Doctrine of Sin
Doctrine of Sin
Doctrine of Sin
Contents
DEFINITION AND OBJECTIVES 2
DEFINITION AND OBJEC- your life begins to “conform to the image of Christ”.
This spiritual growth is the basis for victory over
TIVES sin.
of the Sin Nature, was rejected at the Cross, mak- is the center of the soul’s rebellion against God.
ing salvation and all other spiritual benefits to be The essence of the soul contains:
total products of the Grace of God, “not of works
lest any man should boast”. Eph. 2:8,9; Rom. 4:4; • Self-consciousness
6:10.
• Mentality
And, Christ bore everyone’s personal sins (1 John
2:2) because He was judged for the sins of the whole • Volition
world. His spiritual death on the Cross was substi-
tuted for our spiritual death, making it possible for • Emotion
anyone to become spiritually alive. The sin issue
• The Sin Nature
is resolved for all of us by the work of Christ. So
the issue for anyone is simply faith in Christ and
in His finished work of salvation. John 3:18,36. The Essence of the Sin Nature
Old Man – referring to the believer’s former man- the believer’s personal sin. The believer can repent
ner of life as an unbeliever. Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:5–9. and confess and be filled with the Spirit. 1 John
1:9; Prov. 1:23.
Heart – in some usages the word “heart” refers to
a facet of the soul which is the source of sin. Jer. Human good, rejected by Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8,9),
17:9; Mt. 12:34; 15:19; Mark 7:21-23; Ps. 58:2-5. is never acceptable to God, and it does not produce
blessing in the life of the believer. It is contrary to
Carnality – derived from the Latin for “flesh”. Rom. the principle of Grace, in which God does the work.
7:14; 8:6-8; 1 Cor. 3:1-3. In Christian growth, the Holy Spirit provides for
the production of divine good in the believer’s life,
through His filling, control, and teaching functions.
Principles Related to the Sin Nature God does the giving; man does the receiving.
The Sin Nature is the source of spiritual death. Legalism is human good production for the pur-
Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1,5. pose of earning and receiving merit or blessing from
God. In Legalism, man does the work and receives
The Sin Nature is perpetuated in human beings the credit. Therefore, Legalism is a product of the
through physical birth. Ps. 51:5; 1 Tim. 2:13,14. Sin Nature lust patterns. Under Grace, God does
The believer continues to have his Sin Nature after the work and receives the “credit” (glory). Human
salvation. 1 Cor. 3:1; 1 John 1:8. The believer un- good production of the Sin Nature will be judged
der the control of the Sin Nature is called “carnal”. at the Judgment Seat of Christ. It is called “wood,
Rom. 7:14; 1 Cor. 3:1ff hay, and stubble” and will be burned. The “gold,
The Sin Nature frustrates the production of divine silver, and precious stones”, of divine good produc-
good. Rom. 7:15. tion of the Holy Spirit, will remain. 1 Cor. 3:10-15
As a result of the lack of divine viewpoint in the “mind of Christ”, and God’s viewpoint is becoming
soul, the negative person begins to entertain hu- his own.
man standards, human criteria, human doctrine,
The greatest occupational hazard faced by a Chris-
human programs – these thing, plus the full gamut
tian is the failure to grow in Christ. Persistent per-
of Satanic doctrine, are substituted for the plan
sonal sin carried on without repentance and confes-
of God. The further result is subjectivity, unhap-
sion keeps the Christian out of fellowship with the
piness, and deep frustration in trying to live by
Lord and hinders the work of the Holy Spirit in the
techniques which do not work.
life.
