The Confession of Sins – Is 1 John 1:9 a Part of God’s Will for the Present Dispensation of Grace?

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Guilt is a killer. A killer of our joy, our peace, our enjoyment of intimacy with God. It is one of Satan’s most effective weapons against the sons of men. Psychiatrists and doctors tell us that unresolved guilt is the number one cause of mental illness and suicide. Over half of all hospital beds are filled by people who have emotional illnesses. Guilt kills relationships, both among people and with God. We cannot freely forgive others until we first receive that forgiveness from God.

Our gracious and loving Father has provided a full and complete deliverance from sin and guilt. But if we believe a lie and fail to deal with guilt in the way God has dealt with it, we fall into a snare and
it becomes a most grievous and cruel weapon against us.

Guilt is that moral sense of blameworthiness that each of us feels when we know that we have done wrong. It is not necessarily bad, for it tells us that we have sinned and that something must be done about it. Just as our bodies should hurt when they are diseased or injured, so our God-given conscience should hurt when we violate what we know is right.

At the beginning, we must realize that God has not dealt with the guilt problem in the same way throughout Bible history. This is of utmost importance to know, for so many of the problems regarding guilt are made worse by people trying to obey God’s commands given to people of other dispensations. For example, under the law of Moses, the children of Israel were commanded to “afflict your souls” as the high priest made atonement for their sins through animal sacrifice (Lev. 16:29-31). The writer of Hebrews elaborates on this Day of Atonement and the inability of the law to provide complete forgiveness.

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

“For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

“But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb. 10:1-4).

Although this was a merciful provision in Israel for the time then present, the law was inadequate to make the worshippers perfect in conscience in relation to the guilt problem. The very fact that the sacrifices had to be repeated was a constant reminder that God’s forgiveness was given out piecemeal, i.e., on an installment plan. It was never completed. God’s people were expected to lament and afflict their souls, which is the antithesis of a perfected conscience. Indeed, far from being a satisfactory answer for guilt, Paul tells us in no uncertain terms why the law was given.

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rom. 3:19).

God graciously provided the sacrificial system of the law to temporarily atone (cover) the sins of his people until the “precious blood of Christ” could be shed to purchase eternal redemption for us.
Those living before the Cross were “saved on credit,” so to speak, until the fullness of time arrived for the complete removal of our sins. Even in portions of what we call the New Testament, forgiveness was conditional and therefore not complete (Matt. 6:12,14,15; 18:34,35; Mark 11:25,26; Luke 6:37c). The revelation of the Mystery through the Apostle Paul by the ascended, glorified Christ was yet future from the perspective of Matthew-John. And so the capstone of divine revelation concerning the total forgiveness of sins remained missing until that time. All of this is essential to understand throughout the remainder of our study.

With this in mind, there is one Scripture which in this writer’s view has caused untold harm and detriment to the people of God. Not because the verse itself is faulty, for all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable, but because religious leaders have so miserably misinterpreted and misapplied its original intent. What makes this all the more tragic is that it comes not from the enemies of Christ but from sincere, well respected, Bible-believing Christians. The verse I speak of is 1 John 1:9.

In order to view the verse within its context, I ask you simply to prayerfully consider the following passage from 1 John 1:1-10.

1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

2. (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

4. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

5. This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.

6. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.

7. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.

8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.

Are you confident that you understand verse 9 in context? Let us see. Although men have many variations of interpretation on this verse, we will mention here only three of the most popular.

1. It is a salvation verse which tells the sinner how to receive the forgiveness of sins today.

2. It is a restoration verse.

a. Restoring one to salvation or,

b. Restoring one to fellowship

3. It is a verse pertaining to the Jews under the Kingdom program of Prophecy and has little if any application to the Gentiles today under the Body of Christ program of the Mystery.

For the time being, I would like to pass over numbers 1 and 3 and deal directly with number 2. The other two will take care of themselves as we come to understand the passage. Part 2-a is the most easily answered. This is the view that a saved person can become lost again through backsliding, carnality, losing faith, etc.

