who’s askin’?

Here is a statement that I would like for you to toss a round a bit and just get you thinking… there seem to be several camps out there in regards to forgiveness. Let me expand a bit…

When I first started to dig in and beLIeVE my faith in Christ for me and not what others were saying around me, it led me to dissect some of the phrases or spiritual pushups that folks will have you DOing in order to discipline uh I mean disciple hahaha…. (Quick footnote, gang I love people, I love the church – big C not the building – so put your hatchets down) 

One of the first statements, phrases, clichés, I was instructed to DO, when I missed the mark, sinned, did wrong, backslid (gotta say that one with a southern twang) would be to ask for forgiveness. And I was given a place in the book to anchor down the instruction, 1 John 1:9 ….yeah most of ya probably know this one by hearts:

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

(Southern drawl needed here) “Yep brotha ifin you before you lay your head down fo the evenin you best get right with the man upstairs, the Guuuuuooood Looooord by asking and admitting all ya misdealins in the day…now boy ya best make sho ya covered by a asking for HIM to cover those ya didn’t even a know ya done.” 

And gang for a short while I swallowed this, but the more I “confessed” the worst I felt, the more I asked the more I wondered, how do I know that I have received forgiveness? Hasn’t that already been given? So I start to look and study the verses around the one and no matter the translation I keep seeing these words forgive, cleanse, purify from ALL wickedness or ALL unrighteousness. So I got’sta to thankin fo myself: when does ALL mean ALL? Yeah I believe some folks have others asking for something they already have, which is forgiveness. Take a peek at 1 John 1:7:

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

There’s that 3 letter word again ALL…

So if we are cleansed, purified, forgiven of all sin…then what could be causing the confusion within our ranks of disciplinari…uh I mean disciple makers…maybe the word confess is throwing us off…let’s take one more peek…. Now listen here sonny any eeeeeevangelical man wortha his salt will know how to carry a unbelieva down the romans road, and the verse of all verses is Romans 10:9 NLT If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and beLIeVE in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved…”now son do ya hear what I’m a tellin ya here son?….

Yep its (confess) the same Greek word homologe in 1 John 1:9 that means to openly acknowledge, not to deny, declare, to agree, to consent…WOW WOW see what I see…its NOT about asking Jesus to do something HE has already done… its about beLIeVING that Jesus has cleansed, purified, forgiven of ALL our sin, wickedness and unrighteousness through the cross and RESURRECTION then our confessing which is openly declaring that I beLIeVE which FREES us up to go YEP….

love em up …..WIDE OPEN in our homes, school, work and in the community!