These conditions lead to a frantic search for happi- The normal Christian life is a supernatural life.
ness through details of life such as riches, friend- This life cannot be lived apart from the daily in-
ships, possessions, human approbation, personal take of spiritual food, the sustenance which comes
influence and power, and so forth. The believer with the study of the Bible accompanied by the
on this treadmill is a slave to these details of life continuous control and ministry of the Holy Spirit.
rather than being a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Inattention to the teaching of the Word of God
While the believer thus engaged is still “in Christ” concerning the mechanics of daily Christian living
positionally, he is actually no better off that an un- results in failure to grow in Christ. The believer
believer as far as this life is concerned. In fact, he who will not overcome these problems will not be
is destined to be far unhappier than the unbeliever, able to enjoy the benefits and blessings of the Chris-
as will be be shown in the following paragraphs. tian life, and he will certainly not be productive as
The time, energy, and emotional commitments to a child of God.
this person’s search for happiness lead to further This section of the study of the topic of Sin reviews
isolation from the teachings of the Word of God. several factors relating to the subject of the be-
He is spending maximum effort to find happiness liever’s mental attitude. First, we note several cat-
through other means. Thus, the very method for egories of mental attitude sin which are the result
reversing the downward trend is ignored. of “not thinking Grace”. Then we see the methods
by which God arranges for human viewpoint think-
During this process, neuroses and psychoses are be-
ing to be replaced with divine viewpoint thinking.
ing developed, aggravated by the self-induced mis-
This section will also show some of the important
ery which accompanies chronic and unmitigated
results in the life of the Christian who develops a
sins of the mind such as pride, jealousy, envy, vin-
godly mental attitude.
dictiveness, worry, fear, mental adultery, implaca-
bility, and the like, from which there is no relief
outside of the plan of God. The Sin of “Not Thinking Grace”
Because of these sin patterns, divine discipline is
A Christian decides many times every day whether
compounded daily. The believer has a horrible
he will follow God’s plan for his life. In decisions
life composed of his own failures, doubled and
great or small he expresses either his dependence on
re-doubled chastisement, his self-induced unhappi-
the Lord or his desire to be independent of God’s
ness, and the fact that he has no defense against the
direction. A believer has access to the perfect plan
attacks of Satan and his demons. His “righteous-
of God for his life, a plan which has certain prede-
ness” (-r) has replaced the righteousness (+R) of
termined divine standards by which every situation
God. This whole miserable situation is avoidable,
can be measured, by which every decisive opportu-
as you will see with further study.
nity can be judged. Many promises and blessings
are available for use by the person who orders his
life according to the patterns laid out in the Bible.
MENTAL ATTITUDE SINS The person who is not positive to the plan of God,
and who would apply his own human standards
As a believer progresses in his Christian life, he to life situations, does not operate by divine stan-
experiences many profound changes in his think- dards. He becomes involved in a variety of mental
ing. His standards change gradually but radically; attitude sin problems stemming from his original
his frame of reference changes; his mental attitude decision to be independent of God. His life takes
soon becomes very different from what it once was. on the characteristics of one who does not “think
His previous way of thinking is replaced by the Grace”.
The Grace of God is that characteristic of His which Characteristics of the Believer’s Men-
is an extension of His love for the human race and tal Attitude
which causes Him to provide for every human need
for time and eternity. The sacrificial death of Jesus The true character of a believer in Jesus Christ is
Christ on the Cross was the Work which made it determined by his mental attitude. Prov. 23:7, “As
possible for God to view every person as free from a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. See also 1 Pet.
the guilt of sin and as an object of God’s Grace 1:13; 4:1; Heb. 12:3; Col. 3:1,2; 1 Cor. 2:16; 2 Cor.
provisions. 10:4,5.
Failure to order one’s thinking according to Grace A Christian’s mental attitude is not always appar-
involves several aspects of mental attitude sin, in- ent in his actions, but God always knows perfectly
cluding the following : what a person is thinking. Heb. 4:12,13; Prov.
21:2. The following are examples of mental atti-
A spirit of pride – this is an exalted feeling based tude thinking.
on personal success or position, or based on good
training or education, on personal appearance, or Worldliness is a mental attitude. Worldliness is
on some natural gift or ability. Sinful pride is an not the doing of something wrong; it is the think-
inner feeling of self-importance which does not take ing which takes place independently of God’s view-
into account God’s provision of every resource and point. The remedy to the problem of worldliness
quality which goes into one’s human traits and ca- is not in turning over a new leaf. It is a change in
pabilities. thinking (repentance) rather than a change in ac-
tivity. Divine viewpoint must replace human view-
Love of, or desire for, human approbation and point before a change in character can be expected.
praise – this is a secret fondness for being noticed One can have an outward life which appears good,
and recognized. It is a love of supremacy, or it is yet be filled with mental attitude sins. Col. 3:2;
the drawing of attention to oneself by various types James 4:4.
of exhibitionism or by spiritual one-upmanship.
