THE PROBLEM OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
When people trust Jesus Christ for the gift of eternal life, they establish a relationship with God. God becomes their Father and they become His children. The relationship between the Father and each child grows as the two “fellowship,” that is, communicate and share with each other. The Father communicates to believers through His Word and His children share their concerns in prayer. The problem is, His children sin and the fellowship, not the relationship, is broken.
What is the solution to this broken fellowship? There are basically two approaches believers can take toward their sin. John spells them out in his first epistle: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:8-9).
Believers can deny their sin. If they do that, they deceive themselves (1 Jn. 1:8), lie to others (1 Jn. 1:6), and contradict God (1:10). If, however, they allow the light of God’s nature to expose their sin (1 Jn. 1:7) and they confess their sin (1 Jn. 1:9), the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse them “from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7). The Greek word translated “confess” means “to say the same thing, to agree, to acknowledge.” First John 1:9 does not say if we confess all our sins He will forgive all. It says if we confess our sins (meaning the sins we are aware of because the light has exposed them), He will forgive all. There is no need for believers to agonize over sins of which they are not aware. As long as they are walking in the light, confessing the sins they know, God will forgive and cleanse all their unrighteousness.
The solution to broken fellowship with God due to sin begins by acknowledging that sin to the Lord. Then, of course, the sin needs to be forsaken. “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses
and forsakes them will have mercy” (Prov.28:13). God only forgives sins,
not excuses, so say the same thing God says: admit sin is sin. Someone has put it like this:
Man calls sin an accident; God calls it an abomination.
Man calls it a blunder; God calls it blindness.
Man calls it chance; God calls it choice.
Man calls it error; God calls it enormity
Man calls it heredity; God calls it habit.
Man calls it liberty; God calls it lawlessness.
Man calls it a mistake; God calls it madness.
Man calls it a relapse; God calls it rebellion.
Man calls it a trifle; God calls it a tragedy.
Man calls it weakness; God calls it wickedness.
© G. Michael Cocoris. 10/21/2013.
When people trust Jesus Christ for the gift of eternal life, they establish a relationship with God. God becomes their Father and they become His children. The relationship between the Father and each child grows as the two “fellowship,” that is, communicate and share with each other. The Father communicates to believers through His Word and His children share their concerns in prayer. The problem is, His children sin and the fellowship, not the relationship, is broken.
What is the solution to this broken fellowship? There are basically two approaches believers can take toward their sin. John spells them out in his first epistle: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:8-9).
Believers can deny their sin. If they do that, they deceive themselves (1 Jn. 1:8), lie to others (1 Jn. 1:6), and contradict God (1:10). If, however, they allow the light of God’s nature to expose their sin (1 Jn. 1:7) and they confess their sin (1 Jn. 1:9), the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse them “from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7). The Greek word translated “confess” means “to say the same thing, to agree, to acknowledge.” First John 1:9 does not say if we confess all our sins He will forgive all. It says if we confess our sins (meaning the sins we are aware of because the light has exposed them), He will forgive all. There is no need for believers to agonize over sins of which they are not aware. As long as they are walking in the light, confessing the sins they know, God will forgive and cleanse all their unrighteousness.
The solution to broken fellowship with God due to sin begins by acknowledging that sin to the Lord. Then, of course, the sin needs to be forsaken. “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses
and forsakes them will have mercy” (Prov.28:13). God only forgives sins,
not excuses, so say the same thing God says: admit sin is sin. Someone has put it like this:
Man calls sin an accident; God calls it an abomination.
Man calls it a blunder; God calls it blindness.
Man calls it chance; God calls it choice.
Man calls it error; God calls it enormity
Man calls it heredity; God calls it habit.
Man calls it liberty; God calls it lawlessness.
Man calls it a mistake; God calls it madness.
Man calls it a relapse; God calls it rebellion.
Man calls it a trifle; God calls it a tragedy.
Man calls it weakness; God calls it wickedness.
© G. Michael Cocoris. 10/21/2013.
