The Unveiling of God

 1 COR. 2:7-16; HEB. 1:1-2; 2:1-4 

SUBJECT:  THE DOCTRINE OF REVELATION 

              

THEME: This Lesson Is Concerned with God’s Disclosure or Unveiling of Himself to Mankind by the Method of the Scriptures. Yes, God Is the Greatest Communicator of Himself Ever. Therefore, the Bible Is the Irrefutable Evidence of His Desire to Be Thoroughly Known and Embraced in a Vital Redemptive Relationship by all People.

RELEVANCY:   Why Is This Important to Us:

The Bible clearly claims to be the Word of God--its message is of divine origin. We need to realize from Scripture why it makes sense to believe that it really is.You see this is the question: Is blind faith enough to accept the Bible as an authoritative and sufficient platform on which to place one's eternal destiny? I contend that we need to know what the Bible says about itself to further justify our accepting it as the Word of God.  As a result we will be far more confident that we have a compass for life, giving us instructions in how to live and assurance of life after death in Heaven with God. (Anders) 

INTRODUCTION:    

Yes, through the ages, God has used a variety of ways to speak to His people. He apparently talked face-to-face on a daily basis with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, meeting them in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8). After Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were expelled from the Garden, God turned to other forms of communication with His beloved creation.

There are at least eight ways in which God spoke to His people in Bible times: through Direct Revelation, Dreams, Written Words, the Prophets, Circumstances, Angels, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit.

Today we want to focus our study on the meaning of Revelation and distinguish it from some of the myths and other erroneous ideas about what should be considered a revelation of God.

MESSAGE:
WHAT IS MEANT BY REVELATION?   (DEFINITION)

The word "revelation" simply means a revealing, and in theology is applied to God's revealing of Himself to mankind.

Without revelation, we wouldn't know anything about God -or even that there is a God. Thus we begin this study with the premise that God desires to make Himself known to man, and has in fact revealed Himself at various times and in different ways.

Hebrews 1:1-2, God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, [2] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

     A.  ITS MEANING.  

          1. "Revelation Is the Unveiling of Something Previously Hidden So That it May Be Seen for What it Is."  1 Cor. 2:7-10,  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: [8] Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. [9] But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. [10] But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

         2.  Revelation:  God Disclosing to Man That Which He Cannot Find out by Himself.

1Cor. 2:11-16,  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. [13] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. [15] But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. [16] For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Romans 16:25-26,  Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, [26] But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:   (Also see:  1 Cor. 14:6,26; 2 Co. 12:1,7; Ga. 1:12; 2:2; Ep. 3:3; 1 Pe. 1:13; Re. 1:1).

           3.  The Greek Word Translated "Revelation" Is Apokalupsis, Which Means an Uncovering, or to Take Off the Cover, Disclose.  In the following verses we see this same word variously used but always denoting a disclosure of something previously unknown.

                a)  Revelation Means Disclosure in the Writings of Paul.

Ephes. 3:2-6,   If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward: [3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, [4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) [5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; [6] That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

                b) Revelation Means Disclosure in the Writings of John.

Rev. 1:1,  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

                c) Revelation Means Disclosure According to Our Lord Jesus.

Luke 10:21-24,   In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. [22] All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

    [23] And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: [24] For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Also Matt. 16:15-19) (Other Ref.  Amos 3:7;  Matt 11:25-27;  Matt 13:11;  Matt 16:17;  Luke 2:26;  Luke 10:21;  1 Cor. 14:30;  Eph. 3:3;  1 Peter 1:12;  Rev 1:1)

                                              

    B.  IT’S MASTER.

All revelation is supernatural in that it has God for its source and truth as its end.

Deut. 29:29, The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

The “secret things” here refer to the “words of this law” clearly referring to the Scriptures and God as the ‘Originator’ of revelation.

         1.  All Divine Revelation /Truth Proceeds From God and Him Alone.

             a. The Supreme Being of Truth.

Romans 1:25, Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Romans 15:8, Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

  

              b. The Son of Truth.                         

