Subject: salvation |
Bible Note: Greetings again Dr. Steeno! Sorry for the delay in responding. Long days on the job I have been so blessed to have! You said "Why would one have to ask for what they already have?" From scripture we clearly see there is a need to! For the Lord Himself said ""Pray, then, in this way..."(Matthew 9 NASB) ... "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." (Matthew 9:12 NASB). And in Luke 11:4 (NASB) "And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us..." It must be noted, the Lords instruction is not instructing one to pray for salvation. This is instruction for a child of God "Our Father who is in heaven ... (Matthew 6:9). Again, from scripture (1 John 1:8, Romans 7:14-25, ) we know we still sin! In 1 John 1:9 if there is need to confess our sin there is need for forgiveness. Again, 1 John 2:1 (NASB) "...And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous". John 13:10 (NASB) "Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean..." Clearly, a Christian can and does still sin! If we have been born again, our salvation secured (Which I believe by the way), why then would we need to seek forgiveness when we continue to stumble and sin? As I understand it, we can stay right there in 1 John 1 to get a good idea of why? 1 John 1:5-7 (NASB) 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. In Him there is no darkness! 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 1:7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. Note in verse 6 the claim to fellowship and what it is we do not practice (Truth) when we "yet walk in the darkness". Ah, "but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship" with Him! What fellowship has light with darkness? I hope this helps clear up anything I may have confused you on! Steve |