Part 13 of 16

“Sins of Ignorance”

Typically, orthodox modern day neo-evangelical Christianity preaches this concerning forgiveness of sins. 1) Confessing your sins to God daily, 2) You must feel really sorry for your sins, and 3) You should promise to try not to do that again. This is a failing way to live the Christian life.

If we were to live under this teaching and we realized that “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom 14:23b) we would have to spend most of our day confessing sins. Coming under this type of teaching places the believer into a tenuous position. a) It denies the power of Christ’s blood shed once for all sins. b) It renders the believer powerless over the sinful fallen nature because such a promise or vow to try and not sin anymore is as a “law” that we place upon our self. Such a self imposed law is sure to prompt us to re-sin. 1 Corinthians 15:56 NIV …the power (dunamis, dynamite type power) of sin is the law. Read this verse above carefully – “The Law is what empowers Sin within us.” This means we will fail in our self-efforts toward righteousness because sin derives its power in the believer’s life through their effort to keep the law.

 

Thankfully, today God has relieved us of the outer laws. Romans 6:14 (NIV)For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Regarding the believer’s sideslips to sin, we now live under Paul’s grace gospel, wherein Christ’s blood has forever spoken for us. We are now under a new paradigm whereby there is no now condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NIV) Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

 

With the law now set aside and the Sin nature negated by our co-death with Christ, we are secure in His love and grace, and we free to pursue our union and fellowship with the Lord within.

If you must always ask for forgiveness of sins in order to be forgiven, then what happens if you were to die in a “state of sin?” Apparently then, you are less saved than you can be if you confessed every sin. This is nonsense and in opposition to the grace gospel that the ascended Christ gave to Paul for us Gentiles (Eph 3:2). Ask yourself, do you as a Christian really recall and then list your daily sins, asking God’s forgiveness for every sin?

If you must always ask for forgiveness of sins in order to be forgiven, then what happens if you were to die in a “state of sin?” Apparently then, you are less saved than you can be if you confessed every sin. This is nonsense and in opposition to the grace gospel that the ascended Christ gave to Paul for us Gentiles (Eph 3:2). Ask yourself, do you as a Christian really recall and then list your daily sins, asking God’s forgiveness for every sin?

If you are at all like me, I’m sure you are note even aware of all your sins and do not even recall every sin. Those would be

“sins of ignorance.” Perhaps you’ve noticed that I mentioned “sins of ignorance” in Part 11. When did you last confess your “sins of ignorance?” Most of us would say “never,” we were not aware of them. Have you ever noted in Leviticus 4:1-2 that God prescribed certain animal sacrifices to the children of Israel for their “sins of ignorance?” Remember, all sin is sin – even “sins of ignorance.” There are no big or small sins; “sins of ignorance” are real sins. What would you do about such “sins of ignorance” under today’s legalistic neo-evangelical Christian requirements of confession of all sins?

 

Consider once again the standard as to what the Bible says sin is, according Paul’s grace gospel. Rom 14:28 "whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” This then covers a lot of things you and I do daily – in ignorance. Do you ever live not according to faith? I know that most often I am not even conscious of that kind of sin. Thankfully, Christ blood covers my “sins of ignorance” too. Those animal sacrifices prescribed under “the Law” speak of the full effectiveness of Christ’s shed blood for “all sins.”

Considering that "whatsoever is not of faith is sin,” here are some examples of sin we may have overlooked.

• It is sin for me to live in a way that I must “have my way in all matters.” This way of living likely causes conflict with others around me, but more significantly, this way of living is a demonstration of my lack of faith and trust in God. It demonstrates that I am living apart from trusting and obeying the leading and guidance that  I as a believer have available to me from the indwelling Christ. He gives us an inner sense of His will and way in this or that matter. If we do not obey that sense, we are sinning, and His blood covers us while we are failing and learning to let go to trust Him.
• When I live with anxiousness and fears, it only serves to prove of my lack of faith toward God, not trusting His love, and care for me and that He is my sufficiency - I am then sinning.
• When I think I must correct the people around me to control all the situations and circumstances of my life, I am then distrusting God as being sovereign over all, not trusting that He is “working all things for my good” (Rom 8:28). I’m thereby sinning.

Considering these demonstrations of my lapses of faith in God as the lover of my soul who cares for me, if I then would have to repent of each and every sin, I would spend considerable time repenting every day.

We need to lay aside with the old religious and grace-less idea that we must confess every sin. Now, rather, we should trust in and cling to the gospel for the Gentiles in this day of “the dispensation of the grace of God.” Thankfully, God has provided for us in every way, including the remission of our known sins and also our “sins of ignorance.” Our Father, God, has provided the blood of His dear Son, Jesus Christ to pay for ALL sins – past, present, and future. The fruit of such forgiveness is enjoyed by anyone who simply trusts in His shed blood. This is why Christ’s blood is so very precious.

In Christ, and by His blood that was shed once and for all time, we continually stand blameless, righteous, and pure before God, in His love (Eph 1:3-4, 1Cor 1:8, 1Thes 5:23b).

We now and forever stands cleansed in Christ’s blood for evermore, even when we stumble and fall. Our righteous relationship with God is forever preserved by His shed blood.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (AMP) For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin, Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].