John 14:6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Rev. 19:11, And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he (The Lord Jesus Christ) that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

              c. The Spirit of Truth.

John 14:17, Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 16:13-14, Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

         2.  Divine Revelation/ Truth Can Only Be Obtain From God.  He is the Source.

There is no need to look anywhere else to find or to secure truth or divine revelation. 

1Cor. 2:14-16, But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. [15] But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. [16] For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

This automatically eliminates the Human Mind, Reason, Philosophy, Intuition, Speculations, Aristotle, Plato, and any other love and pursuit of wisdom and knowledge as equals with the Revelation of God-the Truth.  Only the Apostles and Prophets knew the mind of God, we have it today in the written Word of God.  God has revealed Himself to man and the Scriptures are the single authoritative disclosure of Him in this day and age.  If we really want to know God we must turn to the scriptures.  No other writings should be placed on the same level with them.

   C.  IT’S MISCONCEPTIONS.

There are Ways in Which God Does Not Speak Today and I Want to Simply Identify Some of These from the Outset of Our Study!

We will explore some of these ways briefly latter on, but I would like to indicate at the outset of this study that there are two ways in which God did not and does not speak to His people.

           1. God Does Not Speak to His People Through Natural Phenomena.

That statement may seem strange to you since many of us say that we feel closer to God when we are in the great outdoors. I am a lover of God's natural world. Few things delight me as much as seeing the beauty of nature and even taking photographs of what God has created. Having feelings about God's presence and about His creation is not the same, however, as claiming that we have a message from God through some act of nature.

                a. ILLUSTRATION: We cannot observe a volcanic eruption or a hurricane, for example, and say, “Look at what God is saying.” Neither can we perceive a certain pattern in the ashes of a fireplace and conclude, “This is God's word.” I heard of a man who saw a cross shape in the clouds as he was flying in a jet one day, and he concluded that it was a sign that meant he was saved. A glint in the skies does not have anything to do with confessing our sinful state, receiving God's forgiveness, or believing in Jesus Christ and confessing Him as Savior and Lord, which is the pattern that the Bible gives for our salvation.

                  b. The Broad Message of God in Nature Is That Our God Is an Orderly God, Who Operates His Universe According to Purpose, Design, and Intention.

                        1)  We See in Nature That God Loves Beauty and That He Provides Amply for His Children.

                        2)  We See That God Has Seasons of Timing and a Rhythm of Life for All Things, Including Each of Us.

                        3)  We See That God Is Infinitely Creative, and Certainly, as We Look at Some Aspects of Human Nature, We must Conclude That God Has a Sense of Humor.

                        4)  Ultimately, We See in Nature That God Is Supreme and Awesome, and That We Are the Work of His Hands, the Created and Not the Creator. Nature speaks of God. That is far different from saying, “God speaks through nature a personal word to us.”

                  c. When We Try to See God's Message in Natural Events, We Are Dangerously Close to the Practice of Divination. God clearly condemns divination—the attempt to discern God's message through such things as the pattern of tea leaves or the position of the stars. God does not speak to us through astrology or fortune-tellers. The Bible calls these practices abominations to God.

                  d. God May Use Natural Means to Confirm His Word to Us or to Reveal His Timing, But We must Be Very Clear on this Point So as Not to Misunderstand How He Does it.  Jesus said that we are to be astutely aware of the natural events/phenomena that lead up to the fulfillment of God's promises.

Matthew 16:1-4, The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. [2] He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. [3] And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? [4] A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. (Luke 12:54-56)

                           1) ILLUSTRATION: We find a good example of this in 1 Kings 18. Elijah told King Ahab, “Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.”(Vs. 41). Elijah had received a message from God that the drought was ending. After Elijah said those words, he sent his servant to the top of a mountain to look toward the sea, the direction from which storms came to that area. He sent his servant seven times, and on the seventh trip, the servant reported, “Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand.” (Vs 44). Elijah perceived that God was fulfilling His word, and he sent a message to the king, “Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.” (See 1 Kings 18:41–44.)

