Re: Repentance, forgiveness of sins?...
 

The Scriptures say that if we confess (admit) our sins that God is faithful to do two things:
forgive our sins
cleanse from all unrighteousness

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. I John 1:6-10 and 2:1-2

David, a man after God's own heart was forgiven for sins of adultery, lying, murder. He tells about it in Psalm 32
Psalm 32
A psalm of David.
1 Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,
that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.
7 For you are my hiding place;
you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of victory.
8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”
10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,
but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.
11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!
Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

Re: Repentance, forgiveness of sins?...
 

I was baptized about 15 years ago at an apostolic church, I was about 23. Spoke in tounges the same evening when they tarried with me.


A couple of months before that I had been baptized with titles. A month or so later A Jesus Only fellow came and spoke with a group of us. The group was all trinity folks......I was so green and full of questioins at that point I couldn't really tell you what I was.

Anyways he started explaining Baptism in Jesus name. Others in the group I'm sure were getting upset but I was open minded and wanted to here him because I guess I didn't have a lot of preconceptions.


Anyways about a month later another fellow got a group of us together and discussed Act 2:38 and afterwards took us to a church to be baptized if we wanted.

ANyways, I made a lot of stupid mistakes afterwards...don't know what I as thinking....I started living better, way better for me anyways, but not perfect. I don't think I really understood repenatnce. But I had no problems being baptized in Jesus name.

Anyways I've been out of chursch for years......the church I went to practiced confession of sins to the pastor for forgiveness and restoration......

It was hard to get past. I would of loved to put my sins behind me, I'm sure I would of stayed in Church........

People who know me generally think I'm a 'real good guy' but I know that means nothing. I've really failed the lord misearbly in this life.

Re: Repentance, forgiveness of sins?...
 

So, you've failed God?
That shouldn't surprise any one.
I think just about every one here will admit to failing God at some time or another.

Are you sorry that you've failed Him?
Do you want to do better?
Then, have I got a verse for you!!!!!
The Apostle John said to us Christians,
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

The teaching of this verse is that none of us are perfect yet, so if/when we fail God, if we confess (admit) our sins, then God will forgive and cleanse us.
That promise is based on God's faithfulness. He WILL forgive and He WILL cleanse. And, you know what? When God forgives our sins, He forgets them (whether we or the accuser do or not).

Re: Repentance, forgiveness of sins?...
 

Shawn, Assuming that you have been baptized in Jesus' name, I see nothing wrong with getting rebaptized, under your circumstances, if you want to do so, because it may help you get rid of the condemnation that you obviously feel.

Read and meditate on Romans, chapters 4 and 5, for a better understanding that you have been made righteous (justified) by faith in the Lord Jesus and not by your own performance or lack thereof. I can see that your focus is more on your mistakes and not on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Look at Jesus, like Abraham did. Abraham was a scoundral, but he placed his faith in God and his faith was counted for righteousness.

Re: Repentance, forgiveness of sins?...
 

I was baptized in a Jesus Only church and filled with the Holy Ghost. Believe me, I know it was the Holy Ghost, just as you know and believe(speaking in tounges as the spirit gives the uterance is real). And was a member of that church for the better part of a year. And though I lived a better life I stumbled greatly aswell. Sometimes I wished I'd of sat in Jesus only church for a time before I actually got saved. Maybe I might of did better.

Is confession(of sins, to the pastor) and restoration part of the doctrine at most Jesus Only Churches? I used to think that was a Catholic thing to do. I'm kind of a private person by nature.

Thanks.

Re: Repentance, forgiveness of sins?...
 

Confession of sins should be made to the One who forgives sins.
That would be Jesus.
If you want to get involved in a church again (you should) you may want to talk to the pastor privately and let him know what's going on in your life, that you have had a talk with the Lord and gotten things forgiven, and that you want to start over again. The pastor can advise you on how to get involved with the local church.
If you have admitted your need to Jesus and asked Him to forgive you, then He has forgiven you.

Re: Repentance, forgiveness of sins?...
 

I've wanted to believe that for 15 years......I would of probably did things a lot different.


The Pastor at the Church I was saved at said confession is revealing a secret. basically you can't reveal a secret to Jesus because he already knows all. That we must confess one to another (in this case our Pastor) and the sin would be forgivin. Again, confession like that seemed to me more like something that catholics did. And am still wondering if that's something many Apostolic churches follow.

Re: Repentance, forgiveness of sins?...
 

It says to confess your "faults" one to another. Using wisdom you wouldn't confess things that people don't need to know.

Faults can include sin, but it actually means - "a side slip or error". Sin means "to err morally, to miss the mark". It has a more deep meaning.

God casts our sins into the sea of forgetfulness, men fish them out and mount them on a wall.

It's a good idea to talk to God alone. He is our healer.


And no that is not common in the Apostolic churches I've been a part of.

Re: Repentance, forgiveness of sins?...
 

I Jn 1:7-10
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (KJV)

Whose the "he"? Jesus, He is the one that we confess to He is the one that forgives, He is the one that matters.

Re: Repentance, forgiveness of sins?...
 

To be born again of the water and the Spirit one must have faith and obey Acts 2:38, which includes being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (washing away your sins, see Acts 22:16).

After one is born again, if they sin, then they should obey 1 John 1:9...

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

An OT type/shadow/figure/pattern of this is found in Psalms 32:5 - David was already OT saved, but inspite of him offering an animal to shed blood, he also acknowledged his need to confess his transgressions, not unto a priest or another man, but unto the LORD...

Psa 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Glory to God!