Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: bnr-fos!bmers58!davem@watmath.waterloo.edu (Dave Mielke) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: HUMAN VERSES SINLESS Message-ID: Date: 24 Nov 89 03:31:35 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada Lines: 54 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article barry1@ihlpa.att.com (Barry O Olson) writes: >This part here: "If we confess our sins... is quite an important If. >My question is to anyone out there: Is this refering to God? i.e. If >we confess our sins to God. Or, confess to those we have sinned >against? Or both? I have my own opinion, but would like to hear others. 1 John 1:9 is referring to the fact that God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we confess our sins. It could not possibly refer to those people whom we have sinned against as they are incapable of cleansing us from all unrighteousness. Only the blood of Christ can do that. Note king David's confession after he committed adultery with Bath-Sheba and murdered Uriah. He confessed his sins to God, making it very clear that God alone was the one to whom he had to make his confession. In Psalm 51:4 he declares "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done {this} evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, {and} be clear when thou judgest.". When Potiphar's wife wanted Joseph to have sexual relations with her, he also responded in a way that indicates that all sin is against God alone. In Genesis 39:9 he declares "{There is} none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou {art} his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?". This does not eliminate the need for our confessions to one another, but it does mean that we must also confess before God. If we have done something that has adversely affected someone else then we certainly ought to ask that person for forgiveness too. Matthew 5:23-24 says "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.". We must remember, though, that God also defines our very thoughts as sinful. If I think a sinful thought against someone else then I had best keep that one entirely between myself and God. Confessing such a sin to the other person, who is probably quite unaware of it, would probably cause more harm than good. When confessing our sins to other people we should also take great care to insure that only those people against whom we have committed some particular sin hear its confession. Permitting others to become aware of it only plants the seeds for future gossip. Note that the term "confess" in the Scriptures does not just mean to admit a sin. It also means to make a sincere and permanent effort to turn from that sin. Dave Mielke, 613-726-0014 856 Grenon Avenue Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2B 6G3