                            2)  Note That Elijah Had the Word of the Lord First and He Was Looking for the Fulfillment of That Word. A natural phenomenon was used to confirm what Elijah had already heard; the word of God came first. It's critical that you see this difference. Many people make a grave error in assuming that when they see some twist of a twig or a breeze from a certain direction that God is giving them a message or a sign.  (Other examples of this would be in Matt.24:1-35; Joel 2:28-32 ect.). Natural circumstances, wonders, sensations, marvels, and events only confirm the Word of God but does not establish a message from God within themselves!

             2. God Does Not Speak to His People Through Occult Practices.

God's Word speaks strongly against conjuring spirits—such as séances—and any form of magic that might attempt to give us direction for our lives.

                   a. Soothsayers and Seers Were among the People That God Clearly Told His Children to Avoid. We are to stay far away from such things as tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystals, magic charms, and other such paraphernalia associated with the occult. They are not methods that God has used in the past, is using today, or will ever use.

          

                   b.  Divination:  Attempting to Foretell Future Events or Discover Hidden Knowledge Through Dreams, Astrology, Magic, Palm Reading, Cards, Stones, Etc. Divination is forbidden by God (Le. 19:26). [See also Witchcraft.]

Leviticus 19:26, Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

Leviticus 19:31, Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. (See Also Lev. 20:6; De. 18:9-14)

                   c. Witchcraft. Magic; Sorcery; Demonism; Occultism (Ex. 22:18; Le. 19:26,31; 20:6;; 1 Sa. 15:23; 2 Ki. 9:22; 2 Ch. 33:6; Is. 47:13-15; Je. 27:9-10; Da. 2:10; Mi. 5:12; Na. 3:4; Ac. 19:19; Ga. 5:20; Ep. 5:11; 6:10-18; Re. 21:8). The Bible makes no distinction between "white magic" and "black magic." Every form of involvement in spiritism is strictly forbidden.

                   d. Astrologer--one who observes the heavens, believing the heavenly bodies influence men's lives (Is. 47:13; Da. 1:20; 2:2, 10, 27; 4:7; 5:7,11,15). Certainly, Divine Wisdom is much better then Demonic Wisdom! 

ILLUSTRATION: The Four Hebrew Boys in Babylon Proved that the Wisdom of the Divine is Far Superior to the Wisdom of the Devil!  Daniel 1:16-21, Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

    [17] As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. [18] Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. [19] And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. [20] And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. [21] And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

                   e. These Practices Are Satan’s Tools of Deception. Satan Will Use These Methods to Deceive You into Believing Something Wrong…Deadly Wrong.

Matthew 22:29, Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 

CONCLUSION:  The focus of this Lesson has been God’s Disclosure or Unveiling of Himself to Mankind by the Method of the Scriptures. Yes, God has spoken to humanity and He Is the Greatest Communicator about Himself; the record is in the Scriptures. Therefore, the Bible Is the Irrefutable Evidence of His Desire to Be Thoroughly Known and Embraced in a Vital Redemptive Relationship by all peoples everywhere.

If we refuse to believe the Bible is the Word of God, then the lights are out and we are left in the dark. We have no spiritual and moral compass with which to live, we have no meaning in this life, and no hope for the next life (eternity). In addition, we have no answers for the significant questions of life, who am I, where did I come from, what am I doing here, and where am I going? These things should draw us to the conclusion that the Bible is absolutely necessary for everyday living in the 21^st century.

Are We Victorious Over Sins?

1 John 1:1-2:2

Victory over sin is what we want! Victory or to be victorious means having won a battle or to be triumphant. It also refers to being characterized by victory. Winning over temptations has become a regular occurrence. Just think about it...through Christ we are really achieving victory! We have actually stop practicing the evil and started living the righteous. Conquering and triumphing over the poor habits that have defeated us is the new normal! Becoming a real winner where it matters most is our reality! This is God's offer to us Believers through Jesus Christ.