Often a person is told that his sins are forgiven up to the time he is saved. From that point forward the merits of Christ’s death are beneficial to him only as he is faithful to confess his sins to God and thus stay cleansed in His sight.

First of all, regeneration or the new birth is spoken of as a one time experience. No Bible passage speaks of being born again and again and again. During my college years, I attended a tent meeting for three nights with some friends. I couldn’t help noticing that the same people went forward each night after the sermon to receive forgiveness. One night the evangelist quoted 1 John 1:9 and made the statement that no one with unconfessed sin will enter heaven. When I pressed him about this after the meeting, he finally conceded that John probably meant the grosser forms of sin. This underscores another problem with this view. How many sins did God allow Adam and Eve before they were cast out from His presence in the garden of Eden? Only one. And all they did was eat a piece of fruit that the Lord told them not to. How many unforgiven sins do you suppose it will take to banish you to the everlasting burnings? Only one. God is holy and of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity. If your forgiveness depends on your confession of sins, you better be diligent not to forget even one.

The second reason 1 John 1:9 cannot refer to a restoration to salvation is that eternal life is a free gift. It is given by God’s grace not merely to the undeserving, but to those who deserve the exact opposite. If God rescinded His gift, that would make Him more gracious to His enemies than to His own children. God does not take back the gift if you become unworthy. We were never worthy to begin with.

Thirdly, God wishes for us to enjoy the gift of salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. Man’s only responsibility is to believe. Does God want us to walk through our Christian lives with a cloud over our heads? Those who believe that their forgiveness depends on their continual confession of sins soon find that their Christian experience has turned into “a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.”

The Scriptures tell us that upon believing that the Lord Jesus died for us and rose again we are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Eph. 1:13,14; Rom. 8:31-38). With the gospel of the grace of God, we have the pleasure of declaring the total forgiveness of sins. This brings peace, joy, and stability. More about this later.

Number 2-b above also speaks of restoration, not to salvation or even to maintain it, but rather to fellowship. Those who hold this view understand clearly the teaching of eternal security and the
preservation of the saints. The issue this time is intimacy with their heavenly Father. Our relationship is like the Rock of Gibraltar, steadfast and immovable. On the other hand, our fellowship (we are told) is like a tiny thread which the slightest sin in thought, word, or deed can break. Perhaps the best illustration of this view is the fellowship between a father and son. If the son sins against his father, the intimacy formerly enjoyed by both is broken and the pleasure of each other’s company is strained. The blood relationship of father and son remains intact, but the fellowship must be
restored by confession of wrongdoing. Likewise, Christians have a blood relationship to our heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ. While nothing can break our relationship as sons of God, fellowship
can only be restored by acknowledging the sin and an apology made, preferably with a pledge not to repeat the offense. This re-establishes the sweetness of fellowship and the pleasure with which both
Father and son can relate to each other.

Believers who seek to practice this often speak of “keeping short accounts with God,” that is, making sure you confess sins regularly so your account does not build up with unconfessed sin. Psalms
32, 51, and John 13:1-20 are often quoted to confirm this position.

This view of 1 John 1:9 has more to commend it than the previous one. “Confession is good for the soul” is a truism which holds good for all ages and dispensations. Indeed, Proverbs 28:13 says,

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth1 and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

In my formative years as a Christian, this view seemed to me to be logical, balanced and right. I knew many respected Bible teachers who taught this. Through the years, however, I believe the Spirit of God was pricking my conscience to show me things which revealed the shortcomings of this approach. Among them were:

1. It is based on a performance system of conditional blessing, and shifted my gaze away from Christ and His grace to my own faithfulness (or usually failure) to confess.

2. If what I believed concerning confession was true, I was probably “out of fellowship” much of the time, and so were most believers.

3. There were many things in 1 John Chapter 1 which are inconsistent with this view.

4. Concerning the popular father-son illustration, several rhetorical questions could be asked to show its weakness. What if the son fails to confess wrongdoing? Should the father continue to show him the cold shoulder until he does? What kind of father would that make him? Would this be a fitting picture of how our loving heavenly Father deals with His children today under grace? Further, the phrase “faithful and just” more aptly describes the judge in a courtroom than a father in the family room.

