ourselves, I’d say that was more the “Law” than not,b ecause we still asked to confess and repent of our sins here on earth.
Seems to me confessing the sin itself, in that instance is a very big part of asking forgiveness for a thing we have done, and not necessarily a salvation issue.
Steve we seem to go around this circle every time in different forums. Quite frankly, I find it tiresome when someone always points me to the law/gospel distinction.
I NEVER said that the commandment to forgive is gospel. Did you read me saying that? Anywhere?
It’s LAW alright, but your proposition is that the law should be ignored because of our inability to keep it. You also seem to present God’s law as something to be disdained and avoided lest it stains our view of the gospel. To use your words, it’s “law AND gospel”, not NO law and ONLY gospel. It’s BOTH!
We might not be able to keep ALL the commandments ALL of the time, but surely we can keep SOME of them SOME of the time. If you’re telling me that you have been regenerated by the Spirit of God and you have zero desire and capacity to obey any of God’s commandments, there is something seriously wrong!
I implore you to consider the absurdity of your position that has reduced God’s commandments as tricks that God plays with us, telling us to do things that he knows we can’t do, but he tells us anyway, but in reality he’s not expecting us to take any notice!
And NO I haven’t sold all my possessions and given to the poor because that commandment was given to one person, one time and is not binding to all Christians everywhere all the time. And even if it was, I wouldn’t have that much to give anyway!
John
There is a real problem here. I think biblicism has crept in.
I hear people say that we need to follow what Jesus says in the Bible…but yet no one does it. No one sells all they have…no one’s hungers and thirsts for righteousness…no one is never angry with another…no one is perfect as our father in Heaven is perfect.
These things Jesus says to paint us into the corner. To expose our desperate need of a Savior.
That so many do not see it this way, leads one to wonder what is going on inside of themselves that they can’t be honest about their inability and unwillingness top do these things that Jesus says we need to do.
Well Steve, until you deal with the text properly there’s no much discussion here.
“These things Jesus says to paint us into the corner” is no way to deal with the text. Seriously, if you insist that regenerated Christians have zero desire and capacity to obey biblical imperatives, then those individuals can’t be alive in Christ, surely!
Here’s a non-law text. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” Phil 2:13 I’m no exegetus maximus but my hunch here is that God enables his people not only to do his will but to want to do it (desire).
What do you do with something like that when you read it? You have resigned to the futility of “we fail therefore why bother?”
I’m pressed for time to find Luther’s quotes about the law, but you certainly don’t share his views even as a Lutheran.
Apologies to the author as we have gone astray from the topic of the OP.
JFDU,
I’m sure you are dealing with them properly. I’m SURE you are able and willing to DO all of those things He commanded.
Right.
You have to be kidding me. I do believe I know a great deal about Lutheran theology since I have studied it at length for 15 years.
But, you know everything.
Steve you just about contradicted the Book of Concord (IV Good Works 7)
“…truly good works are done, not from our own natural powers, but in this way: when the person by faith is reconciled with God and renewed by the Holy Ghost, or, as Paul says, is created anew in Christ Jesus to good works, Eph. 2:10.”
By your own confession spiritual renewal is not real then and counts for nothing. It’s just lip service. How dare I take God’s word at face value and believe that it means what it actually says?
Lord forbid! We’re just pathetic sinners crushed under the power of sin, perpetually defeated and completely incapable of overcoming ANY of its effects in this life.
As much as I’d love to continue the cyber banter Steve, it will be disrespectful to both the author of the post and other readers as we have gone way off track.
Adiós.
What we are speaking of is exactly what the author was speaking of; do we have to, so that God will.
It boggles my mind that some folks do not see that.
Let’s just keep the onus and focus on ‘us’, and what we should, must, and ought be doing (the law), and push Christ and His finished work to the periphery.
I do think that the clay is baked…so I’m outta here, as well.