To finally come to the place where entrenched sins have been thoroughly rooted out of our lives. Yes, those motives, thoughts, and actions once defined us but not anymore. By the grace of God, the power of the Word and the influence of the Spirit we have laid aside sinful behaviors and habits and are generally walking in obedience and righteousness. Though progress has been a little slow at times yet, a notable difference is evident now. God has changed us and life is good! We are not all we desire to be, but we certainly are not where we once were. Praise the Lord!

I know...some of you are saying to yourselves, "Victory over sins? Is that really possible in the real world?" I understand that walking in righteousness more than sinfulness may sound strange to some, but that does not make it less true. The ability to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord experiencing the transforming power of grace is God's design for EVERY believer. Without a single exception it is God's plan for each of us to break with sinful habits and feelings to walk in godliness and holiness. Now...you are wondering how this could be possible for you...right? Well keep reading. I have good news!

Though some folks deny their sinfulness, faithful believers habitually confess sinful failures and in return enjoy victory over them! They greatly value confession, repentance, the blood of Jesus, and Spirit empowerment. Continuous fellowship with our loving Heavenly Father, the joy of winning instead of living defeated, and power from the Holy Spirit is promised to each of us. EVERY ONE of us! Humble and sincere believers come regularly and boldly into the presence of God, and we can know deep in our human spirits that God has indeed forgiven and restored us. Beloved, such Christians enjoy life with our Father. Once again let us consider how we can fellowship with God by noting the fourfold attitude toward sin:

1. Denying It
2. Confessing It
3. Victory Over It
4. Repeating It or Falling Into It

I.                   DENYING IT (1:8-10)    

II.               CONFESSING IT (1:9) 

III.            VICTORY OVER IT (2:1; cf. 1:7, 9)

A.                 Victory possible

1.                  God’s perfect standard is set forth for His children that we should not sin; this is victorious living.

a.                   Because God is perfect, His standard for His people is absolute perfection. Sin can and should be conquered through the power of the Holy Spirit (see Rom. 6:12–14; 8:12,13; 1 Cor. 15:34; Titus 2:11,12; 1 Pet. 1:13–16).

b.                  God is pointing to the triumphant Christian life. Believers’ sinful tendencies do not encourage sin; they actually put perceptive Christians on guard against sin. We are not powerless against sin.

1.      Furthermore, God would not be God if He said: “These things I write to you so that you sin just as little as you possibly can.” God cannot condone sin in the least degree, and so He sets perfection before us as the goal.

2.      The Lord Jesus did this with the woman who was caught in the act of adultery; He said, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

3.      God wants us to understand that every battle with temptation is a part of a greater struggle.

a.       Ephes. 6:12, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

b.      Each one of our struggles has a spiritual core to it. Each battle against temptation—each choice we make for good or for evil—is part of an ongoing struggle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. That’s the big picture we must keep in mind in our desire to become victorious over temptation. We are not winning for ourselves alone in one isolated incident for one moment on this earth, but our victory is part of a much bigger and eternal victory.

B.                 Its method

1.                  Word of God (2:14)

a.                   1 John 2:14, I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

b.                  The young men are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might—strong against sin and error because they have His Word in them. They have overcome the wicked one because the word of God abides in them. This emphasizes the importance of constantly feeding on the Bible and having it ready to repel the attacks of Satan. The word of God, residing in their hearts in an unhindered, welcome state, was that which, gave these young men victory over Satan (Eph. 6:17).

2.                  Divine nature (3:9)

a.                   1 John 3:9, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

b.                  “God’s seed” is His nature, given to each believer at the time of conversion (John 1:13; 2 Peter 1:4). The point here is that the child partakes of the nature of his Parent. Sin can never spring from what a Christian truly is at the level of his regenerate being.  We are set up for victory!

3.                  Indwelling Holy Spirit (4:4)

a.                   1 John 4:4, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

b.                  Reliance on God is the secret of all victory whether over sin or heresy. The indwelling Holy Spirit (1Jn. 3:24; 4:13; Rom. 8:9)is mightier than Satan (1 John 5:19). The Holy Spirit leads and empowers us to live righteously (Rom. 8:17). We have nothing to fear, for even Satan’s hosts with their perversions can’t defeat us as we rely on the Spirit.

