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Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18 [ For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh , but quickened by the Spirit. KJV. ]

There are some folks who believe that Christ died for their past sins alone. They believe Christ did not die for their present and future sins. They think the only way God would forgive them their sins is to confess them.

Hebrews 9:22 [ And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. ] Sins are remitted by shedding of blood and not confession. Confessions do not bring to us remission of sins but remission comes as a result of the blood of Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, since the blood of animals were not enough to take away sins, the sacrifice was repeated every year. How many sacrifices has Jesus offered for sins? One is the answer. This means His sacrifice was able to take away all sins. Christ is not offering any sacrifice for present and future sins. He is seated at the right hand side of God.

He does not need to offer any sacrifice again because He took away past, present and future sins (all sins). Christ didn’t leave something undone. He did a finished and complete work. Christ paid all. Hallelujah!

CONFESSION
Father I thank you for the gift of remission of sins. Christ died for all my sins. His blood was perfect to take away my past, present and future sins. I stand blameless and perfect in the sight of God because of Christ. Amen.

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1 [ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus,… KJV ]

“Saint” and “Sinner” are two important names used in the Bible several times. Some folks link these names to how people live or act. They believe a sinner is someone who commits sins and does not live right. They also believe a saint is someone who lives right and does not commit any sin.

Beloved, being a saint or a sinner is not determined by the way you live but it’s rather determined by your position in God’s sight. We don’t live right to become saints neither do we live bad to become sinners. This has nothing to do with works or actions.

Romans 5:19 [ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. ]

Adam disobeyed and all men became sinners as a result. Christ obeyed and we have become the outcome of His obedience. By our faith in Christ, God sees us as saints. He sees us as holy people without blames.

A sinner is a man in the first Adam. This cannot be changed by works but it can be changed only when the position of the man changes. A man in Christ is a saint not because of what he does but because of his position. Never call yourself as a sinner saved by grace again. Call yourself a saint in Christ Jesus.

CONFESSION
Dear Father, I thank you for making me holy in Christ Jesus. I’m in Christ and I’m counted as a saint among God’s holy people. I’m without blame and sins because I’m perfected in Christ Jesus. Amen.

HOW ABOUT 1st JOHN 1:9 (part-2)

We continue from yesterday. Recall that John has two audiences in mind when he wrote that epistle. We identified that we are of the audience who have eternal life and fellowship with the Father.

1st John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

Observe very carefully that there was a change of tone. The audience actually changed. How?
• Verse 6: “if we say”
• Verse 7: “if we walk”
• Verse 8: “if we walk”
• Verse 9: “if we confess”
Who was John referring to by saying “We”?

Note: First, he was not specific but when he wrote to believers he was very specific.

• 1st John 1:4… I write unto you

• 1st John 2:1….I write unto you Children

• 1st John 2:7…..I write…

• 1st John 2:12-14…..I write unto you fathers, young men and little children

So who are the “We”?
Verse 6-7-8 gives us a lead:

• They were still in darkness

• They were still in sin

• They have no fellowship with the father, the son and other believers.

Hence, he told them in Verse 7….WHY a man has fellowship with the Father, son and other believers or WHY a man is cleansed from his sins “…..by the blood of Jesus”.

VERSE 9
John now told them how:
That is, HOW a man has fellowship with the father, the son and other believers; and HOW a man is cleansed from his sins.

1st John 1:9 if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.

Now, was John teaching confession of sins to God? Definitely NOT.

In the light of all that has been explained so far about confession; Jesus was the emphasis and when he talked about sins, his emphasis was on the blood of Jesus.

Let us therefore rearrange the text and re-punctuate it as well to enable us understand what John was indeed talking about.

The original Greek manuscripts did not include punctuation marks; neither chapters nor verses. They were introduced by the translators while translating from the original language to modern day language.

So, let us therefore explain by replacing the comma, to be immediately after ‘confess’ and not after ‘sins’ like it appears in the King James Version of the books of the bible.

If we confess, our sins he is faithful and Just to forgive us, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

So what were they to confess?

VERSE 7
• They were to confess what the blood of Jesus has done, how that it has cleansed man from his sins

• They were to confess Jesus as the propitiation for sins (1st John 2:2)
Hence anyone who therefore does not agree with the above fact of what Jesus’ blood has done (forgiveness; cleansing and propitiation for sins) are those addressed from verses 6 to 8.

