© 14 Colin Melbourne
Christians Confessing Lies
Q: Back, before I was saved, I’d some friends who were not born again. I told many lies to them. Now that I’m living for God, and don’t need to be around them. But do I need to tell them all the lies that God has already forgiven me? Can I just move on, and forget about it? I don’t even remember all the lies I told, will the Lord forgive me of those as well? I already sent my friends a message saying that I wronged them, and that I am sorry, so can I move on, or not? Zane.
A: That’s a lot of words for a simple question Zane, and therein lies the answer.
Rejoicing in Heaven
First though; welcome home!
Isn’t it wonderful to be where you belong, part of God’s family, in His Loving Arms forever?
The instant you truly repented & believed on Christ, and began confessing Him as your Lord, Almighty God made you a brand new Creature in Christ Jesus. Rom. 10:4,9-10, 2 Co. 5:17 KJV;
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Meditate particularly on that final clause.
Brand New: Not Reconditioned
When a person is saved, a new creature in Christ, they become certain that God has wiped out their sin debt: They know it’s paid in full, cancelled, gone, because God holds nothing against His children from their past.
The Holy Ghost echoes this Gospel fact in Romans 4:8 KJV;
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
He applies it to Abraham, and concludes, Rom. 4:23-25 KJV;
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
It is summarised by Rom. 8:1-2 KJV;
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
So, no, you do not have to drag up all the sins you ever committed, and confess them to God. You may recall them, but He won’t, they are all gone, under the Blood as far as Father is concerned.
If you sin after you are saved, confess it to God, quit sinning, and it’s forgiven. 1 Jn. Ch.1+2.
Righting Wrongs
Remember also the principle of restitution, as exemplified by the greasy tax swindler of Jericho, whom, the instant he met Christ Lk. 19:8 KJV;
Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
He repaid four times what he ripped off. That attitude of sincere heart-repentance thrilled God in the Flesh, Lk. 19:9-10 KJV;
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Apologising to those you lied to, and telling them the whole truth, would be the minimum Christian response.
Follow the Holy Ghost in your heart, and do as He leads you.
Keeping a clean and tender Conscience
Zane asks, “Can I just move on, and forget about it?”
No, you are troubled by a guilty conscience.
You cannot “move on” until you put that right.
Christians, must always obey their conscience, as Paul stressed repeatedly, Ac. 24:16 KJV;
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Your conscience is the voice of your spirit, listen to it, follow it, and keep it tender: Or perish. Heb. 4:7b KJV;
To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
How you can be led by the Spirit of God: It is vital for new Christians to learn to listen to the Lord in their daily walk. He guides us by His Spirit in our spirits.
Learn to Listen to God’s Voice, and to Sense God’s leading in your heart, and how to be certain it is God.
© 14 Colin Melbourne