Are Your Sins Confessed Up to Date?
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. — 1 John 1:9
When I was in seminary, Bertha Smith came to speak. She was a godly woman who was part of the Shantung Revival in China. Her hair had turned white and wiry. Her face was battered by the years. Her first words to our class were: "Boys, are your sins confessed up to date?"
I had never heard that phrase before. I knew confession was important, but "sins confessed up to date"? It grabbed my heart.
At the time, I was selling Kawasaki Motorcycles in Fort Worth on commission. I was poor. Because there wasn't much business, I had time. So I took a legal pad and asked God, "Would you reveal everything that is unconfessed sin? I will wait on you."
I thought He would give me two or three things. I filled up the front and back of the legal pad! Attitudes and actions where I had not agreed with God. After that, I wadded it up and threw it in the trash.
Here's what you need to understand: Relationship and fellowship are two different things.
The moment you place your faith in Christ, you have a relationship with God forever. He makes you His child. The blood of Jesus covers you. When God thinks about you, He sees you as perfect, cleansed, holy, acceptable, and completely loved.
But fellowship is different. Fellowship is a moving target. You can have a relationship but be out of fellowship. God hasn't changed. You have. Sin disrupts your fellowship with God.
If sin has broken your fellowship, you need to confess. The Greek word "homologeo" means "the same as." We must agree with God. When you agree with God about your sin, it blows the plaque off your fellowship.
Being in fellowship with God is very important. If you don't major on this, you'll get stale and dry. You get hardened.
So let me ask you: Are your sins confessed up to date?
When I was in seminary, Bertha Smith came to speak. She was a godly woman who was part of the Shantung Revival in China. Her hair had turned white and wiry. Her face was battered by the years. Her first words to our class were: "Boys, are your sins confessed up to date?"
I had never heard that phrase before. I knew confession was important, but "sins confessed up to date"? It grabbed my heart.
At the time, I was selling Kawasaki Motorcycles in Fort Worth on commission. I was poor. Because there wasn't much business, I had time. So I took a legal pad and asked God, "Would you reveal everything that is unconfessed sin? I will wait on you."
I thought He would give me two or three things. I filled up the front and back of the legal pad! Attitudes and actions where I had not agreed with God. After that, I wadded it up and threw it in the trash.
Here's what you need to understand: Relationship and fellowship are two different things.
The moment you place your faith in Christ, you have a relationship with God forever. He makes you His child. The blood of Jesus covers you. When God thinks about you, He sees you as perfect, cleansed, holy, acceptable, and completely loved.
But fellowship is different. Fellowship is a moving target. You can have a relationship but be out of fellowship. God hasn't changed. You have. Sin disrupts your fellowship with God.
If sin has broken your fellowship, you need to confess. The Greek word "homologeo" means "the same as." We must agree with God. When you agree with God about your sin, it blows the plaque off your fellowship.
Being in fellowship with God is very important. If you don't major on this, you'll get stale and dry. You get hardened.
So let me ask you: Are your sins confessed up to date?
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2 Comments
we all have sinned, I ask God for forgiveness every day,
I once did a similar list of my sin. It does go long. I need to confess my sin every day to start fresh with God.