Toughness, strength, and determination are men-
Self will – this is the concept of the stubborn or un- tal attitudes. One is not beaten until he gives up
teachable nature, or implacability. Self will is a dis- mentally.
position to be argumentative, harsh, bitter, which True Christian inner peace is a mental attitude. It
causes one to be a “nit picker” or critical in the is the relaxed mental state which enables one to
extreme, or to mind the business of others, or to enjoy the Christian life regardless of people or out-
fail to recognize the rights and privacy of others. ward circumstances. With a good mental attitude,
Sinful reaction to social pressures – these are the the believer can be joyful, relaxed, and can even
sins of anger, impatience, touchiness, or of having a enjoy the battle.
sensitive nature. There is often resentment and re- Mental stability is the result of thinking from a
taliation when disapproved or contradicted. This proper frame of reference, that is, Biblical think-
area of sin generates jealousy, sour grapes, envy, ing. The Christian who has mental fear, who is
and the accompanying bitterness, hatred, carrying a chronic worrier, who cannot think clearly under
of grudges, revenge tactics, and so forth. pressure, who blames others for his problems, who
cannot make correct decisions – that believer is un-
Magnifying the faults and failings of others while
stable. His emotions interfere with his thinking.
emphasizing one’s own virtues.
Since emotion always follows thinking, emotional
Negative disposition – this is peevishness, a fretful instability will always follow from incorrect (HVP)
disposition, one that loves to be coaxed and hon- thinking. But God’s Plan of Grace leads to rock-
ored. It is a dishonest, deceitful attitude. It is a dis- solid mental and emotional stability.
position that tends toward discouragement and de-
spondency under pressure along with the attempt
to solve one’s problems by hysteria and tantrums. Human vs Divine Viewpoint
Apathy – this sin is that of indifference to doctrine Thinking requires words - vocabulary. Divine
and to the Word of God in general. It is indiffer- thinking requires divine vocabulary. “Man shall
ences to the lost condition of unbelievers or to the not live by bread alone but by every word that pro-
carnal condition of other believers. ceeds from the mouth of God.” Under any kind
of spiritual pressure, human vocabulary, or human misunderstanding without defending oneself. 1 Pet.
thinking, is not adequate. Only God’s words can 2:19; 3:16. The conscience can be damaged or de-
give the ability to think correctly under pressure. stroyed with false doctrine and with a calloused
The Christian’s ability to think correctly is based soul. 1 Tim. 4:1,2.
on how much Bible teaching is resident (applied) in
the soul of the believer.
The Christian is commanded to have a new mental The Mechanics of Replacing Human
attitude. Col. 3:1,2; 2 Cor. 10:4,5; 1 Cor. 2:16; Thinking with Divine Viewpoint
Phil. 2:5.
The warfare between two viewpoints in the be- The Christian life is a supernatural life and cannot
liever’s soul must be fought from within, first by be lived without the filling of the Holy Spirit and
knowledge of doctrine, and then by the application the daily function of applied Bible teaching. Rom.
of truth to the life. 2 Tim. 2:15; 1 John 1:9. 8:2; 7:6; Gal. 5:25; Eph. 5:18. All changes must
come from within, and the Holy Spirit must origi-
Every believer has a mind which is capable of look- nate divine good by applying doctrine to the life.
