Day: June 23, 2021

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 KJV).

Lo, the chief proof-text of the “short-account system!” (And how to look at it afresh, without [!] denominational eyeglasses!)

In Leviticus chapter 16, we find Aaron, Israel’s first High Priest, receiving elaborate instructions from the LORD concerning the annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Verse 21 orders him: “And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:….” Again, pay attention to the fact this is the Law of Moses in effect. We dare not fail to remember it!

Romans 3:20 says: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his [God’s] sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” We compare that to Galatians 3:19: “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions,….” The Law of Moses has one chief purpose: it is the standard by which sin is identified. Any failure, small or great, to measure up to the Law is what God calls sin. Each and every year, each and every day, He had Israel offering animal and other sacrifices to remind her people of their inability to obey Him in every point. That arrangement of labeling sin continued for 1,600 years.

Moreover, a complex system of blessings and curses came with that aforementioned Old Covenant. If Israel obeyed the Law, God abundantly blessed her; conversely, if she disobeyed, He profusely cursed her. Leviticus chapter 26 and Deuteronomy chapter 28 are those explicit promises and warnings. In the Leviticus passage, we see five successive rounds or phases of punishments designed to bring wayward Israel back to the LORD. These chastisements or judgments ended up spanning several centuries. By the time of Matthew through John, Christ’s earthly ministry, all five stages of curses are running. To (!) be (!) restored (!) to (!) God (!), Israel (!) must (!) confess (!) her (!) sins (!)….

Bible Q&A #850: “Why did Paul label the Athenians ‘too superstitious?’”