Confessing Sins As A Believer
By David J. Stewart
Proverbs 28:13, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
God is a wonderful God, full of mercy and love. 1st John 1:9 says
that God is faithful and just to forgive those who seek it, “If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.” But the Bible warns that if anyone denies being a
sinner, they are not saved. 1st John 1:10, “If we say that we have not
sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
I heard a heavy-metal rocker claim that Jesus is his Lord and Savior. He claims to have been saved for 10-years. Something is very wrong with His testimony. Although a person doesn't have to cease from sinning to be saved, the Bible teaches that genuine repentance changes a man's life (2nd Corinthians 5:17). In other words, we don't live right to GET saved; but rather, we live right because WE ARE saved.
You can't tell how much gas is in a car's fuel tank by the way the horn honks. You can't tell if a person is saved by looking at their life. However, when a person boasts of their sins, defending the sins of homosexuality, abortion and heavy-metal rock music, then something is wrong because they are denying their sins. 1st John 1:8-10 says that a man is calling God a liar who denies his sins. I sincerely doubt the salvation of anyone who doesn't see anything sinful about homosexuality, abortion or Satanic rock music.
Please
don't misunderstand, I'm not saying that some believers aren't living in the
worst of sins. The Bible is filled with believers who committed adultery,
murder, drunkenness, prostitution, cursing God's name, running from God,
stealing, lying, et cetera. I AM saying that no believer brags about committing
such sins, nor do they defend them as being innocent and acceptable to the Lord.
Unsaved people defend their wickedness, calling good evil and evil good, because
they know not God.
Hebrews 12:6-8 teaches that God WILL scourge and chasten His children when they sin. A man who claims to be saved, but lives in the depths of sin without Holy Spirit conviction, is not saved at all. The Holy Spirit convicts the believer who lives in sin. If we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged; but if we are judged by God, He chastises (disciplines) us for our own good (1st Corinthians 11:31-32).
People will never forgive nor forget your mistakes, faults and sins. People will gossip, slander and accuse you for the remainder of your life (or theirs). That's what the carnal, heathen, wicked person does. That's what Satan does! I'd hate to spend my life condemning and devouring other people in hatred like so many do today. Revelation 12:10, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” You're never more like Satan, than when you parade someone's personal sins publicly in the community (or on the internet), accusing them (pointing the finger), and you try to turn other people again that person for their sins.
Exposing
someone as a dangerous public influence because of their open rebellion against
God, open immorality, open unbiblical teachings, or open wickedness is Biblical.
But notice I said “open.” I would not expose Marsha Stevens for being a lesbian
who's married to another lesbian. It's not my place to condemn (damn) anyone
(James 4:12). However, Stevens boasts of her lesbianism and has an apostate
ministry called B.A.L.M. (Born Again Lesbian Music).
She goes around the country promoting lesbianism through her music in the churches. What she is doing is very public and very wrong! That's very different than finding out through the grapevine that Stevens was once a homosexual and you're trying to turn people against her, continually bringing up her past and judging her in the place of God.
Another example is a professed Christian woman who allegedly divorced numerous husbands. She's an educator and has authored several books. No doubt many people are jealous of her. Some malicious person filled with hatred found her person divorce records on the internet and printed them. Then they mailed the divorce records to various enemies of the woman, who have condemned her and are doing everything in their power to destroy her reputation, influence and ministry for Christ. Those people are evil beyond description. God's severest wrath is reserved for hypocrites. Matthew 7:1-3, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”
In sharp contrast, as believers we are commanded to confess our sins (1st John 1:9) and to forgive others of their sins in the Lord (Ephesians 4:30-32). If we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us. Jesus taught to forgive 70 times 7 (Matthew 18:22). Do you think God is less forgiving, not following His own teachings? As long as you are alive, you can be forgiven; but the moment you die, then it is too late. Your fate is sealed.
God mercy is abundant, but it ends for the wicked at the grave (Hebrews 9:27). God gives every man the opportunity to get saved. Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” Man's obligation is to DESIRE the truth. God's obligation is to PROVIDE the truth. If a person doesn't desire the truth, then God is not obligated to give them the truth. No one can accuse God of any wrong doing, because God is fair and just in all He does. Those who falsely accuse God of doing wrong are evil and ingrates! God is a good and merciful God, greatly to be praised!
John 16:22, "And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."