5. I had to honestly admit to myself that I found it extremely difficult to confess all my daily sins on a consistent basis.

6. This view of 1 John 1:9 must, of necessity, occupy a major plank in a person’s belief system. Without regular confession of sin, the promise of continual cleansing is rendered null and void resulting
in broken fellowship. And who wants to be out of fellowship with God?

7. Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, is silent in all his writings on confession of sins for forgiveness, parental or otherwise.

8. Paul’s epistles give us a positive affirmation of total, complete and unconditional forgiveness for all those in Christ Jesus.

A few examples should suffice,

Business Presentation Folders

Presentation folders are one of the most popular means of transferring documents among the world’s business communities.

Whether promoting a product, a company or an individual, the presentation folder is the foremost visual connector at the beginning of the transaction, and the opportunities to impress are countless.

The introduction of ‘oversize’ digital presses has further enhanced the benefit and impact of the presentation folder by allowing personalisation of information as well as catering for multiple page presentations when including a gusset in the product.

As well as personalisation, digital presses also offer the option of a unique design for every folder produced – and it costs no more at the print stage.

Digital of course also implies, quite correctly, print runs as required – one copy and upwards. This is a far cry from as little as three or four years ago when the only method of producing a folder was using offset technologies which frequently necessitated larger than necessary print runs to obtain a perceived scale of economy.

Presentation folders are traditionally manufactured to accommodate A4-sized documents in countries using international paper standards. These folders are generally within the limits of what is achievable on a digital press, but smaller folders such as A5, or square shapes (cd case size for example) can have equal or even greater impact on their intended markets.

The well-designed folder may also cater for additional materials such as a business card inserted in a pre-cut location. If you think your unique folder may have subsequent applications, it is worth taking this option into consideration before designing the product, as the cost of manufacturing a die for cutting the folder’s shape following printing is substantial.

Folders manufactured using recycled paper stocks are extremely popular and help to promote and reinforce good green practices. The range of recycled materials available to digital printers is substantial and growing rapidly, while contemporary digital printing itself is the most environmentally friendly method of ink/toner transfer yet devised.

A further benefit of the presentation folder may well be its re-use by the client to whom it was originally given. Folders are handy items for storing any amount of printed matter that is of interest to that person. Hence its shelf life (along with your name, message or idea) may be extended indefinitely.

Presentation folders are offered by a variety of print firms, many of them on line. The better companies offer a template for downloading so that you or your graphic designer may generate the personalised item you require. The completed design is simply uploaded back to the printing firm where the file will be proofed and printed to your specifications.

Be bold in your folder designs for they remain your invisible handshake when you are no longer in the presence of the person to whom the folder was given. Primary colours can make an outstanding statement, so remember, bold is beautiful and colour has never been more affordable.

Useful Presentation and Public Speaking Skills Tips

Number 1.Sending out the right signals

Have you ever walked into a presentation to see a sea of uninspired faces gazing back at you? The Practice Manager is looking repeatedly at her watch, one GP has already rushed in and out of the door twice, and everyone else is staring longingly at the sandwiches – knowing that they will have to sit through your presentation before they are given a few precious minutes to eat?

Faced with the adversities of diverse audiences and strict time limits, you may feel uncertain or anxious before you start your presentation. So it is important that you send out the right signals when you begin, in order to create a friendly environment that allows you to build rapport with your audience.

Remember: You are your best audio and visual aid. Your audience picks up signals from how you present yourself, your voice and your body language. You need to project yourself in a positive way in order to influence them. Although some people are naturally good communicators, everyone can learn communication skills and use them to their advantage.

Number 2.Command with your voice.

Most people rarely use the voice to its full potential as a means of communication. When they start to make more use of the voice, they are surprised at how empowering this feels in helping them to influence and engage with their audience.