At the same time, the Lord knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust, and so He has graciously made provision for us in the event of failure.

IV.                   REPEATING IT OR FALLING INTO IT (1:7-2:2)

A.                 Admit that we do sin (2:1).

1.                  “If any man sin…” John did not want his readers to sin, but he knew that none of them was perfect and that all would need the help available from their Advocate.

2.                  How often should you confess? Confession should be continual. Anytime you recognize that you sin, you must come to God and confess your sin. This isn’t so that your salvation can be kept current and up-to-date as some think, but so that you can live and walk in continual freedom and intimacy with the Father.

B. What to do when we sin

1.      Recognize advocacy (2:1-2).

A.     The Lord knows our frame and our need of assistance.

                                                                                                   i.      The word “advocate” used to be applied to lawyers. It means, literally, “one called alongside.” When a man was summoned to court, he took an advocate (lawyer) with him to stand at his side and plead his case. An advocate is one who comes to the side of another person in time of need in order to help.

                                                                                                 ii.      This is exactly what the Lord Jesus does for us when we sin. He immediately comes to us in order to restore us to fellowship with Himself—the Lord seeks to bring us to the place where we do confess and forsake our sin.

                                                                                                iii.      When we confess our sins to God, because of Christ’s advocacy God forgives us.  He represents believers before God’s throne, and the merits of His sacrifice make possible the forgiveness of the believer’s sin. 

B.     The Relationship with our Father is maintained by Christ’s advocacy.  “…we have an Advocate with the Father.” It does not say with God, but rather with the Father. He is still our Father even if we sin. This reminds us of the blessed truth that though sin in a believer’s life breaks fellowship, it does not break relationship. When a person is born again, he becomes a child of God. God is henceforth his Father, and nothing can ever affect that relationship. A birth is something that cannot be undone. A son may disgrace his father, but he is still a son by the fact of birth.

C.     Notice that our Advocate is “Jesus Christ the righteous.” It is good to have a righteous Defender. When Satan brings some accusation against a believer, the Lord Jesus can point to His finished work on Calvary and say, “Charge that to My account.”

2.      Recognize provision made for it (1:7-9; 2:2).

A.     Continue to walk with God in the light of truth and holiness (1Jn. 1:7-9).

B.     Rely on Christ as the propitiation for our sins.

                                                                                                   i.      This means that by dying for us, He freed us from the guilt of our sins and restored us to God by providing the needed satisfaction and by removing every barrier to fellowship.

                                                                                                 ii.      God can show mercy to us because Christ has satisfied the claims of justice.

C.     Know that Christ satisfied the wrath of God. God’s wrath against sin may not be a concept congenial to the modern mind, but it is thoroughly biblical.  The Cross has indeed propitiated (satisfied) God and has met His righteous demands so thoroughly that His grace and mercy are abundantly available to both saved and unsaved alike.

                                                                                                   i.      God was just in that He punished sin, but He is also loving in that He offers free forgiveness through what Jesus did at Calvary.

                                                                                                 ii.      Read 1 John 4:10, and also give some thought to Rom. 3:23–26.

D.     Give Christ the praise of your heart for all that He really means in life—in your devotion, pursuits, and personal relationships.

Jesus! what a Friend for sinners! Jesus! Lover of my soul. Friends may fail me, foes assail me; He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Jesus! what a strength in weakness! Let me hide myself in Him; tempted, tried, and sometimes failing, He, my strength, my vict’ry wins.

Jesus! what a help in sorrow! While the billows o’er me roll, even when my heart is breaking, He, my comfort, helps my soul.

Jesus! what a guide and Keeper! While the tempest still is high, storms about me, night o’er-takes me, He, my Pilot, hears my cry.

Jesus! I do now receive Him; more than all in Him I find; He hath granted me forgiveness; I am His, and He is mine.

