Tag Archives: private

Christian

Enter In

Jesus made a promise in 1 John 1:9 KJV.


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

Yet some try to confuse this clear promise.

A few days ago on television I heard a preacher say it doesn’t mean take out a piece of paper and write down all your sins, it means to acknowledge you’re a sinner and ask God for forgiveness. What’s wrong with writing down your sins and passing the paper around your church? This more closely meets the requirement – confess.

Another way to confuse the issue is to make some kind of difference between public and private sins. The Church of Christ denomination says you only need to confess your public sins. There is no such distinction in the Holy Bible. I tell you, if you do not confess all, you may die in your sins.

This is a modern day example of Matthew 23:13 KJV.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

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Christian

Open Letter to the Church of Christ

Unless your righteousness exceedeth singing a cappella you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Ten Commandments are still valid and should be followed.

God still does miracles today. There is no verse limiting God’s power to the Old Testament.

The Lord’s Prayer is still valid and should be prayed both publicly and privately.

You are a denomination. Though you claim lineage from Christ you are not the direct descendant or sole heir of God’s Church. You are a product of the Protestant Reformation the same as any other Christian denomination in existence today.

No distinction should be made between public and private sin. If you want your sin forgiven in accordance with 1 John 1:9, the sin must be confessed. Confession is made to another. It does not need to be publicly done, but their is no prohibition against this. However when you tell people they don’t need to confess their private sins you are essentially telling them to die in their sin.

Where it says wine in the Bible it means wine not grape juice. Both Jesus and Paul drank wine.

While many denominations including thr Church of Christ site 1 Corinthians 16:2 as a modern day commandment to give, it is not. It is better to be honest and declare your donations go to the preachers salary, church building expenses, and whatever philanthropy your church may do.

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Christian, Inspirational

Discernment vs. Denomination

Well, I’m back attending the Church of Christ. That is where my mom wants to go and it’s just easier to go there with her.

No changes – they still think singing acapella will get them to Heaven while ignoring the Ten Commandments.

In one breath the preacher says everything is biblically based and in the next he’s proffering false doctrine about sin being either public or private and how you only need to come forward if its public.

I tell you, if you believe this you are likely to die in your unconfessed “private” sin. The bible tells us that if we seek forgiveness after water baptism – we need to confess ours sins. 1 John 1:9. It doesn’t say we need to confess publicly, but God surely already knows. This implies communication to another person. That person may be clergy, a friend, or a spouse. It could be written or spoken, but confession does imply communicating with another.

James 5:16 KJV
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

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Christian, Inspirational

Tell and Turn

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

This is a promise.

Proper baptism covers past sins, but what do we do if we sin after baptism? First and foremost we should fear God and strive not to sin. We have to value Jesus’ sacrifice. 

There are those that preach a difference between public sin and private sin and intentional and unintentional sin. These preachers do great damage to the Kingdom of God. One preaches 1 John 1:9 doesn’t apply to private sin another says 1 John 1:9 is not for intentional sin. I know from past experience how hard it is to confess. These preachers make it harder. There is darkness and death in silence.

I once typed a page with my sins, printed about 30 copies, and handed it out at church because I could not find the courage to speak it publicly. I also called the police once and confessed to them for a past deed that troubled me greatly. It is both scary and difficult to confess, especially if you are denied a forum.

What are the requirements of confession? 

What is the purpose?

I believe confession is made to another, not just praying silently to God for forgiveness. James 5:16. He already knows them, so where is the act of confession, if this is all we do?

The purpose of confession is to tell and turn, to bring darkness to light, death to life. Repentance walks hand in hand with confession. We are sorry for our sin and we will quit the sinful activity. 

Don’t die in your sins. Tell and Turn.

Proverbs 28:13 KJV He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

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