ing at life from God’s point of view. Rom. 1:18
ff. Mental attitude divine viewpoint is obtained We begin a change of viewpoint at the moment of
only through Bible study accompanied by the con- salvation. At that time we changed our mental atti-
trolling ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Christian tude toward the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 3:19. That
who habitually studies the Word learns to concen- was repentance and faith, and it resulted in our
trate and to think from God’s point of view, and regeneration. John 3:16. At that moment many
thus he becomes stabilized. The “mind of Christ” benefits were made available to us, blessings and
(the source of God’s viewpoint) is made clear in the promises from God which enable us to live in a
Bible. manner which is both acceptable to the Lord and
which also produces great happiness for us. We are
The Christian can be “transformed by the renewing given the ability to think those things which will
of the mind” through study, knowledge, and appli- bring honor to the Lord. Eph. 5:18; 4:23; Col. 3:2.
cation of Bible truth. By this means his decisions
and actions are most likely to be in agreement with The choice of whether to make use of the divine
Bible principle. And this is the only sure sign of operating assets is made by the believer every day.
Christian maturity and victorious Christian living. The power or our walk with the Lord depends on
Bible teaching, the work of the Holy Spirit, and
the believer’s positive volition. Daily Bible teach-
The Human Conscience ing under the controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit
builds up divine standards in the human soul and
The conscience is located in the mind and is the cen- conscience. 1 Tim. 1:5,19; 3:9.
ter for the operating standards of the human soul.
Titus 1:15. The conscience convicts the Christian
of evil or wrongdoing. John 8:9. The conscience The Benefits of Having a Proper Men-
establishes standards for both human and divine tal Attitude
relationships. Acts 24:16.
The conscience functions on thinking; and the be- With the proper mental attitude, the Christian will
liever in fellowship has a conscience which functions have victory, peace, power, and mental stability.
from resident (applied) divine viewpoint. Rom. Phil. 2:5; 2 Tim. 1:7. The Christian can experi-
2:15; 9:1, as related to applied Bible teaching. The ence perfect inner peace, ever during times of diffi-
conscience establishes standards for serving God. 2 culty and suffering. Phil. 4:7. Inner peace comes
Tim. 1:3; Heb. 9:14. But false operating standards from what we think. Isa. 26:3. Divine viewpoint
in the conscience produce legalism. 1 Cor. 8:7. brings mental stability and eliminates discourage-
ment, anxiety, instability, fearfulness, and double-
The more the believer uses applied Bible doctrine, mindedness. Stability of mind and character is a
the stronger his conscience becomes in using such mental attitude of strength.
thinks as the Law of Liberty and the superseding
laws of love and sacrifice. 1 Cor. 10:24-29. Con- The believer with divine viewpoint has a gracious
science is the basis for enduring mistreatment and attitude toward others. He is a mature believer
characterized by mental attitude love who is a chan- “Feet that are swift in running to mischief” refers
nel of the Grace of God. Deut. 6:5; 11:13. A men- to sins of the tongue plus overt sins. It relates to
tal attitude from DVP produces confidences based the person who goes out of his way to make trouble
on absolute values and standards. 2 Cor. 5:1,6,8. through gossip, maligning, judging, vindictiveness,
tactics of revenge, and any overt tactic which will
make trouble for others.
Mental Attitude and the Believer’s
“A false witness that spreads lies” refers to perjury,
Ministry
another form of lying. Or, it means to downgrade
someone.
The mature believer “thinks Grace”, which is the
“mind of Christ”. Therefore, the Christian’s life “He that soweth discord among the brethren” indi-
and personality are characterized by many of the cates maligning, carrying tales, backbiting, destruc-
qualities of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. tive criticism, and so forth.
8:29; Gal. 5:22 ff. In every one of these characteris-
tics the Christian has one basic ingredient - correct
thinking according to divine viewpoint. 1 Pet. 3:8 SINS OF THE TONGUE
Therefore, the mature believer is gentle, compas-
sionate, caring, and has a gracious attitude toward READ Psalm 64:1-10.
others. These are essential life qualities in any be-
liever who is a good witness for Christ. With these Sins of the tongue have their origin in the Sin Na-
qualities, and with the knowledge of the Word of ture. These sins are among the most devastating of
God being acquired on the way to maturity, the all of the categories of sin. Of the seven sins men-
believer cannot help but be an outstanding witness tioned in Proverbs 6:16-19 as being especially hated
for Christ and a skilful practitioner in the use of by God, three are sins of the tongue. As a Chris-
his spiritual gifts. tian believer, you must learn as much as possible
about this type of sin. And you must do everything
possible to gain victory over this in order to be able
THE SINS THAT GOD to make progress in the Christian Way of Life.