The starting point for anyone working on their voice is to create a relaxed physical state, since any tension in the body inhibits vocal power. Before starting your presentation, take a couple of deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. As you breathe out, think of releasing tensions with the breath. This simple breathing technique will also encourage you to slow down – which is very helpful at the start of a presentation, when your nerves can easily make you go too fast.

Your voice should command your audience as soon as you say the first words. To provide your voice with support, it is important that your posture is strong. Always check that you are standing with both feet firmly on the ground – or if you are sitting, that the small of your back is firmly supported by the back of the chair.

Number 3. Pace yourself

A complaint I often hear from medical sales representatives is that they are always fighting against the clock. They struggle with the strict time limits imposed on them, especially when lunch has to be included in the time slot. So there may be a tendency to speed up in order to get all the information across. But this is counter-productive. Too much information given too fast can overwhelm your audience, resulting in a complete ‘switch-off’. Restrict the amount of information the audience has to take in: limit your presentation to no more than three key messages.

Keep the pace of your delivery steady by inserting pauses into your presentation. Pauses act as a brake pedal to stop you ‘free-wheeling’. Try to pause for three seconds after your first sentence to help you control your pace at the start. You will be less likely to speed up as you continue speaking.

Number 4. Enhance your messages

Another challenge is holding everyone’s attention and interest for all of the time. It is important that you speak with passion, even if you have delivered the presentation many times before.

When you speak, emphasize your most powerful words to help you sound more convincing and have greater influence over your audience. Emphasize the first word of your sentence to grab their attention, and emphasize the last word to help you avoid trailing off and losing energy. If you feel that someone has ‘switched off’, try emphasizing your next word while looking at them. This will help to regain their attention and make them feel more included. Our moods are expressed through our tone of voice. You may be giving a presentation late on a Friday afternoon, when you are tired – and your voice will sound flat, dull and lifeless.

You need to put more energy into your voice, so that it sounds enthusiastic and is more likely to inspire the listener. One way to help influence your tone of voice is to adopt a role. For example, a highly successful approach is to take on the role of a storyteller and imagine that your message is an exciting story. This will help to ‘lift’ your voice and create greater energy and variety in your tone. Finally, always remember to smile: when you smile, your voice smiles! This is always a good way to build rapport with your audience.

Number 5. Look good, feel good

Body language is important to consider when you want to send out the right signals. We all subconsciously read the body language of others – their posture, facial expressions, gestures and eye contact – and react accordingly. If you slouch, avoid eye contact and speak with an impassive or stern face, your audience may conclude that you are unmotivated or impatient, and be unlikely to receive your presentation with any enthusiasm.

You want to aim for a relaxed but professional image. To achieve this, make sure that your posture is strong without being tense. Share your eye contact around the audience to help you connect with them. A useful rule is to give three seconds to each person at any one time. This will allow you to engage with individuals and keep them all involved in the presentation.

Try to use gestures while you are speaking: this helps to create a stronger presence, and enhances your voice. When you use a strong gesture with a powerful word, you cannot help putting greater emphasis into your voice.

Number 6. Polish the practicalities

You also need to think about practicalities in order to ensure a polished, professional performance. Five key points to consider are:

1. clearly state your schedule at the start. It will help you to control your audience if they know how long the presentation and the following lunch break will be. You must then stick to your times in order to keep their attention.

2. Be conversational with your audience – ask them a few questions at the start to ‘open them up’ and find out more about them. This will help to create a more personal, relaxed environment, and you will be able to pitch your presentation more effectively to those present.

3. Make it clear at the start what you hope your audience will gain from the presentation. Ask yourself why should my audience listen to me? What are the key benefits to them?

4. Ensure that you are properly set up before you start – don’t waste precious presentation time setting up equipment while your audience are waiting

5. Try to walk around the presentation space before your audience arrives.

This will help you to feel more familiar with the space, and to look as though you have ownership of it.

Number 7. Finally, enjoy your presentation. A presenter who looks as if they are going to enjoy the meeting will send out the right signals. And if you enjoy it, your audience is more likely to do the same!

Good luck next time and don’t forget to train and sharpen your skills, remember all professionals have coaches, amateurs have none.