1 John 1:9 says we have to confess our sins, in order to be forgiven by God. However forgiveness of our sin is based on what Jesus did on the cross and was therefore unconditional. There seems to be a dilemme here. However I was recently told that the epistle John was written to the gnostics and not the Christians....has anyone else heard this or does anyone have any constructive comments.
2007-10-01 09:22:05 · 18 answers · asked by Andy 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The answer is that God's forgiveness is both conditional AND unconditional.
2007-10-01 09:25:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 5⤋
The Gnostics were Christians too. The confession via a priest was something like going to a psychiatrist. At the end, it is up to you, what you prefer. At the end it is God who forgives you anyway. And don´t forget, over the centuries, there are so many interpretations in the whole bible, starting from copying it by hand to leaving out parts, which someone didn´t like or giving an "official interpretation" of the word.
2007-10-04 06:03:10 · answer #2 · answered by finestrat1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My personal opinion is that when we become a Christian ie give our lives to Jesus and have Him at the centre of our lives etc then we are forgiven for ALL sins, past present and future. However, in order to preserve our "contact with God" ie be in a right relationship then we need to confess sin when we do something wrong and ask for forgiveness - that is what keeps us "right" with God. Salvation, I think, it not dependent on what we do or don't do - other than of course inviting Jesus into our lives, it is by grace - what Jesus did for us.
2007-10-02 02:53:22 · answer #3 · answered by kaleidoscope_girl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We all deserve to die (go to hell) and quite frankly if I was God, I might just let us all go.....but I'm not God, and He loves us so he sent Jesus to die in our place. All through the Bible, the shedding of blood was necessary for the forgiveness of sins, because the life of an animal (or human) is in it's blood, and it's kind of a life for a life, the animals died in the place of the sinning Israelites, and Jesus died in the place of all sinners. So forgiveness is possible because of what Jesus did.
Now to find out if this forgiveness is given if not asked for, I look to the Bible. Jesus, on the cross, asked the Father to forgive the Pharisees. If forgiveness was to be given anyway, why would Jesus ask for it?
In Acts 2:38, Peter tells the Jews to 'repent....in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.' So this man who had been close to Jesus also believed that forgiveness must be asked for. It's free to all who repent, which is more than just saying sorry, it's a conscious decision to 'turn away' from the sins we have been committing.
Hope some of that made sense.
2007-10-01 23:22:18 · answer #4 · answered by good tree 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1 John was written to address many of the heresies of Gnosticism. But the answer is, forgiveness is unconditional for the believer.
Heb 10:10 by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:11 And indeed every priest stands day by day ministering, and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
Heb 10:12 But He, offering but one sacrifice for sins, "sat down" in perpetuity "at the right hand" of God,
What is meant by "sat down" is that work of forgiveness is done, nothing more needs to be done. The verse in 1 John is not an "if/then" clause. In order to confess our sins, we must already be believers, since an unbeliever does not believe they have sin. So, since we are already believers, then the work of Christ has already be inputed to us. God is just and faithful to His promises to forgive our sins, and cleanse us. His work of forgiveness is not dependent on us, it is dependent on Him, His righteousness, His faithfulness. When we sin as believers, we confess our sins, acknowledge them to God, agree with God that they are sins, and then the relationship between God and the believer is restored.
2007-10-01 09:37:37 · answer #5 · answered by BrotherMichael 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
John and the epistles were written by John, not by gnostics. In fact 1 John rejects the heresies of the evil gnostics.
Forgiveness is based upon believing that Jesus, who is God, died for your sins on the cross and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
Forgiveness is only by BELIEVING the Gospel.
2007-10-01 09:25:15 · answer #6 · answered by CJ 6 · 8⤊ 2⤋
The forgiveness may be unconditional but it can't be "given" if you don't understand it. You have to recognize and acknowledge your sins. What good is it for God to say, "I forgive you," if your response is, "Huh? What are you talking about?" It's not God holding back, it's you being too afraid to acknowledge you need it. It's forgiveness, not an excuse. The point is that something in you needs to change so that you'll be a better person. Otherwise, there's no point in calling it "sin".
2007-10-01 09:33:15 · answer #7 · answered by skepsis 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Think of it like this. Jesus has paid the price of my release from prison. The door is unlocked, it only remains for me to walk out. But to walk out would be to admit that a price has been paid, that I deserved to be in prison. And maybe I would prefer to stay in prison rather than admit my guilt. And maybe to go free and live in gratitude for the payment is more than I want.
So actually, God has played a crafty trick on me. There are no free lunches, they say, and there is no free salvation. I must come out with my hands up, and surrender my every decision to Him. My use of money and time, my friends, everything must be decided by Him- and decided perfectly. Thank God.
But God has another trick up his sleeve. He never makes me do what I don't want to do. He changes my mind about things I don't want to do, so that I agree with Him, sooner or later (and the sooner, the better). So it's hard- but it's easy. As He said, "My yoke is easy, my burden is light." I love, because He first loved me. It's a personal love affair, being a Christian, one better than any human romance.
2007-10-01 13:26:53 · answer #8 · answered by miller 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus' death on the Cross made forgiveness possible. But if we don't ask for forgiveness, we can't receive forgiveness. It all goes back to the relationship God wants to have with us. To confess our sins and ask to be forgiven is to open up a dialog with God. There isn't really any dichotomy.
2007-10-01 09:26:09 · answer #9 · answered by Sharon M 6 · 7⤊ 2⤋
Sin interrupts fellowship.
You are a very careless reader. You have missed out half of what is written. Why? Have you been listening to men?
Yes you have. And you were recently told something by men. Ignore what men say and listen to what Christ says. Shut your ears to what men say and go to Christ. Is He not able to speak to you and to show you?
Are you unwilling to go to Christ for life? John 5/40.
Every word of Scripture is weighed.
Go and read it again very much more carefully and ask God to show you.
When God shows you, you will not want the broken and polluted cisterns of men.
2007-10-01 10:56:00 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Forgiveness is based on repentance. Repentance is the sorrow for sins committed and a firm resolution not to repeat the same sins again. Confession is an external sign of repentance. It is also a sacrament of the Catholic and Orthodox churches.
2007-10-01 09:29:39 · answer #11 · answered by morkie 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