The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
(Friends: the message today begins a series concerning the matter of confession of sin by believers, most often considered in the light of I John 1:9. The matter is of vital importance for many reasons, including the glory of God being consistently revealed in our lives, and the absolute necessity of a cleansed conscience whereby we remain encouraged and strengthened in our walk with the Lord. We hope the considerations will be helpful in this regard. Glen)
"Confession of Sin"
Part 1 - First Response
"Affirmation - of the Person and work of Christ - must begin our confession of sin. This seems counterintuitive until we recall that sin always results when we divert our gaze from the Lord Jesus."
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" (Hebrews 10:22).
The Apostle John's promise of forgiveness and cleansing applies to born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, referencing not our salvation, but rather the maintenance of our ongoing fellowship with God. We therefore do well to know what it means for believers to confess our sins, along with the nature of the forgiveness and cleansing we receive thereby.
The Greek word from which "confess" is translated is homologeo, meaning "to say the same thing." Clearly, John calls us to say the same thing about our sins as God says. This involves more than simply admitting our sins, although confession does involve admission: "I acknowledge my transgressions" (Psalm 51:3). However, to say the same thing about our sins as God says involves more than mere acknowledgement. What does the Lord declare in His Word about the sins of the believer? We must know, in order to agree with Him and effectually experience His promised forgiveness and cleansing. "In Thy light shall we see light" (Psalm 36:9).
If we could directly ask our Heavenly Father about our sins, His first response might surprise us. Initially, He would say nothing about you or me, or our sin. "My Son is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," He would tell us of the sacrifice that has always been in His heart and purpose for sin and sinners. "He suffered and died for sin, His blood is the propitiation for sin, and His sacrifice so avails for sin that I will not impute sin to anyone who trusts My beloved Son (Revelation 13:8; I Peter 3:18; I John 2:2; Romans 4:8). Our Father would have us join Him in directing our first gaze upon the Son "made to be sin for us," calling us to see Him accordingly, and to say the same thing as He says about Christ's atoning work. As He directed Israel to look at the serpent on a pole in order to be healed, He would tell us to see the Savior upon His cross as our hope for forgiveness and cleansing (II Corinthians 5:21; Numbers 21:8).
Affirmation - of the Person and work of Christ - must begin our confession of sin. This seems counterintuitive until we recall that sin always results when we divert our gaze from the Lord Jesus. Little wonder then that our Father's first mandate would be to reestablish our focus upon the One who forms and informs the entirety of our relationship to God, and the means whereby we walk with Him in faith and faithfulness. "To live is Christ… We live through Him" (Philippians 1:21; I John 4:9).
Such wondrous truth will overwhelm us with wonder, refresh us in God's grace, and establish the basis for a far more effectual confession, repentance, and restoration. Our Father looks upon our sins through the lens of His Son. He sees the horrors suffered by the Lord Jesus on the cross, and how vast a measure of grace and mercy He purchased by so great a sacrifice. This awareness of God's focus and emphasis results in our confession of sin beginning not with ourselves, but with the Lord Jesus. Indeed, restoration can only originate when we turn our gaze back upon Him. The Psalmist foreshadowed such grace, beckoning his soul to come back to the Lord, based on what the Lord had done for him. "Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee" (Psalm 116:7).
A most somber truth forms and informs our consideration. On the cross of Calvary, the Father looked away from His beloved Son as He bore our sin and was made to be sin for us. "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46). Never will we know what this meant in the heart of God. Of this we can be sure, however: Our Father will never again turn His gaze away from the Lord Jesus. Moreover, He looks upon the Lord Jesus for you and for me in a gaze of grace. He sees Him at His right hand, risen from the dead and ascended to Heaven as our mediator. He sees the prints upon the hands and feet of His Son. He sees our Lord as our perfect intercessor. In this most holy light, made possible by the darkness of Calvary, we can be absolutely sure of our Father's first response if we could ask Him about our sins, and where He would direct our first response as we confess, or say the same thing…
"Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
(Romans 8:34)
Tomorrow: Part 2 - Forgiving the forgiven.
Weekly Memory Verse
"Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee."
(Psalm 116:7).
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