Chorus: Hallelujah! what a Savior! Hallelujah! what a Friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, He is with me to the end.  –Osbeck, Kenneth W.: Amazing Grace

3.      Confess it.

A.     Ultimately, full confession (admitting the sin, asking in faith for God’s forgiveness, and repenting of the sin with a resulting change of behavior) has to do with restoring and maintaining intimacy with God.

B.     The Lord desires to walk in close fellowship with you today. He longs to have a walking-and-talking-together relationship with you.

Confess to the Lord that you have done things, said things, thought things, and believed things that make you uncomfortable in His presence. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins and to remove your feelings of guilt and discomfort in His presence. Believe that He not only hears your request but also grants it fully. And then walk with the Lord! Talk to Him. Share your life with Him, and invite Him to share His life with you.

Confession opens the way to receiving forgiveness and enjoying a close relationship with your loving heavenly Father. Confession is vital to your awareness of His presence, and it should be continual.

Beloved, do not settle for a defeated existence when you can actually live in grace, power, and triumph in Jesus Christ. He is our Advocate with the Father, He shed His precious blood to pay for our sins, and He is with us in the constant battles against sin. Yes, sin is real and it is powerful; you might even say it is real powerful! However, it is no match for our Lord Jesus and the power of grace at work in our experiences. Our part is to keep short accounts with God and to believe in the power of the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse us from all sins! Don't deny your sin; confess them as soon as you are convicted by the Spirit of God. Victory is yours; you are assured of it through Christ Jesus. Take up the battle anew and refuse to allow any sin to enslave or dominate your life. God wants you to experience positive changes. If God is for you then you can indeed break the power of entrenched sinful failures. Remember you have hope in your Advocate the Lord Jesus Christ who resides at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.  So what are you waiting for? Claim your victory!

Are We Confessing Our Sins?

Text: 1 John 1:7-2:2 

Though some people deny their sinfulness, believers who confess their sins enjoy victory over them and continuous fellowship with our loving Heavenly Father. Honest and sincere believers come regularly and boldly into the presence of God and they sense in their spirits God’s forgiveness.  Such Christians enjoy a life with their Father. Let us consider how we can fellowship with God by noting the fourfold attitude toward sin:

1. Denying It
2. Confessing It
3. Victory Over It
4. Repeating It or Falling Into It

I.                   DENYING IT (1:8-10)    

II.               CONFESSING IT (1:9)

A.                 The nature of confession

1.      Confess-take sides with God against it.  Admit it.

a.                   God asks that when we have failed Him we confess our sins.

                                                                                                   i.      What does it mean to “confess”? Well, to confess sins mean, “to say the same thing [about].” That is to say the same thing about it that God says about it. It involves admitting to God, “You’re right, I’ve sinned. I’m a sinner. I have not only wronged other people and myself, but I have wronged You.”

                                                                                                ii.      A counselor was trying to help a man who had come forward during an evangelistic meeting. “I’m a Christian,” the man said, “but there’s sin in my life, and I need help.” The counselor showed him 1 John 1:9 and suggested that the man confess his sins to God.

“O Father,” the man began, “if we have done anything wrong—”

“Just a minute!” the counselor interrupted. “Don’t drag me into your sin! My brother, it’s not ‘if’ or ‘we’—you’d better get down to business with God!”

The counselor was right.

b.                  Confession is not praying a lovely prayer, or making pious excuses, or trying to impress God and other Christians.

                                                                                                   i.      True confession is naming sin—calling it by name what God calls it: envy, hatred, lust, deceit, or whatever it may be.

                                                                                                 ii.      Confession simply means being honest with ourselves and with God, and if others are involved, being honest with them too. It is more than admitting sin. It means judging sin and facing it squarely.

c.                   Recognizing the truth—and agreeing with it—that’s confession.

                                                                                                   i.      In order for us to walk day by day in fellowship with God and with our fellow believers, we must confess our sins: sins of commission, sins of omission, sins of thought, sins of act, secret sins, and public sins. We must drag them out into the open before God, call them by their names, take sides with God against them. Confession is vital to our receiving forgiveness.