The believer is warned in Ephesians 4 not to fall Perjury - lying under oath. READ Lev. 6:3; 19:12;
into the life patterns of the unbeliever. Zech. 5:4; Mal. 3:5; 1 Tim. 1:10
Eph. 4:17-22, 25, 29-32. Lying - READ Prov. 12:22; 21:6; Col. 3:9; Lev.
19:11; Luke 20:20.
Verbal sins can destroy a family or a congrega-
tion. Things like gossip, slander, maligning, judg- Dissimulation - Faking it, covering up, hypocrisy.
ing, backbiting, and boasting are malicious, venal, Example: calling in sick when not sick. READ 1
and destructive. James 3:5,6. Troublemakers are Sam. 21:13; Acts 23:12-15; 2 Sam. 14:2; 2 Kings
always characterized by sins of the tongue. Psalm 10:19; Luke 20:20.
52:2. Busybody - self-appointed monitor, or one who tries
to straighten others out. This word appears as a
It is the duty of the pastor to warn against these
translation of several Greek originals.
things. 2 Tim. 2:14-17. And believers are com-
manded to separate themselves from such trouble- From ����������������, part. of ������������� “to do some-
makers. Rom. 16:17,18. This separation may be thing useless or unnecessary”. Literally, “to work
just a turning away or refusal to comment or to around”. Also used in Greek to mean “undue anx-
reply in a conversation. Separation does not mean iety” over something which is not really a proper
ostracism or excommunication except in the worst concern.
cases. It means, at first, refusal to participate.
2 Thess. 3:11.
Teaching on this topic may involve exhortation and
rebuke, as in Titus 2:15. But such teaching, plus Also from ����������������, a combining form from
the refusal of believers to participated in sins of ���������, “belonging to another”, and ���������, “bishop”.
the tongue, will help the one who is having trouble Hence, the busybody is “another man’s bishop”.
with this to have victory. 1 Pet. 4:15.
Titus 1:10,11. Talebearing - slandering, whispering behind backs.
Sins of the tongue produce compounded divine dis- Prov. 11:13; 17:9; 18:8
cipline. Ps. 64:8; Matt. 7:1,2. First, there is dis- Evil Whispering - Prov. 16:28.
cipline for the mental attitude sin which motivates
Slander- Psalm 101:5; 50:20; Prov. 10:18; 11:9; 2
the verbal sin. Second, there is discipline for the
Sam. 10:3; Job 1:11; Luke 7:33.
verbal sin itself. Third, there is discipline for the
sins which one assigns to another person in wrongly False Accusation - READ 1 Sam. 1:14; Neh. 6:7;
judging him - “with what measure you mete, it shall Job 2:5; 22:6; Jer. 33:17; Matt. 5:11; 27:12; Luke
be measured to you again.” 6:7; 1 Peter 3:16.
Evil Speaking - READ Ps. 5:9; 10:7; 36:3; 55:21:
Prov. 12:18; 24:2; Matt. 12:34; Rom. 3:13; James
Types of Sins of the Tongue 3:6; 4:11.
Backbiting - slander, defamation of character, evil God provides protection for the believer who is,
speech, detraction. Found in several places in the himself, a victim of sins of the tongue. Job. 5:19–
Bible, including Rom. 1:30 as one of the sins of 21.
the immoral person who has rejected God. READ Control of the tongue, the absence of verbal sins, is
Psalm 15:3; 50:20; 101:5; Proverbs 25:23; Jer. 9:4; a sign of Christian edification in the believer, and
Rom. 1:30; 2 Cor. 12:20. it is a sign of considerable growth in Grace. James
3:2; 4:11,12. By avoiding sins of the tongue, the
False Witness - lying about people, especially while
Christian can lengthen his life and find great hap-
under oath. Prov. 25:28; Exo. 32:1; Prov. 19:9.
piness. Ps. 34:12,13.
