There is a Christian radio ministry out of Texas with a program titled “People to People”. One of the hosts of the show is a gentleman by the name of Bob George. Mr. George routinely tells his listeners and folks that call in to his program that there is no need to ask God for forgiveness and that it is actually foolish and a waste of time inasmuch as Christ has already forgiven your sins on the cross.
Is he right?
Well he is right in one way, your sin is already forgiven because of the cross and Jesus’ death and His petition of the Father, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Our sin is forgiven. If we sin and forget about it, or don’t even realize that we have committed a sin, and therefore do not ask God to forgive that sin, are we then not forgiven?
The point here isn’t that we have to ask. The point here is that we can ask. It’s that God wants us to ask. He wants us to confess. It says as much in scripture. The Lord wants us to come to Him. To speak with Him and honestly confess our sins. He wants to hear from us, and He wants us to be unburdened by that sin which we have just confessed. The Lord wants to forgive us, time and time again because it is liberating for us, the sinner. That forgiveness gives us new life and salvation…each time…again and again and again.
If you as a parent has a child that willfully disobeys you, you will forgive that child because he or she is your child. That child of yours does not have to fess up and ask your forgiveness otherwise you will kick him out of the family. But you do want that child to be honest with you, to come to you, to recieve a talk about why what he or she did was not a good thing, and then to hear, “you are forgiven, go and sin no more.”
Being able to go to our Heavenly Father is a gift. Being able to confess to Him and relieve ourselves of the guilt we have in our own mind and heart, to realize that we are loved and forgiven…is a gift.
I don’t think that telling people there is no need to confess our sins to God, because He already knows them and forgives you, is a healty thing to do. While Bob George may be technically right, the relationship between Father and child is not a business contract.
I believe the Lord wants us to come to Him and confess our sins and ask for His forgiveness. What do you think?
Filed under: Confession and Forgiveness | 12 Comments »
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