The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"To Say the Same Thing"
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
In the moment of the new birth through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, God completely and forever forgives believers' sins in the sense of justification, relationship, and standing with Him. Indeed, in the aorist tense of New Testament Greek, the Apostle Paul wrote, "God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you," denoting a one time, once for all dispensing of pardon for sin (Ephesians 4:32). Such grace so completely provides forgiveness that God "will not impute sin" to those who receive His grace in Christ (Romans 4:8).
However, because Christians still sin in this present life, we require forgiveness for the maintaining of our ongoing fellowship and walk with the Lord. The writer of Hebrews calls believers to "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" (Hebrews 10:22). This requires the Apostle John's well known assurance in I John 1:9 regarding the confession of sin. Interestingly, however, the word "confess" in John's statement denotes a broader meaning than we may realize.
The Greek root word for "confess" is "homologeo," meaning to say the same thing, that is, to confess our sins means that we say the same thing about them that God says. Of course, He says much in His Word about the matter. But what is the first thing He would say to us about sin? John again illuminates our consideration in his declaration of the Lord Jesus as "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8).
Every truth originates with Christ, the Beginning and the Alpha of all things. Our Heavenly Father would first direct us to His Son when considering the matter of our sin. Before we even existed, God had made a way in His heart and purpose to redeem us from our sins. Thus, to say the same thing about our sins means our first confession involves not that we have sinned, but rather that the Lord Jesus died for whatever unbelief or disobedience we acknowledge. The Savior first; then, sin and the sinner - this constitutes God's protocol and sequence regarding communication of forgiveness of sin. This involves leading unbelievers to the Lord Jesus, and in the Holy Spirit leading believers to the laver of cleansing in times of waywardness. In Christ, always the supply first, and then the need.
In God's perspective, the death of Christ offered a timeless means of pardon for every sin. Before the advent of the Lord Jesus, the Father forgave sin based on His promise that a Redeemer would come. After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, God forgives sin based on His promise that a Redeemer has come. Thus, "homologeo" - saying the same thing - beckons us to begin our understanding of sin with our Lord's provision rather than our problem. This initiates our confession of sin as believers. Before we acknowledge with godly sorrow and repentance our wrong, we acknowledge with awed and amazed wonder the grace of "the Lamb slain" for our sins. We say the same thing God says. In such holy light, a far more Biblical confession ensues, resulting in a far deeper contrition and cleansing, along with a far greater determination to arise from our fall in a restored walk of faith and faithfulness.
I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin" (Psalm 38:18). Whence comes such honest acknowledgement and genuine sorrow for sin? Beginning where God begins regarding His forgiveness and our sin goes far in leading us to contrition and cleansing. Saying the same thing about our sins as God says about them means that we first confess the death of Christ for sin, and in such holy light, proceed to repentant confession of sin. Yes, we join our Father in His view, which always and forever begins not with our sin, but with His Son.
"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:4-6; note the fascinating tense of this passage, which speaks of a future event in terms of the past. Again, in God's heart and purpose, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world).
Weekly Memory Verse
Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
(John 4:14).
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