Examples of false witness:
• Against Stephen, Acts. 6:11 How to Have Victory Over Sins of the
Tongue
• Against Paul, Acts 25:7
1. Grow daily in conformity with the Lord Jesus
• Against Christ, Matthew and Mark Christ
2. Ask God the Father for provision and protec- Finally, the person who responds positively to di-
tion in this area. vine discipline is not involved in the “sin unto
death”. Heb. 12:6, cf. 12:11-15.
3. Confess this sin each time you are convicted
of it. There are definite characteristics by which to rec-
ognize the conditions which lead to God’s applying
4. Learn to recognize all of the verbal sins – the “sin unto death”. Persistent, unconfessed sin,
some are obvious, some are subtle. sin which continues unchecked with no repentance,
may bring a person under this category. Also, the
5. Keep silent during discussion of a bad situa- person who persistently ignores Grace, warnings,
tion. and discipline may come under the “sin unto death”.
6. Keep silent during discussion of another per- Lev. 26. Then, sin which has a maximum adverse
son. effect on other people (causing stumbling) may lead
a person into severe discipline.
7. Keep silent. Some case histories of the “sin unto death”:
RULE: Do not pass on derogatory or uncomplimen- • The case of “lying to the Holy Spirit” (Ana-
tary information about anyone, unless the Word of nias and Sapphira). Acts 5:1-10.
God has given you the specific authority and re-
sponsibility to do so, and the person you are in- • The case of persistent carnality while sitting
forming likewise has responsibility in the situation at the Lord’s Table, 1 Cor. 11:30,31.
and a need-to-know the information.
• The case of disobedience to the Word of
God.1 Chron.10:13,14; 1 Sam. 13:9–14. King
Saul did not kill Agag although directly or-
THE SIN UNTO DEATH dered to do so by God; he insisted on person-
ally offering sacrifices in the place of divinely
The phrase “sin unto death” describes the final appointed priests; and he consulted a witch,
stage of divine discipline in which God removes itself a capital offense.
from the earth the person who is totally alienated
• The case of self-righteousness and depen-
from God. The “sin unto death” is not a particu-
dence on man which was perpetuated (case
lar sin; but it is, rather, a mental attitude of total
of Hezekiah). Isa. 38.
indifference to and rebellion against the will and
purpose of God. • The case of apostasy on the part of a believer.
Num. 31:8; 1 Tim. 1:19,20.
The spiritual condition of the person who comes un-
der the “sin unto death” is characterized by contin-
ual and maximum carnality; and this punishment
represents God’s final step of chastisement to those SIN’S VICIOUS CIRCLE
who are in maximum alienation from God. Only
God can discern the true nature of a person’s mind, One sin leads to another. Sins are chained together
attitude, or volition; and only God knows whether and tend to reinforce each other. The Christian
a person is actually implacable and deserving of must make a conscious effort to halt the progress
physical death. of sin at the beginning.
The “sin unto death” is described as a principle in Mental attitude sins are the worst sins. They touch
1 John 5:16; Psalm 118:17,18; and Ezek. 18:21-32. off other mental sins, sins of the tongue, and the
overt or open sins. And a Christian will experience
It is important for the Christian to understand
great self-induced misery in his life unless he learns
the circumstances under which sins are not “unto
how to nip sin in the bud through confession and
death”.
victory. Learning how to recognize certain sin pat-
First, sin which is confessed is not “unto death”. 1 terns is very useful in helping the believer to be
John 1:9; 1 Cor. 11:31; Ps. 32:5; Ps. 38. forearmed in the conflict.
Second, sin which is discontinued is not “unto The following are some examples of types of “chain
death”. Heb. 12:1; Eze. 18:21-32. sinning” which are to be avoided.
