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Chapter 57 - If Not Confession |
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God created mankind with a very special purpose; to enjoy intimate, shared life fellowship with Him. It was intended to reveal His true nature in heaven and on earth.
Many in the church, however, are unfamiliar with how to fellowship with the living (zoe) God. Consequently, they attempt to fellowship with Him through means of law rather than life (zoe) and thus, the "law of sin" rather than the "law of God." For many Christians the old rule of law, the “law of sin,” has the comfort of familiarity. However, they fail to understand it was not predetermined to nurture intimacy with the living (zoe) God. Instead, the “law of sin,” was designed to reveal the hopelessness of sin and death and therefore, create accountability to God. Its intent was to lead the sinner to the Savior, the source of eternal life (zoe). The Apostle Paul clarified, “But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” (Galatians 3:23-26) The purpose of the "law of sin" is confirmed when the sinner arrives at faith in Savior. Paul explained, “Do we then nullify [the purpose of] the law [of sin] through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish (confirm the purpose of) the law [of sin].” (Romans 3:31) After arriving at faith in the Savior, the “law of sin” has served its purpose and is no longer needed. Consequently, the new saint is necessarily released from its jurisdiction (authority) and obligated to God under the jurisdiction of a law more suitable for nurturing intimacy with Him. (Romans 7:1-6) It is a “new and living (zoe) way” to enjoy God. Paul referred to it as the “law of God” or the “law of the Spirit of life (zoe) in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 7:22, 25, 8:2; Hebrews 10:20) |
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Freedom of Choice
The “new and living (zoe) way” to know God and enjoy intimate fellowship with Him was divinely provided by the redemptive Eternal Covenant. Concordant with its unconditional benefit of new law and life (zoe), it was predetermined before the foundation of the world to allow the New Testament church to enjoy God through the intimacy of shared life fellowship. Despite the gracious, unconditional blessings of the Eternal Covenant, however, the saint remains capable of living in accord with the old law and life. Concordant with the selfless, unconditional love of God, it is a choice of free will. The saint is free to live on earth like a sinner and continue his attempt to satisfy the righteous requirement of the “law of sin” through works of self-effort. Nevertheless, the attempt to live for God according to the old “law of sin” is effectively lifeless (zoe) and law-bound and thus, spiritually fruitless. There is only one outcome for the effectively lifeless (zoe), law-bound saint. It is the misery of failure, guilt, and condemnation. (Romans 7:14-24) Relative to his own lifeless (zoe), law-bound experience, Paul concluded, “Wretched (miserable) man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24) Like Paul, the saint who ignorantly chooses to self-subject to the “law of sin” must disregard or reject the gracious unconditional benefit of the redemptive Eternal Covenant and therefore, the redemptive work of Christ. Apart from Christ, the only “remedy” for the occasional practice of sin is self-derived. Consequently, the lifeless (zoe), law-bound saint commonly gravitates toward the historic, legalistic “remedy” of continual confession. He fails to realize; however, it cannot actually assuage the misery of the failure, guilt, and condemnation caused by the occasional practice of sin. Continual Confession The proponent of continual confession alleges the transgression of the “law of sin” hinders the saint’s fellowship with God. Further, he asserts continual confession by the saint serves to restore fellowship with Him. Yet, it is important to clarify the concept of continual confession is not mentioned in the New Testament. It might be presumed that if it was important to the church, it would have been discussed by the Apostle Paul, the apostle to the predominantly Gentile church. However, it is not. Although critical to a law-based, religious narrative, continual confession fails to recognize it is not the occasional practice of sin that hinders fellowship with God. Instead, it is the attempt to fellowship with Him through means of law rather than life (zoe). If Not Confession? To enjoy intimate fellowship with God, the New Testament church often presumes its deepest need is obedience to the old “law of sin.” It is not. Rather than obedience to the old “law of sin,” the Bible clarifies the deepest need of fallen mankind is new law and life (zoe) that allow for fellowship with God. They were graciously provided through the benefit of the Eternal Covenant. The new law of the Eternal Covenant is the “law of God” which is expressed through the gracious rule of divine, indwelling life (zoe). It is encompassed in two commands: “… believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another …” (1 John 3:23; cf. John 6:29; 13:34; 15:12; 1 John 4:21; Romans 13:8-10) The new law of the Eternal Covenant, the “law of God,” was perfectly designed to integrate with the new life (zoe) of the covenant. The new life (zoe) is nothing less than life shared with God Himself, Jesus Christ, the mediator of the covenant. This amazing truth needs to be understood clearly. The New Testament church was granted the unfathomable blessing and immeasurable security of being joined to God through shared law and life. The new “law of God” and life (zoe) of God received by unconditional benefit of the Eternal Covenant is the “new and living (zoe) way.” (Hebrews 10:20) Allowing for intimate fellowship with God, it is life-based (zoe) rather than law-based. The “new and living (zoe) way” is the way of the Christ. It warrants a life-based (zoe) response to the occasional practice of sin. He is both the remedy and deterrent for both the principle and practice of sin. In contrast to law, the life-based (zoe) response for the occasional practice of sin does not consist of rules the church must obey for God. It is comprised of life-based (zoe) conduct shared with Him by means of grace through faith alone. Contrary to life-based (zoe) conduct, the attempt to contribute to the redemptive plan of God by continual confession is a lifeless (zoe), law-bound response to the occasional practice of sin. The effectively lifeless (zoe), law-bound saint is a faithless saint. Therefore, he is not practicing Christianity at all but a lifeless (zoe), law-bound religious simulation. If not by continual confession, how should the New Testament church respond to the occasional practice of sin? There are only two possible choices. The New Testament church can choose to respond to the practice of sin by law or life (zoe). |
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“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)
Press on toward the goal! © 2025 James Hiatt |
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