Do not neglect to confess and repent…

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. . . . Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’ Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David. “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. (2 Chronicles 6:12–21)

While not printed here, the rest of Solomon’s prayer is mostly asking God to remember His covenant with David and the promises He made to those who sin. When that happens and “if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity to which they were carried captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, then hear from heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their pleas, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. Now, O my God, let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place.”

Sometimes Christians fail to realize the importance of keeping short accounts with God. One reason is that, “We are already forgiven so there is no reason to ask for forgiveness.” However, the NT says:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:7–10)

The opposite of walking in light is living in darkness, a word that describes being oblivious to where I am and what I am doing. Unless I read the Word of God and hear the Holy Spirit showing me what is wrong with me, I will remain in darkness. However, the plan of God is to transform me into the likeness of His Son. I must pay attention. I must read and realize His conviction and agree with it (confession). Not only is forgiveness applied, but also cleansing. Without this, that sin remains and is repeated. Sadly, no confession is making God a liar and revealing that His Word, even if I read it, has not worked the changes that it is well-able to do.

Solomon started well but later decided to rule parts of his life. He did not confess his sinful desires and was stuck with them. This happened to a wise man — so who is exempt?

Jesus, keep me alert. I don’t like seeing my sinful errors, but cannot confess what is keeping me in the dark without You shedding light on those selfish ideas and stubborn insistence on my own way. Humility is always blessed. Don’t give up in helping me see what I need to confess before You.

 

Keeping short accounts with God…

 

A few weeks ago, a Christian friend said she didn’t need to confess sin as that had been done when she was saved. God had already forgiven all her sin, past, present, and future. She was startled at the teaching of keeping short accounts with God as the NT says:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:7–10)

This passage is not in past tense. God knows that if I sin, the guilt of it can cripple me as it puts my focus on failure and defeats future efforts. That is not the only reason for short accounts. Sin spoils fellowship with God and often with one another. When I am being selfish, no one wants to talk to me, and God does not use me until I clear it up with Him in confession and repentance.

That said, today’s reading speaks of a failure to grasp the “much more” of Scripture that tells me God wants to do things in my life that are above and beyond my imagination. The remedy given is to have more faith, to abandon forever our “much less” of unbelief, to accept as true God’s declaration of “much more,” and to claim at once the promised victory. It adds, “According to our faith it must and will be to us.”

But what can ruin faith more than sin and unconfessed sin? Sin comes when I put myself in the driver’s seat and run my own life according to my own ideas. They might seem good or be very selfish, but either way, I’m turning from the will of God and stopped trusting Him. Is God going to fill me with His Spirit and bless me with a fruitful life while I am like that? Of course not. It is only the promise of 1 John 1:9 that gives me forgiveness and a clean heart, and with that, He will fill me with His Spirit and direct my thoughts and actions according to His will. Otherwise, I’ve come up against a wall, a roadblock, and cannot advance. Sin separates. It cannot be ignored.

For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)

The free gift of Christ’s righteousness is not going to show up in my life when I’ve turned from it to run my own life. Just as Jesus said that I cannot serve both God and money, I also cannot serve both God and myself. My work, attitudes, even worship, is something He pours in. In myself, I can do nothing and if sin blocks His blessings, I cannot deny it and carry on as if I’m okay.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. (John 15:4)

Abiding is about continuing or staying in harmony with the Lord. Sin messes with that and renders me useless in serving Him. I cannot serve Him and at the same time serve myself. Such sin, even the attitude of ‘me, myself, and I’ must be confessed, forgiven, and cleansed to get me back into abiding and living for Him.

PRAY: Lord, You are continually making me more sensitive to Your rebuke and correction. When I  neglect continual confession and become more and more self-centered, I know that I’ve lost touch with You and that Your focus for me changes. Instead of hearing my prayers for others who have needs, You concentrate on convicting and changing my attitude — my dire need. Thank You for loving me so much that You do not ignore any of my sinfulness, and will do whatever it takes to help me acknowledge it and bring it to the foot of the cross. You want me to be bold and guilt-free, knowing Your love and relying on You for all things.

Sinless?

 

READ Luke 17-20

A man stood up during a church meeting and told the rest of us that he no longer sinned. He said that the salvation made possible by Jesus Christ would be put to shame if it was not complete. At that time I was a new Christian and thought something was wrong with his theology but didn’t have enough understanding on my own to make a response.

Today I read the following parable from Luke and am reminded of what that man said about his ‘righteousness’ . . .

Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you; this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9–14)

I don’t remember if the man in church treated others with contempt, yet his words were similar to this Pharisee. He claimed he was not like everyone else who did sinful things.

Through my Christian life, God warns me against such thinking, whether it is about comparing myself with others in regard to sin, or other things such as being better in school, or having more friends, or selling more articles, or knowing more about a topic, or any other kinds of self-exalting or lording it over people in regard to that cultural value system of ‘bigger, better, more’ that usually flies in the face of truth.

The Bible clearly says this about Christians and sin:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:7–10)

When reading the Word of God or listening to a biblical teacher or preacher, or interacting with others, God often speaks to me about my short-comings using what I read or hear or observe. I’m rebuked nearly every day about failing to obey or being hypocritical or falling short of being like Jesus. I see others who are far more compassionate, far less self-centered, and even though the Bible warns about comparing myself with others, obviously I’ve things to confess.

Verse 9 in the above quote has been a long-term guide for me. It is God’s message about how to deal with sin and keep growing more like Jesus. When I sin, I’m to ‘fess up, agreeing with the Holy Spirit. Don’t deny it or hide it or call it something else. He forgave, forgives, and will forgive — and also will clean me up. Otherwise, I’m stuck with it and with the arrogant idea that now that I am a Christian, I never do anything contrary to the will of God. He is the Savior — I cannot save myself from sin’s penalty or its power. Never could and never can.

Jesus warned His disciples about self-righteousness and even did it in the hearing of all the people. He said: “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” (Luke 20:45–47)

These religious leaders called down everyone who was not like them without realizing that in the act of doing that, they were far worse than others who admitting their sin. They should have known better but pride in their religious activities overcame the truth of the Gospel.

For me, the Lord says to always remember that sin is sin and everyone is guilty. The good news is that because of Jesus everyone can be forgiven. Only Jesus has the power to change lives. One day, when I  step into eternity, I will be like Him, but until then I have to agree with Him that change remains necessary.