Theologically-Incorrect

This blog has been created to discuss various theological issues and as a forum to answer theological questions. Many theological/biblical questions people have come from incorrect information--hence the blog name. It is my aim to answer these questions according to Holy Scripture.

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Location: Monett, Missouri, United States

07 August 2006

Do we really need to confess our sins in worship?


Is this a rhetorical question? I am disgusted at a fellow colleague who told a church member of his congregation that we don’t need to confess our sins when we come to church. He said, “Do you come to church with some sin that burdens you, and if you do, why?” He said that all of our sins are forgiven—yesterday, today, and always. There is no reason for us to come to church and feel sorry over our sins because it has already been forgiven. He said, "God doesn't want you to come to church so that He can bash you down with your sins--He is just so happy to have you there because He has restored you and forgiven you because of what Jesus has done for you on the cross. Why bother with a confession when all is forgiven anyway. It's a waste of time."

I concede the fact that our sins are forgiven yesterday, today, and forever. I concede that God does not want to bash us down because of our sins. But what about passages like 1 John 1:8-9? “If we say we have no, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Our God, is a God that likes to be reminded of His forgiveness and loving-kindness. By our confessing to Him our sins, we are reminding Him of His loving kindness and forgiveness and we are reminding ourselves that our forgiveness is complete in Christ Jesus.

It’s like another colleague said to me, “You wouldn’t tell you wife on your wedding day that you loved her and then say, I won’t ever tell you this again because I’ve told you once and it’s good for all time.” I don’t know about your wife, but that wouldn’t work with mine! I don’t think God thinks to favorably on the idea of His people never recognizing His loving forgiveness, and we recognize His love and forgiveness by confessing our sins.

And if that isn’t enough, we simply need to hear the healing balm of the Gospel—you are forgiven, go in peace! Would like some feedback.

2 Comments:

Blogger Trophimus said...

As I understand it, 1 John was written to refute the Gnostics of the time who did not believe we had a sin nature..ergo, if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves..etc. Paul was saying that for our sins to be forgiven it is necessary to agree with God and confess that WE DO have sin. However, once that has happened, if we sin we should thank God that Jesus has already taken away our sins for all time..he is the lamb who takes away the sin of the world. God is not dealing with men now on the basis of their sins..Romans 5:10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

I derive from this and other New Testament passages that Jesus took the sins of men from the eyes of God. Faith in Christ then allows us to partake of this all time forgiveness and thank God that all my sins have been forgiven for all time.

8:33 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Without the loving-kindness of the Gospel, whose truth we hear every week in worship, we have no truth to hear! The truth brought to us in Confession-that we are sinful, that there is no good within us-leads us to realize that we are who we are. To refuse such blatant truth is to be ignorant of the world in which we live, the horror of national tragedies and the like. Whom do we blame that on? "Well, that young man was just not right in mind." That doesn't explain anything! To realize that we still have original sin, and that it manifests itself everyday, is proof that we need this divine truth living in us--through Baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit--through Word and the Sacrament of the Altar--and through blessed Confession and Absolution, where we are reminded that we are Christ's in a most powerful way. Dittos Pastor Cody!
Mark Peters, Staten Island

10:57 AM  

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