What We Are To Confess
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
The “confession” above is not the confession of sin which Christianity likes to talk about. The Greek word means “to agree”, and in this context we are to agree with God that in spite of our sin, we have a great High Priest who loves us and is going to save us from our sin. God made us to be sinners, and we all fulfill our destiny to sin. Yet God has promised to justify and save sinners and give them eternal life.
“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested…even the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ for all those who believe…for all (who) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (are) being justified as a gift by his grace…for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord...through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23-24; 6:23; 5:2)
That is what we should be confessing…the grace and mercy of God for sinners...the grace and mercy in which we now stand in the assurance of obtaining the glory of God, that we sinners "fall short of", at our resurrection.
Jesus Christ is our great high priest and understands that in our current state we have such “weaknesses” that when we are “tempted” we sin. Jesus was able to endure the temptation without sin only because he is the "only begotten Son" of God. We will not be “begotten” as a true sinless son of God until we are made a new creation at our resurrection.
We sinners can "come boldly to the throne of grace" each day knowing that we will find, not eternal judgment, but "mercy". Mankind needs to know this in order to overcome the guilt that is laid on us by religious institutions.
If you walk out of a church feeling guilty…NEVER GO BACK. Guilt is not of God, only sinful men use guilt to control others. God uses love to motivate and change us.
“God demonstrates His love to us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us....For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” (Romans 5:John 3:16-17)
The “confession” above is not the confession of sin which Christianity likes to talk about. The Greek word means “to agree”, and in this context we are to agree with God that in spite of our sin, we have a great High Priest who loves us and is going to save us from our sin. God made us to be sinners, and we all fulfill our destiny to sin. Yet God has promised to justify and save sinners and give them eternal life.
“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested…even the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ for all those who believe…for all (who) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (are) being justified as a gift by his grace…for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord...through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23-24; 6:23; 5:2)
That is what we should be confessing…the grace and mercy of God for sinners...the grace and mercy in which we now stand in the assurance of obtaining the glory of God, that we sinners "fall short of", at our resurrection.
Jesus Christ is our great high priest and understands that in our current state we have such “weaknesses” that when we are “tempted” we sin. Jesus was able to endure the temptation without sin only because he is the "only begotten Son" of God. We will not be “begotten” as a true sinless son of God until we are made a new creation at our resurrection.
We sinners can "come boldly to the throne of grace" each day knowing that we will find, not eternal judgment, but "mercy". Mankind needs to know this in order to overcome the guilt that is laid on us by religious institutions.
If you walk out of a church feeling guilty…NEVER GO BACK. Guilt is not of God, only sinful men use guilt to control others. God uses love to motivate and change us.
“God demonstrates His love to us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us....For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” (Romans 5:John 3:16-17)