Do I believe a saint has to confess their sins in order to be forgiven? Double NO!
Do I believe a saint has to confess their sins? No
Now, why?
First ? if I read my Bible right Eph. 1:7 and Col. 1:14 says I am already forgiven. When Christ died for my sins 2000 years ago He died for them all ? the ones I, as a believer, did yesterday and the ones I am going to do later on. If God forgave me at Calvary for my sins then I am forgiven. My forgiveness is based upon Christ's finished work at Calvary ? not my confessing them.
Let's go further. Let's say I go in and talk mean to my wife. This is sin. I immediately sit down and read Eph. 1:7 ? it says I am forgiven. I go and get drunk (God forbid!) ? this is sin. I sit down and read col. 1:14 ? it says I am forgiven. You see I am forgiven ? it is as though I never sinned or ever will in God's eyes ? read Ephesians 1. My standing before God is sinless perfection. Yes, I sin all day long because of this vile nature I still have in me but I am forgiven already based upon Calvary!
Now, here comes the saints' ?out?. I John 1:9. This is the main verse everyone uses to say we have to confess our sins. I call this verse the ?Baptist mass? for many have abused this verse into thinking that all they have to do after they sin is to confess and all is done.
This has led to an abuse of the grace we have and given some a license to sin. Shameful!
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Look real close if you are going to use this verse as your ammo. Take it as it stand with no application or going to any worthless ancient word studies.
Here your forgiveness is based upon your confession. This forgiveness is conditional. If you confess you get forgiveness ? if you don't ? no forgiveness. I'm not talking about your ?fellowship? with the Father (as some says it ?really? means) ? I'm talking about forgiveness.
As mentioned above my forgiveness is in Jesus Christ ? not by me asking forgiveness. If you take this verse at face value for TODAY then you would be confessing your sins at an alarming rate. And what if you forgot to confess one ? according to the verse it means you are not forgiven and I'd like to see you get into heaven with any sins on you. You see how if you take this verse here as it stand your new full time job as saint would be confessing all day long for we sin all day long!!! You ought to get down on your knees right now and thank the Lord for grace!
Summary ? the saint does not have to confess their sins in order to have those sins forgiven ? the saint is already forgiven ? was forgiven a long time ago.
Does someone have to confess his or her sins in order to get forgiveness? You bet ? not sure who they are but I would be willing to bet that it has something to do with Israel and the tribulation period but I know one thing it contradicts Pauline doctrine of Eph. 1:7 and Col. 1:14 so I know it doesn't doctrinally apply to the blood-bought saint today. Never said I understood it all - I just said it wasn't for me today and I am glad!!!
Now ? application - Do I believe it is good to confess ? yes. It's not a bad idea to cleanse the conscience before the Lord. This could remove any barriers YOU have put up that have kept you from fellowshipping with the Lord. Sometimes sin takes away our boldness to go before the throne. The Lord doesn't put up barriers but WE DO. To acknowledge our sins and ignorances keeps us honest before the Lord. But to confess in order TO GET SOMETHING FROM God I believe to be unscriptural and not needed.
What do I know when I know I've blown it? I acknowledge it to my Father ? I thank him for the forgiveness I have already have ? I claim the power He has given me to not live that way and ask His grace so as not to do such evil again. But I don't ask God to forgive me for why should I ask Him for something that He has already done!!!???!!! Claim the forgiveness you already have in Christa and go and sin no more!
What should understanding real forgiveness do for the saint? It should humble him. It should make him so grateful and thankful that he would not want to sin so easily. It should call his mind to a quicker repentance when he does sin knowing that God sacrificed His only Son for sin.
So, saint, guess what? You are forgiven regardless of what you do. Does this mean you should go out and live like the devil? God forbid - Rom. 6:1,2 ? your duty is to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you have been called ? Eph. 4:1. Are you saved? Then live like you are and let the world see a work of grace in you.