When a sinner knows that he is a sinner and believes in the Lord Jesus, his sins are forgiven. This is beyond doubt. The question is, after a person has believed in the Lord and received forgiveness, does he need to be forgiven further? In order to answer this question we must first consider three facts: (1) After a person is saved, he should not continue to live in sin (Rom. 6:1-2), and he should not commit sin again (John 5:14; 8:11). (2) There is still the possibility that a believer can commit sin (1 John 1:8, 10), and it is possible that a Christian can be overtaken in some offense and be tempted and fall (Gal. 6:1; 1 Cor. 10:12). There are the examples of Peter’s hypocrisy in Antioch, Barnabas pretending with a group, and the brother in Corinth who committed fornication (Gal. 2:11-13; 1 Cor. 5:1-2, 5, 11). In the case of the brother who committed fornication, the consequence was very serious; on the one hand his body was corrupted, and on the other hand he was excommunicated by the church. (3) In 1 John 3:9 we read that “Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.” This refers to the habit and nature of a regenerated person.
If we are clear concerning these three points, we will admit that the more fellowship we have with God and the more we walk in the light of God, the more we need forgiveness and cleansing. God is light; therefore to have fellowship with God means to be in the light. This is shown clearly in 1 John 1:5-7. How then can we obtain forgiveness? The answer is in 1 John 1:9, which says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It is clear from this verse that if a believer commits sin, he needs to confess it in order to be forgiven. We must “confess our sins.” If we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We might ask what God’s faithfulness is and what God’s righteousness is. God’s faithfulness refers to the words which He speaks, while God’s righteousness refers to the way in which He does things. In speaking God is faithful, and in acting God is righteous. Since He has said that He will forgive us our sins, He surely will forgive us our sins. Since He has said that He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, He surely will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Since He sent His Son to die for our sins, He cannot help but cleanse and forgive us our sins. Therefore, if we confess our sins, we must, by taking hold of the covenant which He has made with us, expect Him to forgive and cleanse us.
The following is a true story. In a certain city there was a sister whose conscience continually accused her and gave her no rest. Whenever she saw a preacher she would say, “My sins are so grievous! I don’t know if God has forgiven me or not.” On one occasion when she said that, the preacher asked her to read 1 John 1:9 with him. Then he asked her, “Have you confessed your sins before God?” She replied, “Yes I have, and I do it quite often.” “What then does God’s Word say?” he asked. She said, “God’s Word says that if we confess our sins He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” “Then,” asked the preacher, “what do you say?” She answered, “I do not know whether God has forgiven me or not.” After this manner they read and questioned, read and questioned; and then they prayed. She again confessed her sins before God. After the prayer he again asked her, “Has God forgiven you your sins?” She again replied, “I don’t know.” Then that preacher spoke to her very seriously: “Do you think that God is a liar?” She answered, “How dare I?” The preacher replied, “Then if we confess our sins, what does God say He will do? God says that He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” At this point she understood; she had peace in her conscience. From that time until the day she slept in the Lord she remained joyful. The Lord’s Word truly enlightened and comforted her.
Therefore, we must remember that forgiveness of sins is something in the covenant. If we confess according to God’s Word, God will forgive us according to His covenant. Brothers and sisters, do we dare ask God by holding on to His Word, “O God, Your Word says that if we confess our sins, You will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”? We must realize that God has made a covenant with us so that we may speak to Him according to His covenant. He wants us to ask by faith that He fulfill what is in the covenant. We are not just asking God to show us mercy; we are claiming our portion according to the covenant. Praise God, even the forgiveness of sins is a part of the new covenant.
Some no doubt think that if they really hate sin, it will be easier for them to be forgiven. Others feel that if they continue to feel sorrowful and have a contrite heart, it will be easier for them to be forgiven. This kind of supposition is utterly wrong. This is not what God’s Word says. A contrite heart and feelings of sorrow are a natural result, a natural attitude, issuing from enlightenment; it is not a condition we exchange for forgiveness. In the book, The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life, we read of a little girl who was asked, “If you commit sins, how will the Lord Jesus treat you and what will you do?” She said, “I will confess my sins to the Lord; the Lord Jesus will make me feel sorry for a while, and then He will forgive me.” Do not think that these are only the words of a little child; this is also the story of many adults. Many grown-ups feel the same way. They think that after they confess their sins they need to feel sorry for a while; they need to wait until their heart feels no pain—then they will receive the evidence of forgiveness. Those who think in this way do not know what the new covenant is.
We must realize that forgiveness of sins is something in the new covenant, that because the Lord Jesus shed His blood, God must forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The moment we accept the Lord, God forgives us according to what He has said in the covenant; the moment we confess our sins, at that very moment God forgives us according to what is stated in the covenant. God is bound by the covenant He has made with us. We need only ask God to act according to what is stated in the covenant, and He is bound to do it.
We must remind the reader that the confession referred to here is something we do after seeing sin in God’s light. God’s light does not tolerate sin. When a person truly sees sin in God’s light, condemns sin as sin, and comes to God to confess his sin, God will forgive such a person’s sin and cleanse his unrighteousness. Some people take shelter in the confession of sin: day by day they continue to speak lies under the precious blood, and day by day they continue to lose their temper under the precious blood—this is definitely wrong. To them confession is a formula and a method. On one hand they commit sins, and on the other hand they confess as a formality. This is not confession in God’s light. Such confession is only confession in words. We should never practice this. What we are saying here is that the more we fellowship with God, the more we walk in the light of life, the easier it is for us to see sins; then we realize how much we need God’s forgiveness and the cleansing of the precious blood. It is this kind of confession which counts. With this confession we enjoy the rest issuing from the forgiveness of sins mentioned in the new covenant.
Revelation 4:3 says that there is a rainbow around the throne. The rainbow is the sign of the covenant which God made with Noah. It means that God has never forgotten that covenant. It also means that God must listen to man’s prayer if he prays according to the covenant. As long as the rainbow is around the throne, God must listen to the prayer which is according to the covenant. God has pledged Himself to us in this way that we may pray to Him according to the covenant. What a wonderful grace this is!
Who today has not yet solved the problem of sins? You can bring your sins before God, holding on to God’s Word and believing Him according to His covenant. Then you can rest in His covenant. The reason we have lost so many spiritual blessings is that we have not realized that God has made a covenant with us. God has made a covenant with us that we may speak to Him according to the covenant. Then He will act according to the covenant.