@Life,
Ephesians 2:8, 9
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Why do we as believers ignore what Jesus has done for us and reject His Gift? We accept Jesus paid the price of the penalty for sin, but we reject the gift; the freedom from the penalty of sin is not the gift!
What is the "GIFT?"
Ephesians 2:4, 5
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we
“were dead in sins," has
quickened us (made us alive)
together with Christ, (by grace you are saved) (Rom. 6:11, 12)
Greek definition of "saved":
G4982 σώζω [SW/ZW] {sṓzō} \sode'-zo\
from a primary σῶς [SW=S] {sōs} (contraction for obsolete σάος [SA/OS] {sáos}, "safe"); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (literally or figuratively):--heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.
Saved from what? We are saved through the Mercy of God by Grace from sin. We "WERE" dead in sins;
are we now made alive from sin yet still sin; after Jesus has saved us from sin?
1Co 15:14
And if Christ be not risen, then
is our preaching vain, and your faith
is also vain.
Our preaching that Jesus has come into the world to save men from sin is in vain (1Co. 15:3).
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith
is vain;
you are yet in your sins.
Everyone that believes they sin are yet in their sins.
Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
What is the washing of regeneration? "The rebirth"
We've been washed from the sins of the old nature, by being born again into the Body of Christ, the new nature (
Rom. 11:24;
Col. 1:13). There are no sins in Christ; in the new nature (
1Joh. 3:5). This must be understood by faith.
Greek definition of "regeneration":
G3824 παλιγγενεσία [PALIGGENESI/A] {palingenesía} \pal-ing-ghen-es-ee'-ah\
from 3825 and 1078; (spiritual) rebirth (the state or the act), i.e. (figuratively) spiritual renovation; specially, Messianic restoration:--regeneration.
We as believers must do as God has taught us. We must call those things which we know are not literal as though they were (
Rom. 4:17). Abraham was called a Father of many nations, but he had no sons. His wife was barren. God taught Abraham to call those things which are not as though they were because it was so in God’s mind (Rom. 3:4).
Confession for sins is part of the work for the atonement of sins. No man can do any works for the atonement of sins in Jesus Christ. Under the Mosaic Law it was Israel's responsibility to work for their atonement of sins. Once they did this, they were justified and pardoned of their sins in God's eyes. However, under the New Covenant in Christ, no believer is justified or pardoned from sins by any work they may do according to the ritual under the Mosaic Law; the just shall live by faith of what Jesus has already done for sins.
Jesus Christ died unto sin once; believers also die unto sins one. This is done when they initially confess their sin unto Jesus Christ (once), agreeing with Him they are a sinner (
1Joh. 1:9;
Rom. 10:9,
10). They are then forgiven of their sins forever.