• They were still in darkness

• They were still in sin

• They have no fellowship with the father, the son and other believers.
He later goes further in 1st John 2 and 1st John 4, to call them as “antichrist.”

1st John 2:18 little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1st John 4:3 and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

• They denied the Deity and Humanity of Jesus

• They do not believe that Jesus’ blood is the propitiation for Sins

1st John 5:5 who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 this is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

Obviously the church he wrote to had people in their midst who believed but taught otherwise and as such misled people.

John wrote to them (believers) to clear the confusion, explaining how a man who is saved, has eternal life and has fellowship with the Father, the son and other believers by faith and faith alone in the blood of Jesus.

CONFESSION: I confess that Jesus died for me and therefore I am saved eternally. The word is true and I am what the word says I am.

HOW ABOUT 1st JOHN 1:9 (part-1)

The only text that seems to ask believers to confess their sins for God to forgive them is 1st John 1:9

1st John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

However with proper interpretation, we will see that there was no contradiction at all and that what he wrote was in agreement with the other Epistles. One must always read the epistles with the understanding that all the books are in agreement and there are no contradictions in any book. Having this understanding will make bible study productive. One would not begin to doubt the character of God and the integrity of His word.

The first thing to note here is that John quoted from an Old Testament scripture with a New Testament understanding.

Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

NOTE: Paul also quoted from Psalm 32, however from verse 1 and 2

Psalm 32:1 A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Romans 4:3 for what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Paul in quoting this in verses 3, 6, and 7 talked about FAITH and FORGIVENESS.

Back to 1st John 1:9.
The best approach to understand the above portion of scripture will be to:

• Firstly, isolate the verse and then see what John taught in his Epistles about “confession”

• Secondly , see if it agrees with all the Epistles on the same subject matter.
Based on this, we will now explain the above text to understand exactly what John was saying.

VERSE 1:
Observe firstly, that the letter was not addressed to anyone in particular. Unlike 2nd John, which was addressed to “the elder unto the elect lady and her children” and 3rd John which was addressed to Gaius.

Observe also, that every time John talked about believers, he was very specific.

• 1st John 2:1, 12 and 13: he wrote to little children.

• 1st John 2:13: he wrote to the fathers.

• 1st John 2:13: he wrote to young men.
Very clear from Verse 1 also, John was talking about the message (the word of life)

VERSE 3:
At this Point, John begins to speak about fellowship. Observe that he spoke about 2 different audiences.

Verse 3a ……..“That ye also may have fellowship with us.

Verse 3b……..” and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his son Jesus Christ.

Clearly,
• The first audience did not have eternal life and did not have fellowship with the Father, the son and other believers

• The second audience, John inclusive, have eternal life and have fellowship with the father, the son and other believers

VERSE 4:
Here John was very specific “I write unto you that your Joy may be full”

Who is he referring to as “YOU”?

• Very clear: the second audience; those who have eternal life and who have fellowship with the father, the son and other believers

• This is in tandem with what he taught in 1st John 2:13-14 …..they have known the father, he that was from the beginning.

• He went further to call them “BRETHREN” in 1st John 2:7

VERSE 5:
Again he spoke of the message- … God is light and in him is no darkness at all…

So, we see that John wrote to different audiences in that epistle. We however are part of the second audience- those who have eternal life and have fellowship with the Father.

CONFESSION: I have eternal life and I have fellowship with ABBA Father.

WHY JESUS CAME TO DIE

JOHN 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (KJV)

Jesus Christ did not come to die so we can have good behavior. He did not die so we can have money. He did not die so we can have good marriage or perform well in school. He did not come to die so that we can have power to work miracles. He did not come to die so that God can hear our prayers. These are all good. These are all expressions of God’s goodness to all creation. This is because a person can have all these good things without being a Christian.

Jesus Christ came to die and resurrect so that we can have forgiveness of sins and a new life. He came purposely for the salvation of man from the power of sin which is death. He came as the Lamb of God. The wages of sin is death, therefore he became sin for us by substitution and died our death. Anything which was possible and available before his death was not part of the reasons Jesus died.

