Dr. Couch, I head Bob George say on his radio program that believers' sins are already forgiven and we no longer need to confess our sins. This seems to fly in the face of 1 John 1:9. What do you say?
ANSWER: You observed carefully. The problem with this view is that it is not discerning the difference between POSITIONAL and EXPERIENTIAL truth. Positionally, in God's divine mind all of my sins have been forgiven and I'm a child of God forever. But in my Christian walk, in my experience in time, and in regard to my fellowship with Him, I need to confess my sins in order to restore fellowship.
This is exactly what happens in the relationship between parent and child. The child is forever a member of his birth family. The birth certificate is filed in the courthouse and is forever recorded and made permanent. But the daily relationship is another matter. The child may sin against his parents. What restores that fellowship? The verbal confession of doing wrong. "I'm sorry, Dad!"
Lack of confession does not mean loss of salvation but a loss of fellowship. John makes this clear in the introduction to his epistle. He says "We proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3). He adds, "I am writing that your joy may be made complete" (v. 4). And, if we walk in darkness (and are sinning) and say we have fellowship with Him we are lying" (v. 6). Also, in the Christian walk, if we say we have no sin "we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (v. 8).
I have always wondered what George's agenda is on this subject. There is an agenda and a payoff in his mind. What is it?
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
ANSWER: You observed carefully. The problem with this view is that it is not discerning the difference between POSITIONAL and EXPERIENTIAL truth. Positionally, in God's divine mind all of my sins have been forgiven and I'm a child of God forever. But in my Christian walk, in my experience in time, and in regard to my fellowship with Him, I need to confess my sins in order to restore fellowship.
This is exactly what happens in the relationship between parent and child. The child is forever a member of his birth family. The birth certificate is filed in the courthouse and is forever recorded and made permanent. But the daily relationship is another matter. The child may sin against his parents. What restores that fellowship? The verbal confession of doing wrong. "I'm sorry, Dad!"
Lack of confession does not mean loss of salvation but a loss of fellowship. John makes this clear in the introduction to his epistle. He says "We proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3). He adds, "I am writing that your joy may be made complete" (v. 4). And, if we walk in darkness (and are sinning) and say we have fellowship with Him we are lying" (v. 6). Also, in the Christian walk, if we say we have no sin "we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (v. 8).
I have always wondered what George's agenda is on this subject. There is an agenda and a payoff in his mind. What is it?
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
