Day 60 "The ATM Forgiveness Machine (1 John 1:9)?"

Ever since I became a Christian May 5, 1972, I have always looked to 1 John 1:9 with gratitude and thanksgiving. The verse in the New International Version of the Bible reads as follows:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

For most of us, at one time or another, we have been introduced and informed about the concepts of heaven, hell, blessing, and punishment. Though we all have grown up in a world that is physical, depending on our five senses to navigate us around and determining our reality, it is the spiritual aspect of our lives, that which we do not see nor touch, that has a powerful, underlying affect upon our lives and the way that we live. I believe it has mostly to do with uncertainty, anxiety, and fear.

"For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has ap-

pointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” Act 17:31

"But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." Romans 2:5

"By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly." 2 Peter 3:7"

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare." 2 Peter 3:10

"This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus." 1 John 4:17

"You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat." Romans 14:10

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."

2 Corinthians 5:17

According to the Bible, there is a coming day of reckoning, a day of judgement-for each one of us. While we are young, however, we have a tendency to believe that we have our whole lives ahead of us, why worry about such matters now? And yet, there is still a subtleness of concern that lies underneath our actions by the nagging question, "What if something was to happen to me right now?" Then quickly as the question arose, we quickly brush it aside to get busy doing what is really important to us: living life! But as we grow older, the closer that judgement day draws nearer to us and the more of life we see in the rear view mirror, we find ourselves reflecting more and more on whether we have made a passing grade with God to influence the condition of our lives as it will be in the next life. And as our final days arrive at our door, we find ourselves hoping that we have done well enough to please God, perhaps wishing we could change some things in our lives and grateful for others, and hoping that our best would be good enough for God. It was, in retrospect, a life yielded to and entrusted to performance.

Such concerns and questions arising throughout a lifetime can affect the quality and enjoyment of one's life, as well as affecting one's overall health. It is here for 43 years that I found myself leaning upon 1 John 1:9 for moral and spiritual support whenever it came to my relationship with God, and the times that I felt I had screwed things up. The verse instructs us that if we confess our sins to God, he is faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us.

But I always found myself in a period of anxiety after confessing something to God, and it took a little time before I felt my separation from God by my actions were reconciled again. But I had a growing apprehension that I might screw things up one too many times and that things with God would be permanently disconnected- that he would throw in the towel and wash his hands of me. (See day 5, February 5, 2020 "In the Boxing Ring with God")

Yet, in order for 1 John 1:9 to be effective and work, there must be an underlying reality in play: our future sins are not already forgiven. Now, no one taught me this, but along my walk in my Christian faith, I believed that when I accepted Christ that all my sins were forgiven up to that point, present and past. But what about my future sins, you might ask? Well, those were taken care of by 1 John 1:9. Like a forgiveness ATM machine, if I messed things up I could go to God in prayer, confess my wrong doing, and "cha ching," "cha ching" forgiveness would be mine. And, so I lived this way for 43 years. And for 43 years, I was shackled to anxiety, uncertainty, and a lack of peace. I was chained to my performance.

But around 5 years ago my life took a radical turn for the better. An acquaintance of mine gave me a book to read entitled Grace Walk. Within the pages of the book I discover a new perspective, a paradigm shift that would change my life forever. When we accept Jesus as our savior, our sins our forgiven past, present, and FUTURE. This made perfect sense to me. Why hadn't I seen this from the beginning? In order to have eternal salvation, all of our sins that we have ever committed and would ever commit had to be completely forgiven. If not, it only takes one sin to separate us from a perfect and holy God. How can anyone believe that they are holy and righteous before God if not all of our sins have been forgiven? And what about unconfessed sins? What about a sin I was personally blinded to and unaware that I was even committing? Would there be any sins that I wasn't aware of still against my account when I stood before God on my judgement day? Suddenly, I was completely aware that I was no longer in need for 1 John 1:9 to confess my sins- God, through Christ, had already forgiven me all my sins. Jesus already paid the entire penalty for my sins. I was 100% fully pardoned! Forever! And if I was fully pardoned based on what Jesus did on the cross, then my performance is no longer required to please God. I had become unshackled and free!

"So if the Son sets you free,you will be free indeed." John 8:36

I have since let go of my ATM forgiveness machine and embraced God's love, mercy, forgiveness, and grace instead. The anxiety, the uncertainty has left me and in their place n a calming peace has taken up residency. Even my circumstances do not affect my inner peace any longer since it is that some people will look at their circumstances as a barometer for measuring how well they are doing with God, and I no longer do. Little do they realize that they are still shackled to their performance. Only when you perceive yourself to being completely free and loved by God, will you be able to be drawn into an intimate relationship with God. A relationship that cries out, "Abba, Father," and not governed nor controlled by fear or performance. Then it will be your love for God that will be your motivator as to how you will live your life.

"Perfect love casts out all fear." 1 John 4:18

Oh, and by the way, before anyone gets their hair up in a tizzy, I did not say that it wasn't important to confess to God when we mess up. For that expresses our contrite heart and our desire for God to move within our lives. I simply said that I no longer ask for God's forgiveness for what he has already forgiven me for. I am trusting God for all of that.

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"Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law." Romans 13:10

In his love, see you tomorrow...

"Carpe Momentum in Love"