I have for sometime beleived that, contrary to the popular view, that I John 1:9 is written to the unbelievers. I can send a thorough exegesis if anyone cares. But the bottom line is it has a conditional phrase that says if we confess then we can be forgiven. The common interpretation is just too catholic for me. I do not have to do aything as a believe to be forgiven. That is a done deal. And show where it is clear that in order to maintian fellowship with God (conditional love) we have to confess our sins.
Let me know if you want to I Jon 1:9 study. It will rock your point on this issue.
I think to love Christ’s words and to follow them (not in a spirit of justifying one’s self but simply following because His words are true and rhymes with everything that is good) is the same as faith (actually is living faith). Faith is not just agreeing to a statement on the atonement, it is having confidence and complete trust in the one who atoned. And how can we trust Him if we know not His words? If His words are not like honey to our soul?
“Instead of asking for forgiveness, what I need to do is confess my sins. It is in the confession that forgiveness is applied from the sacrifice that was already made, which includes the forgiveness of sins. ”
In light of 1 John 1:9, I say ‘Woohoo!’
Lisa,
Very good article.
A few questions:
1.) In order for you to get into heaven, do you have to have all sins forgiven? (What happens if you die with unforgiven sin)
2.) you say that “It is in the confession that forgiveness is applied”. Therefore, by that logic, without confession of sin, there is no forgiveness of sins for a christian… correct?
3.) Is confessing sin the only way to get your sins forgiven?
4.) Does the lords prayer of asking God “to forgive us our sins” apply today in the church age?
5.) What about the requirement to forgive others or God will not forgive you? Is that for the body of Christ today?
6.) In the parable of the servant who did not forgive his debtor (Matt 18:23-35) the “lord” forgave the debt in vs 32 and then took back that forgiveness in vs 34. Verse 35 says “So likewise shall my heavenly father do also to you”… Does God forgive you and then take back forgiveness if you do not forgive others from the heart?
7.) Why do we say a “true christian” does not “continue in sin” (based on 1 john 3:9); but then Jesus tells us that we are to forgive others 70 times 7 IN ONE DAY. Can a “true Christian” commit 490 sins in one day, then truly REPENT and then expect forgiveness of both others and God?
8.) Does Paul (in any of his 13 epistles) ever tell you to confess your sins or ask forgiveness for your sins?
9.) isn’t it significant that Paul says that all of our trespasses are forgiven (having forgiven ALL trespasses) God HATH for Christ sake forgiven you (Past tense based on Christ and not based on forgiving others, confessing sin or asking forgiveness) AND he redeemed us from ALL iniquity?
10.) John said the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from ALL sin… and Paul ties in that blood with our redemption and forgiveness of sin. (In whom we have redemption through his blood EVEN the forgiveness of sins- Col 1:14). Don’t we have the blood cleanse us and forgive us of all sins…
You know, it’s for reasons like this that I just love you guys. I have been plagued UNBELIEVABLY with this question. I mean, i was stuck, “when I sin, what do I do?” It was so hard, because I felt like “What? I just ASK for forgiveness and say sorry, like some kind of mantra that results in forgiveness?” I knew that couldn’t be it, but I was also thinking “What? I just say “oh, that wasn’t right” and move on??” What about God, how do I relate it to God?
Thank you so much!
It’s just not good news to perpetually go through forgiveness with God. That’s sad news. We are forgiven forever. Amen! I thank God for that when I pray. He convicts me of sin because he lives in me by the Spirit. That does not mean that the law is bad. It is good. We need it for teaching since it is from God and the world needs it to be aware of sin. It is our flesh that fails, not the law. In fact Christian Pharisees ignor it most of the time. Woe to you teachers of the law who drag the the faithful under the law of sin and death! Let me ask you this… Why would God present 2 forgivenesses processes? The law and the not so good news… One perpetually and one forever, kinda… Paul teaches us to forgive others as Christ has forgiven you. HOw? Forever and not holding, counting men’s sins against them. How are Christian Pharisees going to forgive? They’ll wait to forgive, until their enemies ask to be forgiven! We are supposed to extend the same forgiveness Christ has given us. Jesus was merely showing in the “prayer” that Jews were trying to bypass forgiving people by throwing up a “forgive me God” to Jehovah. Their hearts were not right. Christ was merely teaching under the Law, because it states the same thing in under the old covenenat. Leave your sacrifice and restore yourself to the one you have aught against. And yes. Jesus taught under the law and lived under it perfectly. Unlike Christian Pharisees who are still living under our their own efforts. I’ve been one, I know. 3 cheers for the Good News! You are forgiven forever peeps, like it not. If you really understand the law, you won’t want to be back under it. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Hip, Hip, Horray!