We also died with him by participation so that as he resurrected from death, we also resurrected with new life. Jesus came and achieved his purpose. Anybody who believes in him enjoys the benefits of why Jesus came. In him we have redemption which is the forgiveness of our sins. In him we have eternal life. outside Jesus there is no life and no forgiveness of sins.

Jesus died for me by substitution and I died to sin and rose with new life by participation.

Matthew 1: 21,
John 3: 16- 18,
1John 5: 11- 12

NO VIDEO CAMERAS IN HEAVEN

HEBREWS 8: 12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (KJV)

There is this popular understanding that God keeps record of every sin we commit. Some people even say that there is a video recorder in heaven recording all our sins and it shall be replayed on a giant screen for us to see on the judgment day. Out of this erroneous belief, people believe every sin a man commits shall be shown to the whole world and every single sin shall be punished by God. To them God and the angels are busing recording sins and wrong doings of men in heaven.

The truth is that, in Christ, God does not keep record or remember sins. All sins have been forgiven and if they have been forgiven, what is the need to recall them? God says, He does not remember your sins anymore. It is paid for and you are free. There is no recorder of your sins by God. The sins you committed before and after you became born again and the sins you are yet to commit in the future have all been paid for by Christ.

However, the believer who continues in sinful lifestyle will not be effective or fruitful in the faith and this will affect the quality of his works of ministry which shall be rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ. Let us avoid sin not because it is recorded but because it affects our walk of faith in Christ. We shall be judged for whatever work we did in Christ and not for our sins or conduct but our sins and conduct affect our walk of faith in Christ, therefore we must avoid sin as believers and put on good conducts.

I refuse to live a sinful lifestyle not because it is going to be recorded but because it will challenge my walk of faith which shall be rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ.

2Corinthians 5: 17- 21,
Romans 8: 1- 2,
1Corinthians 3: 11- 15

ENLIGHTENMENT FOR TODAY BY APOSTLE GILBERT KARUZA

The believer has received the love of God; the life of Christ. He is justified by faith in Christ alone and not of works. All he has received in Christ is FREE.

Romans 4:6
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

There is a righteousness that God imputes, that God counts.

Romans 6:13
Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God.

Where is the Righteousness of God revealed? In the gospel. How? By faith – Romans 1, 16- 17.

Romans 3:26
To declare, [I say,] at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

…That he might be just – In His declaration he is just.

In other words the only people he justified are those that believe. That is how he imputes his own righteousness.

Romans 8:10
And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness

What Righteousness? The Righteousness of God which is by Faith.

Romans 10:3
And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness

Recall that the righteousness of God which is by faith is revealed through the Gospel of His son.

Romans 3:21
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

The word “Without” implies apart from the Law, that is, you will not find it in the law. That same word was used in Romans 3:28 as well.

Romans 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

A man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Romans 4:6
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works;

That is there’s no works in what he is saying.

Romans 7:8 For without the law sin was dead.

Romans 5:13
For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Sin wasn’t charged to anyone’s account. What was imputed at the time was righteousness through faith.

Romans 3:21
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

By saying without the Law, he was referring to before and after the law was given. As a result, righteousness cannot be defined in the law.

Notice that the Gospel of God was promised by his prophets.

Romans 1:1-2
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures.

In other words, Righteousness has always been in the Gospels. It was seen either as a promise or as a fulfilment. Righteousness therefore, is a function of the gospel.

The Gospel which was first in a promissory note, was then fulfilled when Christ came. Hence, the promise was fulfilled. So the promise of the Gospel – Righteousness through Faith is received by believing in the gospel of his son. (Jesus)

Confession : I have received the love of God and the life of God. The love God has shown me is that I am justified by his faith and not of my works. I am a recipient of his grace. I am declared righteous on his own account.

ENLIGHTENMENT FOR TODAY BY APOSTLE GILBERT KARUZA

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Deuteronomy 30:11-15 Moses described the righteousness, which is of the law and the righteousness of the faith of Christ.

Romans 3:20 …By the works of the law nobody is justified in his sight.
Vs 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

You can’t be justified by God and by the law at the same time. This justification is free, it places no demands on the person in question.

Vs 26 To declare, [I say,] at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

God doesn’t justify works. He justifies faith, and this is not as an after thought.

Vs 30 Seeing [it is] one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and circumcision through faith.

