Why Is It Important To Confess Sin After Being Saved?
Spring flowers adorned our sanctuary as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Special prayers of healing were requested for several as Doug Cory greeted the congregation.
The adult Sunday school lesson, “Demonstrated,” was a study of 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12. “The gospel makes a difference in the way believers love and live. We are not to ‘defraud our brother’ and avoid greed, jealousy and vengeance.” Just as Paul reminded the Thessalonians, we, too, are not to become busybodies and are to attend to our own business. We are not to meddle in the business of everyone else. According to the text, Christians who are busybodies simply don’t have enough to do. We should stay busy doing God’s work.
Janet Chaney read Luke 10:2 and reminded us of the Annie Armstrong Easter offering. Linda Abercrombie shared the devotional, “The Day Grace Happened to You,” and read 1 Peter 2:24. During this Easter season, we are reminded that Christ took away our sins at Calvary. He took our punishment and sacrificed His life for us so that we might have everlasting life.
Congregational hymns included “My God Is Real” and “Come and Dine,” led by Karen Gardner. Rick Lett and Tyrel Lett served as ushers and collected the offertory.
“Clearing up the Confusion” was the title of Sunday’s message. Our pastor, Mark Hall, began by reading 1 John 1:7-9 and told us, “the most destructive sin a person can commit is the one that they will not acknowledge or confess because they know that, if they acknowledge their sin, they have to confess that they acknowledge it as sin. We all sin, but we are too proud to deal with sin. We offer excuses and try to make it something besides sin. Sin is sin.”
Brother Mark told us that the sermon presents two questions: “If His blood cleanses us from all sin, why is it important to confess our sin after we are saved?” and, “If a person is lost and headed to hell, what is it that condemns that person to hell?” It is important to know what your Bible says and it’s also important to know what it doesn’t say.
Brother Mark told us that John 3:16 answers the second question about what condemns a person to hell. He told us you don’t go to hell for sinning but for not believing and referred to 2 Corinthians 5:21.
“This is confusing because the world says, if you don’t change your ways, you are going to hell. Changing your ways might make you a better person, but it won’t save you from hell. Believing Jesus died for our sins is what saves us — just like Zacchaeus who sought to see Jesus and got saved. He learned more about Jesus, changed his ways and acted more like Jesus, but you don’t automatically become like Jesus when you get saved. You will sin. You will confess and repent, over and over again. God took sin out of our file the day Jesus hung on the cross and he put righteousness in our file the day we believe He died for our sins.
“Why do we worry about sin then? Because sin will rob you of the joy and benefit of knowing and serving God. Sin will show up in your daily living.” Brother Mark referred to the cost of sin in a Christian’s life as he referred to the story of David. “David was broken by sin, but he came back. When you are completely down and broken by sin, there are seven ways you can come back just like David.” Brother Mark talked about those with scripture references from Psalm 51, “Create in me a clean heart …”
First, we can come back from sin with confidence because God still loves us (verse 1). Second, we can come back from sin with cleansing for feeling so dirty and ashamed for what we have done. Only God can clean us up on the inside (verses 2 and 7). Third, we can come back from sin with confession. Brother Mark told us that means “agreeing with God.” Until you confess, you are still at odds with God (verses 3-4). Fourth, we can come back from sin with companionship (verses 10-11). Fifth, we can come back from sin with a calling (verse 13). Brother Mark told us that we can’t be a soul winner with sin in our life.
“You can’t lead people to faith in Christ without the companionship and calling of God. David got his calling back.”
Sixth, David came back with contrition (verse 17). A contrite heart is a Godly heart. And seventh, we can come back from sin like David did with communion (verse 12).
Brother Mark told us that when David sinned and was broken so badly, he was still saved.
“He didn’t lose his salvation, but he had no joy in it. He wanted the joy back in His salvation. He lost the joy of salvation because sin got in the way of the communion with God and his salvation. That is why it is so important for Christians to confess after they have been saved and sin. Sin robs you of your power in your testimony, worship, prayer and praise. That is the Holy Ghost power and you get robbed of that when sin comes between you and God. That’s why it is so important to confess sin after you have sinned. Don’t lose your first love — Christ. Sin will happen. You have to confess it and get back where you were like David.”
Our hymn of invitation was “Lord, I’m Coming Home.” Steve Mason gave the benediction.
As we approach Easter Sunday, Brother Mark asked us to make it a matter of prayer for people to be in God’s house that day.
We invite you to worship with us every Sunday at 11 a.m. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. Bible Study is held on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome at Mill Creek Baptist Church, located 3 1/2 miles east of Noel, just off Highway 90.