Thanks all. i learnt a great deal. However, i have this to say , that Christ died to restore mankind to the Abrahamic order of faith. now the question is this. Haven studied the life of Abraham from when God asked him to leave his fathers house, ( and he took Lot) God promised him a son ( He slept with his maid and had Ishmael) ofcourse he lied several times. My question is simple; was there any time Abraham asked God for forgiveness? was there any time he confessed his sins? If Abraham never did. Then we shouldn’t either.
Very late to the party on this one but as I am about to do a series on grace I will chime in.
If you read the whole chapter of 1 John 1 it is clear that this is passage is descriptive not prescriptive. John’s purpose is to describe how to identify who is a believer and who is not. The believers (i.e., the forgiven ones) are those who freely confess sin. Those who are not true believers will not admit their sins.
John is not saying that we need to confess to GET forgiveness. He is saying we confess because we ARE forgiven. It’s a sign of being forgiven that one will eventually agree with God when the Spirit convicts.
Much consternation in the Christian life (specifically as it relates to our understanding of grace), comes when we turn descriptive passages into prescriptive passages.
This is for Mr. Michael Patterson who thanks you Lisa Robinson for your comment. Ephesian and Thessalonian in word and deed give the Lord thanks in the name of Jesus Christ and at that point i acknowledge to the Lord of my wrongdoing and ask the Lord to help me. and Lisa I was just like you when I was a baby christian on milk I would always say forgive me and Hebrew really woke me up without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin
Lisa and the rest of you need to get and read Andrew Farley’s two books: THE NAKED GOSPEL and GOD WITHOUT RELIGION. 1 John 1:9 was a salvation verse directed at the unsaved Gnostics – not at believers. That entire first chapter of 1 John was directed at the Gnostics. Believers are always in the Light and in fellowship. Un-believers are never in the Light or in fellowship.
The root of your problem is not fully comprehending WHEN YOUR SINS WERE FORGIVEN. When Jesus said, “IT IS FINISHED!” the “IT” was everything to reconcile you to God…..except that one thing that God so desires from you…that you turn from your un-belief and turn in belief to Who Jesus is and what He accomplished for you on the cross.
The Sermon on the Mount was directed at Law-Abiding Jews…not Christians. That sermon was delivered during the OLD COVENANT, not the new. The NEw Testament (Covenant) does not begin at the first chapter of Matthew or the birth of Jesus. It began at the death of Jesus.
If we are supposed to confess our post-salvation sins to get them forgiven – as nearly every church in the USA teaches – then why isn’t that ever mentioned by the Apostle to the Gentiles – Paul? Because our sins are already forgiven at the cross. If we are to confess for forgiveness, then Romans 7:25 would have read something like this…”I thank God for giving me the ability and right to manage my sin – to get my sins forgiven by confessing them when most convenient – like just before partaking of the Lord’s Supper so that the communion curse won’t damn me to hell.”
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Lisa. I totally agree with you. I have been thinking about this for some time. I enjoyed reading these other comments but disagree with many of them. For one, how can we die with unforgiven sin? There is no such thing if you are a Christian. I am tired of Christians who dwell on sin and I’m tired of hearing how sinful we are! I cut out a devotion from Charles Stanley who writes “When we focus on the sin rather than the solution, then our entire spiritual perspective gets off balance. Emphasizing the sin directs all the attention to self-what I have done, how I have acted, where I have been. This self-centeredness will never lead to the peaceful assurance of salvation that the Lord has provided. When we focus on ourselves, we leave little room for God.” In God’s eyes I am holy. I am his precious child, forgiven and loved!