Bitterness is a sin that involves someone else and it’s “live and let live”.
leads to a chain of sins. Any sin may lead to divine
discipline. Even when a sin is confessed, suffer- Gossip, the discussion of problems with outside par-
ing which was begun under discipline may continue ties is similar to public confession. It makes prob-
(even though the cursing has been turned to bless- lems for people and encourages mental attitude sins
ing in the case of actual suffering). Bitterness may and sins of the tongue. It leads to cliques, divisions,
reappear as the hurt continues – bitterness against mutual admiration societies. This activity is an at-
God or against other people. tempt to build one’s happiness on someone else’s
unhappiness.
Bitterness has another person as an object. It leads
to vindictiveness and implacability. These, in turn, Failure to maintain relaxed mental attitude toward
lead to antagonism and revenge tactics. Revenge others refers to the development of pseudo-love in
tactics can include sins of the tongue such as judg- the life. It does not allow for other peoples’ areas
ing, maligning, gossip. Overt sin is possible, in- of weakness, does not exhibit true love for others.
cluding social ostracism (snubbing, shunning, not It leads to a failure to forgive, which in turn makes
speaking), harassment, even violence. Murder, for it impossible for the Christian to be in a position
example, is the end result of a chain of sins stem- to help through example or exhortation.
ming from bitterness. The Christian living in bit- The solution to all sin problems of this type is edifi-
terness tries to sublimate in various ways, alcohol, cation, spiritual growth through a daily walking in
drugs, emotional experiences, trying to maintain fellowship and the intake of Bible teaching. Also
the rosy glow, but he is never satisfied. required is a thorough knowledge of the doctrine
Guilt Association is a guilt complex that involves of Grace, the application of God’s gracious assets
various parts of the soul. The believer keeps bring- to the life, and the development thereby of a gra-
ing up sins of his past; his depression leads to guilt cious mental attitude and outward disposition to-
feelings. He begins to associate every trouble in the ward other people.
past with an ‘unforgiven’ sin of the past. He feels
that God is permanently displeased with him. A
guilt complex like this leads to blasphemy, that is, THE PLACE OF CONFES-
accusing God and maligning Him. This sin leads
to a lack of faith, hatred toward God and toward SION IN SOLVING THE SIN
others who might be thought responsible. Remem- PROBLEM
ber, when a sin is confessed, God forgets it; and
the believer is wrong to remember it. God does
not discipline us ten years after the fact. David The presence of the Sin Nature in the soul guaran-
had 26 good years after the Bathsheba incident. tees that the Christian believer will have a prob-
lem with active personal sin for the rest of his life
Public confession of sin is used by people to vent on earth. This personal sin causes a deep distur-
a guilt complex. But the one who confesses pub- bance in the believer’s personal relationship with
licly is giving out gossip, about himself if no one the Lord. The Holy Spirit is said to be person-
else. He presents material for temptation to other ally “grieved” by a Christian’s sin, and His work
believers, temptations to judge, to hate, to malign, “quenched” by a Christian’s human good. While
to gossip. Public confession leads to chain sinning the believer does not lose his salvation each time
in one’s own life and in the lives of others. This is a he sins, his personal growth and effectiveness are
failure to preserve the privacy of the priesthood. A stifled as long as there is a rift in his fellowship
Christian may reveal sin problems privately to an with God. This rift is healed by means of the act of
intimate and confidential friend who is a believer personal confession to God of the sin which caused
and who is in a position to exhort or counsel from the breach.
the Word of God. Otherwise, confession is made to
God alone. Confession of sins is not the basis of salvation. Je-
sus Christ was judged once for our sins, on the
Intrusion upon divine prerogatives occurs when a Cross; and He does not need to be judged repeat-
believer tries to do the word of God in judging, edly for our sins. The basis of salvation is the in-
condemning, disciplining other people. The Bible dividual’s personal trust in Christ and His work,
instructs each person to judge himself; and he may rather than confession or any other act which a
judge and discipline his own children. Otherwise, person might perform to try to win the favor of
God. Acts 16:31; John 1:12; Eph. 1:13,14; 2:8,9; 1 accomplished through edification, the Biblical sys-
Pet. 2:24; 2 Cor. 5:21. tem for understanding and applying the Word of
God.