                                                                                                 ii.      Please bare in mind God already knows you have done wrong. He knows what you did the moment you did it. He knows your thoughts, your motivations, your intent, your will. The sins you confess aren't news to God.

d.                  What is the purpose, then, of confession if God already knows you have sinned, and God is willing to forgive you?

                                                                                                   i.      The purpose is for you to come to grips with what you have done and the sorry position you are in. Confession is a reality check. And it’s the key to your receiving forgiveness into your own life and experiencing the freedom that forgiveness brings.

                                                                                                 ii.      If you do not admit to yourself and to God what you have done, you will not be able to experience what God so desires to give you—release from guilt and shame, and new freedom to walk boldly in your relationship with Him. You confess so you can experience the forgiveness that has been available to you all along, so you can enter fully into relationship with God, and so you can make moves to correct your behavior.

2.      Renounce—forsake what you would have God remit.

a.                   Confession of sins is coupled with forsaking them.

                                                                                                   i.      Yes, true confession involves forsaking sins!

                                                                                                 ii.      Proverbs 28:13, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

b.                  Renouncing sin is part of repentance. To repent means to “change your mind and behavior.” Repentance is an act of the will. It involves follow-through behavior.

                                                                                                   i.      Confession is an admission; it is saying, “I have sinned.” Repentance takes that confession and puts it into action.

                                                                                                 ii.      It is declaring, “I am changing my mind and my behavior so that I will not sin again.” Repentance involves the actual doing of what we say we are going to do.

c.                   The prodigal son said, “I will arise and go to my father,” and two verses later we read, “He arose and came to his father” (vv. 18, 20). The prodigal son changed his mind, he made a decision about a change in his behavior (which included a change in his circumstances and location), and then he acted on that decision. That’s repentance.

d.                  Honest confession admits sin and asks for God’s forgiveness, and repentance defines a necessary change in behavior to live a righteous life, makes a declaration that one is going to pursue that change, and then follows through with actual change.

                                                                                                   i.      To confess without repentance is to say, “I'm sorry,” without any effort to sin no more. Genuine repentance—the desire and action not to sin again—validates confession.

                                                                                                 ii.      The two are inseparable for any person who desires to walk in close fellowship with God. (2 Tim. 2:25–26; 2 Cor. 7:9).

3.      Believe in the efficacy of the blood of Christ (vv. 7-9).

a.                   The blood of Christ will never lose its cleansing power!

                                                                                                   i.      Now, suppose you as a child of God have lost your fellowship with God. And John says, “And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” That is the blood of Jesus Christ continually cleanses you from all sin making it possible for imperfect believers to have fellowship with a holy God.

                                                                                                 ii.      All God’s forgiveness is based on the blood of His Son that was shed at Calvary. That blood provided God with a righteous basis on which He can forgive sins, and, as we sing, “the blood will never lose its power.” It has lasting efficacy to cleanse us.  Our responsibility is to confess our sins and trust the blood of Christ to keep on cleansing us from all sin.

b.                  Search me, O God, and know my heart today; try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray. See if there be some wicked way in me; cleanse me from ev’ry sin and set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin; fulfill Thy Word and make me pure within. Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame; grant my desire to magnify Thy name.  –Osbeck, K. W. 1990. Amazing Grace

c.                   The Bible repeatedly declares the blood of Christ as a powerful means of spiritual cleansing!

                                                                                                   i.      John 1:29, The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

                                                                                                 ii.      Ephesians 1:7, In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

                                                                                                iii.      Hebrews 9:14, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

                                                                                               iv.      Revelation 1:5, And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (see also 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Peter 1:19; 1 John 2:1-2; 5:6; Revelation 7:14)

4.      Accept God’s declaration of forgiveness, based on His righteousness and justice (v. 9).

a.                   When we confess our sins, God promises to forgive us (1 John 1:9). But this promise is not a “magic rabbit’s foot” that makes it easy for us to disobey God!

b.                  “I went out and sinned,” a student told his campus chaplain, “because I knew I could come back and ask God to forgive me.”