Justification is only by faith. It’s the character of God that man is justified by faith.

Romans 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God

Trying to be justified by works is futility with God. He justifies the ungodly. Who called Abraham ungodly? Not God. He doesn’t find fault. It was the law that labeled him ungodly.

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

This is the original plan, not an afterthought.

Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

He justifies by faith. It’s the law that lays a charge. Paul is making a distinction between the law and God.

Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? [It is] God that justifieth.

So righteousness through the law cannot be the same as the righteousness of God.

God has never placed any demands on man to be perfect. It’s a wrong notion to say that God only brought justification when man didn’t meet the standards he set. It’s not true!

God has always been the provider of all that man needed and he provided ahead of time. To show his love, he leaves man with a choice to demonstrate faith or unbelief. The law justified by works while God justified by faith. Faith in Christ is therefore righteousness or right living with God.

Confession: I am not justified by my own works. I am justified by his own works. He demonstrated his love that I might be righteous. God never placed any demands on me, I am righteous only by his works and not mine.

ROMANS 5: 1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)

Many Christians live their lives every day in guilt and fear. They believe they are not righteous because they commit unconscious and conscious sins. As a result, they think they are not fully qualified for God’s protection and deliverance from trouble or not worthy of God’s blessings and favour. They have a high sense of inadequacy.

They are always asking God for forgiveness of their known and unknown sins. No matter how hard they try to live right, they always have something to be guilty about. God does not see us that way. God sees Christ in us not our sins. You stand 100% righteous and justified before God. Don’t be sin conscious, be Christ conscious. Be free from guilt and see Christ as your righteousness. Since you cannot qualify in your own efforts in relating to God, you need to relate to God on the merit of Christ and his finished work for you.

Whatever God will not deny Jesus of, He will not deny you also of. In Christ, you are justified, blameless and faultless. You are as holy and righteous as Christ Jesus, despite your known and unknown faults. Be free from guilt and fear and enjoy maximum rest in Christ.

I am justified before God because Christ is my righteousness.

Romans 8: 1– 2,
2Corinthians 5:21,
Acts 13: 38

The death of Jesus has granted me forgiveness of sins. It is not conditional because it is based on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Nothing is therefore required of me.

APOSTLE GILBERT KARUZA

The word “Forgiveness/remission” means “to send away your sin.

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, [even] to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42 and he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God [to be] the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins”

In verses 40-41 we read of how that Jesus rose from the dead.

… Whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Here is a notable difference from what was seen under the Old Covenant.

Acts 13:38 “Be it known unto you therefore, men [and] brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins”.

Forgiveness of sins is preached.

Thus, for a man to receive forgiveness of sin under the new covenant, he will believe that message that is preached to him.

Acts 16:15 “And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought [us], saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide [there]. And she constrained us.16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour”.

That they may RECEIVE forgiveness of sin.

Forgiveness of sin is received by faith in the gospel.

Romans 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

The law will charge sin but faith does not impute sin. Faith in the gospel declares a man righteous.

2nd Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation

God in Christ doesn’t impute sin.

Under the old covenant, what we see is a man taking steps of reconciliation towards God, offering sacrifices, praying but in the New Testament what we see is that God was the one who took steps of reconciling man.

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

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins

Forgiveness of sins in the New Testament is tied to the blood of Jesus. Under the Old Testament they offered blood of bulls and goats.

The price paid – redemption – is the blood of Jesus.

Thus we see a difference between the two covenants.

Under the old covenant forgiveness of sin was conditional. It was a reward for what the man had done – prayer, offering, confession of sin.

Under the new covenant forgiveness is not conditional; it’s based on the death of Jesus.

This knowledge is so important because many still take examples from the 4 gospels and the Old Testament and use such to preach to people to be saved. All is predicated on the death of Jesus. A man believes in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and he receives forgiveness of sins.

WHY THE DIFFERENCE?
Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Jesus spoke of a new covenant. It means the old is no longer in force or of any effect.

Hebrews 8:7 For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…Vs 13 In that he saith, A new [covenant], he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away”.

Thus we see how remission of sins was going to be done under this new covenant – by the shedding of the blood of Jesus.

Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

CONFESSION: The death of Jesus has granted me forgiveness of sins. It is not conditional because it is based on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Nothing is therefore required of me.