A Christian is always “in Christ”. Eph. 1:3,5,7. So
confession of personal sin is extremely important to Confession of sin does not provide an emotional
the personal spiritual relationship that he has with experience, not is it accompanied by an emotional
God. God requires confession of sin as the means reaction. God’s forgiveness is based on His promise
of maintaining a close personal walk with Himself. to cleanse, not on how a person feels. And, confes-
He requires, that is, a continual acknowledgement sion does not always remove the pain or suffering
of His rulership; and confession of sin is the means which is the result of the sin itself or which came as
by which the believer expresses his yieldedness and a result of divine discipline. Although the cursing
surrender to the sovereign will of God on a moment is turned to blessing, the suffering may continue;
by moment basis. The Lord wants the Christian to but the suffering may be endured to the glory of
have a very useful and happy life, and part of His God instead.
plan for providing this sort of life is confession of
Some Christians try to get on God’s good side
sin.
through some means other than the confession
which is prescribed by God. Sometimes a per-
God Encourages the Believer to Con- son thinks that a demonstration of sorrowfulness
is called for, or that weeping will impress God with
fess Sin one’s contrition. Others “compensate” for their sin
by increasing their religious activities.
A believer may not be aware, initially, that he can
live out of fellowship and that he needs to confess Some will pray more often and longer and read
sin. 1 John 1:6; 2:9,10; 2 Pet. 1:9. God both com- their Bibles more. Some will try to bribe God with
mands and pleads with us to judge ourselves, to additional tithes and offerings, or with acts of self-
confess, and then to forget sins. Isa. 43:26; 1 Cor. denial, sacrifice, or service. Some will present them-
11:28,31; 1 John 1:9; Phil. 3:13,14; Prov. 1:23. Any selves in re-dedication services and attend church
person who reads the Bible quickly becomes aware functions more often. But these things cannot be
of God’s intentions in this matter. substituted for confession of sin. God is interested
only in a person’s mental attitude toward the sin.
Some Christians willfully ignore the commands to
confess, leading God to employ more persuasive The word “confession” in the New Testament is
measures to encourage compliance. These methods taken from the Greek word ��������, meaning “to
include (1) loss of inner peace, Phil. 4:6,7; (2) chas- cite”, “to name”, “to classify in the same manner”,
tening (discipline), Heb. 12:6; (3) pricking of con- “to agree with”, “to say the same thing as”. Con-
science, Heb. 13:18; and (4) sorrow for sin, Psalm fession acknowledges God’s rulership in the matter
32. A few Christians manage to ignore even se- and agrees with His judgment. This is a method of
vere chastening for a long time, leading to God’s dealing with the disharmony caused by sins which
administering the “sin unto death”, described in a causes no merit to accrue to the person who con-
previous section. The alternative to confession is fesses.
discipline. Heb. 12:1-5.
Confession is strictly a Grace provision in which
God makes a promise and carries out the function
of cleansing. The Christian must (1) confess the
The Mechanics of Confession of Sin
sin, 1 John 1:9; (2) forget the sin, Phil. 3:13,14;
and (3) isolate the sin, Heb. 12:15.
Confession does not provide the believer with a li-
cense to sin. The attitude that says “I can sin and Since prayer is made only to God the Father (Mark.
confess repeatedly because God will always forgive” 2:7), confession is made only to God the Father.
is sinful in itself because it indicates that the be- Upon the condition of confession, forgiveness is
liever does not actually think the same about his guaranteed and cleansing from all unrighteousness
sin that God does. That is, there is no real re- is administered (1 John 1:9). The word “cleanse”
pentance or confession. Nor does confession of sin refers to the removal of the guilt of the sin. There-
remove the buildup of callousness or hardness in fore, the cleansed individual is removed from the
the soul of the person who has lived apart from condition of discipline, chastening is no longer be-
God for a long time. This removal of scar tissue is ing administered, and the hindrances to the min-