“On what basis can God forgive you?” the chaplain asked, pointing to 1 John 1:9.

“God is faithful and just,” the boy replied.

“Those two words should have kept you out of sin,” the chaplain said. “Do you know what it cost God to forgive your sins?”

The boy hung his head. “Jesus had to die for me.”

Then the chaplain zeroed in. “That’s right—forgiveness isn’t some cheap sideshow trick God performs. God is faithful to His promise, and God is just, because Christ died for your sins and paid the penalty for you. Now, the next time you plan to sin, remember that you are going to sin against a faithful loving God!” –Warren Wiersbe

c.                   Clearly, cleansing has two sides to it: the judicial and the personal. The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, delivers us from the guilt of sin and gives us right standing (“justification”) before God. God is able to forgive because Jesus’ death has satisfied His holy Law.

B.                 The result of confession

1.      We are forgiven (v. 9)

a.       To forgive means to send away or dismiss. It involves completely canceling an offense and the entire removal of the cause of offense.

b.      Nothing is beyond God’s forgiveness. No sin is too great, too awful, or too prolific for God to forgive. No person is so deep in sin, so ingrained in a lifestyle, so steeped in evil, that he or she cannot be forgiven.

c.       When God forgives, God forgets. Forgiveness from God results in a complete “fresh start” from God’s perspective. Nothing of the old is remembered or counted against a person.

d.      No matter how many times a person errs or sins against God after he or she is saved, a person can be forgiven and experience a new beginning. Any time we turn to God with a sincere heart and admit our failures, sins, and willful rebellion, God hears our prayer and responds with forgiveness. Once we are forgiven, we stand before God totally cleansed. God never holds our past sin against us. (See Is. 38:17; Ps. 103:12)

2.      We are cleansed from sin’s guilt (v. 7) and sin’s power (v. 9).

a.      Our guilt is gone (v. 7)!

                                                                                                   i.      Many people are walking under a dark cloud, feeling God’s displeasure or believing that they should be feeling God’s displeasure. Let’s recognize several facts about guilt.

1.      First, genuine guilt is the way we feel when we have sinned. It is the normal response to sinful behavior. Genuine guilt arises when we willfully act in a way that we know is contrary to God’s law.

2.      If you have the capacity to know right from wrong, and you know something is wrong but you do it anyway, you will feel guilty and have a need for forgiveness. 

                                                                                                 ii.      We are to walks habitually in the light—truth and holiness—not in darkness –falsehood and sin—(1Jn. 1:7; 3:9). Our walk also results in cleansing from sin as the Lord continually forgives us. The guilt is removed by his gracious forgiveness as fellowship with Him continues.

b.      Sin’s power is broken (v. 9)!

                                                                                                   i.      Recognize that we can be victorious over sin; we do not have to live in defeat.

                                                                                                 ii.      Romans 6:2, God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

                                                                                              iii.      We have been programmed to think, I know I am going to sin, to fail … to fall short today. Since this is true I need to be ready to find cleansing. You have not been programmed to yield yourself unto God as those who have power over sin.

How much better to begin each day thinking victory, not defeat; to awake to grace, not shame; to encounter each temptation with thoughts like, Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior. I am your child—liberated and depending on Your power. Therefore, Christ, this is Your day, to be lived for Your glory. Work through my eyes, my mouth, and through my thoughts and actions to carry out Your victory. And, Lord, do that all day long.

We know we can live a new life free from the bondage of sin because of the death and resurrection of God’s Son. God has won the victory over sin and death. We must ask our Father to be the master of our lives. To protect us from Satan, our fleshly nature, and the temptations of this world. We must invite the purifying power of the Holy Spirit to cleanse our lives. May we stay blameless until the day of Christ’s return. –Charles Swindoll

Confess to the Lord that you have done things, said things, thought things, and believed things that make you uncomfortable in His presence. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins and to remove your feelings of guilt and discomfort in His presence. Believe with your faith that He not only hears your request but also grants it fully. And then walk with the Lord! Talk to Him. Share your life with Him, and invite Him to share His life with you.