We're going to continue on our application of the prayer notebook and Last week we looked at adoration This week we are going to look at confession So let's go to the Lord in prayer. Shall we? Oh Lord God, this is your holy word We are your servants Give us understanding that we might know your testimonies You have prayed, O LORD, sanctify them in truth. Your word is truth. Use your holy, eternal, inerrant written word to set us apart this day to your service and to your glory. Show us now great and mighty things which we do not know. The sower sows the word. Let not your word go out and return empty, but accomplish that purpose for which you are sending it out and for which you have drawn us together. Protect us from Satan, Lord, who will snatch your word. Protect us from the world's cares and the delight of wealth and the passion of other interests which enter in and choke your word. Protect us from a wrong reaction to difficulties and discouragements and persecutions which make our hearts hard and unresponsive to your word. Rather give us good soil, O Lord. Plow up now the hard ground of our hearts that your sown word might send roots downward and then bear fruit upward. Unsheathe now the sword of your spirit, O Lord. Cut to the dividing point of bone and marrow, soul and spirit. Judge now the thoughts and intention of each heart gathered here. Spread your word before us as a banquet table, O Lord. Grant grace that we might eat of the rich meat and drink of the sweet milk of the great doctrines of your word. Give us the heart of the prophet who cried to you. Thy words were found and I did eat them. And thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart. For I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. O Lord, we live in a dark and a wicked age. Broad is the way, and many are on it, which leads to destruction. Make your word a lamp to our feet. Make your word a light to our path. Show us that narrow way that you would have us run. And Lord, as we run in the paths of your commandment, enlarge our hearts that in loving you we might be more obedient to your written word. Drop your word against our lives as a plumb line, O Lord. Grant grace that we might see how we deviate from its high and holy purposes. Make your word to us a mirror, O Lord. Grant grace that we might not be as those who look and go away and forget, but make us active doers, not forgetful listeners of your holy word. O Lord, because of our fealty to you, Because of our undying love and devotion to your Son, our resurrected Savior, we pledge to you this day our total submission to your holy, eternal, inerrant written word, and we pledge to you our uncompromising obedience to all of its commands. In the name of our Lord and Resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ we say, Amen. Okay, we're looking at Confession. This is from my prayer notebook and we are working here on developing a prayer notebook. Developing a prayer notebook. As you see last week we looked at the prayer notebook the reading program asking God what he wants us to know and be and do and then to begin praying and that first section of prayer was going to be adoration. Then we go on to confession. I personally find that there's nothing that gets me more in the framework of confessing sins than to spend time worshiping God. So, as we look at confession, let's consider now what the Word of God says when it comes to confessing our sins. Many times we are a little hesitant to confess our sins. Notice back in June 3rd, 1988, notice what I wrote. When I need God's mercies and grace most are the very times I deserve them least. Yet by very definition, this is their essence, their purpose, not by works, not by deeds done by us in righteousness. When I need them most, when I deserve them the least, when I need them most, when I deserve them the least, When I am most mindful of my own unworthiness, when I am most apt to doubt them due to a lack of perceived righteousness, this is when I can be most confident of them. Do you see what we're saying here? When we are most hesitant to go to God and confess our sins. This is the time when we can be most confident in doing so. God is in the business. That is what God does. He hears our confessions. He hears our prayers and wants us to go to Him. for forgiveness. That is God's desire. So we are remembering that at those times when we feel most unworthy of confessing our sins, now God's omniscient, God knows all our sins, doesn't he? So we're not going to surprise him with it. We don't need to say, how can I go to God again with this? Because God already knows that we committed that sin, doesn't he? And we don't have to say, I don't think God would have saved me if he knew I was going to do this. Before God saved you, did he know you were going to commit sins, Bishan? Yes, he did. How many of your sins did he know you were going to forget to commit? All of it. Yeah. So if you were going to commit a sin that he was unwilling to forgive, he wouldn't have saved you in the first place, would he? That's right, sir. Because He knows. So when we confess our sins to God, it's not like going to our wife, or to our supervisor at work, or to our pastor, or to our friend, and confessing a sin that they don't know about. When we go to God, we are confessing a sin that He already knows. So we don't have to worry and be hesitant about doing it. Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. So, Psalm 86 5, For thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive. Now we have to remember that. And so in Psalms, we have some confession Psalms. But one of the things we need to ask ourselves when reading a Psalm is, are any aspects of this Old Covenant Psalm fulfilled? So, Bishan, look at 1 Corinthians 3.16. 1 Corinthians 3.16? Now, Pastor, in the Old Covenant, where did the Holy Spirit dwell? Where did Israel go? Where was the Shekinah glory? Where did it dwell? Well, we know it dwelt in the... Pardon me, go ahead. i'm sorry interrupted the spirit of the world temple that's right you're exactly right as in the holy of holies that that's where god what now god would lead god's spirit would would anoint men like sampson like saul like david like samuel but his dwelling place is permanent dwelling place was the temple and that's where you were Bishan, would you read 1 Corinthians 3.16? Okay, sir. 1 Corinthians 3.16. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's spirit dwells in you? Now, in the new covenant, where does God's spirit dwell? In us. The church facility or building where we meet is not the New Covenant fulfillment of the Old Covenant temple. Our bodies are the New Covenant fulfillment. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. So, and when we become a Christian, we are not anointed, rather we are anointed and sealed. It is both. Look at Bishan, if you will turn to 1st John, chapter 2. verse twenty seven and pastor if you would turn to Ephesians chapter one Ephesians chapter one verse thirteen and fourteen Ephesians one thirteen and fourteen OK, Bishan, if you would read your passage, please. OK. 1 John 2, verse 27. But the anointing that you receive from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him. Now, that passage isn't saying that we shouldn't submit to the teachings of our pastor, or those who have the gift of teaching, because a pastor-teacher is a gift in calling of the Holy Spirit. But it does say that as the temple of the Holy Spirit, the veil of blindness that covered the eyes of Israel The veil of blindness that Satan has on the non-believers has been lifted, and we have spiritual sight. Pastor, Ephesians 1, 13 and 14, please. Ephesians 1, 13 and 14. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. where you believed you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. Okay, now... He's a deposit... I'll keep going, I'm sorry. Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession to the praise of His glory. Now here's our timeline. And before we became a Christian, in Ephesians 2, 1 and 2, we were dead in our trespasses and sins, weren't we? Yes, we were. Then something happened. we received Christ and once we received Christ in 2nd Corinthians 5.17 John 3.3 we were born again. We became a new creature, didn't we? And so we are on a totally new timeline here, a totally new existence. No longer dead in our trespasses and sin, but we are born again. Now, Bishan, if you would read Ephesians 5, 24 please. OK, Efficience 524. No, I'm sorry, John 524. OK, sorry, NEPAS, don't let me put on my John 524. Bye-bye, NEPA. John 524. Yes, sir. Let's see. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word, believes him who sent me has eternal life. does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Yeah, so we hear, believe, and have eternal life. Now, let's go back to Pastor's passage in Ephesians 1, 13 and 14, shall we? Yeah. Sorry, Uncle John, my time is up. My wife will continue from here. Great! Yes, sir. She could be your helpmate. Yes, she is. Have a good staff meeting. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Pastor, read Ephesians 1, 13 and 14, please. Ephesians 1, 13 and 14. And you also were included in Christ. when you hear the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. The message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Sir? Okay. that's a lot of salvation where you believe you were martyred came with a seal the promise of the spirit uh... so he said that was it so you know i've seen us inheritance yes i'll keep reading i keep interrupting you i'm sorry Marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance unto the redemption of those who are God's possession. To the praise of His glory. Yes, so in John 5, 24, we hear, believe, and then notice this. We hear, believe, and then we have eternal life. In Ephesians 1, 13-14, we hear and believe and we have the seal of the Holy Spirit. So, these are linked. There's an integral link between the two. So, now this is in the New Covenant. In the Old Covenant, you were simply anointed with the Holy Spirit. In the New Covenant we are anointed as in 1st John 2.22 and sealed Ephesians 1.13 and 14. Now, why is that important? Why is it important for us to understand this when we are reading the Psalms? Why is that important? Well, the importance is found in here in uh... song fifty-one insult fifty-one so pastor would you read song fifty-one uh... some fifty one ten please so i think it's a lot of them are not ten please sound fifty-one Yeah, now we know those two requests of God make it into the New Covenant. First Peter 2.11, we are told to abstain from sinful lusts which wage war against our heart. So having a clean heart or a pure heart is important. When we look at renew a steadfast spirit within me, First Corinthians 15, 58, Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the works of the Lord. We know that. That prayer makes it into the New Covenant. So we can pray that as often as we want. But now, Pastor, read verse 11, please. 51 verse 11. Please. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Now, in the new covenant, do we have to worry about that? Is that a concern for us? No. We were just looking at that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit for eternal life. That we don't go to the temple to meet with God that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit now why was David concerned about this? David had been anointed with the Holy Spirit by Samuel why was he concerned that the Holy Spirit might leave him? what had he witnessed? I think he was concerned about saying that maybe because of saying the Holy Spirit might leave him? Yes! Yes! Excellent! In fact, look at 1 Samuel 16, verse 14, Pastor. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. What's that? 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse 14. 1 Samuel 16, verse Now the spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. Ah, so now David witnessed that. So I'm sure David was thinking, don't do that to me. don't do that to me now there is another reason david was concerned about this pastor turn to deuteronomy deuteronomy chapter seventeen deuteronomy chapter seventeen verse eighteen and nineteen deuteronomy seventeen verse 18 and 19 verse 18 and 19 says when he takes the throne of his kingdom he is to write for himself on his crown a copy of this law taken from that of the Levitical priest it is to be with him And he's to read it all. He's to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and this decrees. Yeah, so David was reading the word of God, wasn't he? All his life. and one of the things he would have read is Judges 16 verse 20 so pastor read for us Judges 16 verse 20 Judges 16 Judges 16 ok sorry now i'm making you work today judges sixteen there's twenty yes uh... it's good judges sixteen that's twenty okay what's twenty-five cents so this is uh... then she calls samson the philistines sorry i'll take that again then she called of Samson, the Philistines are upon you. He awoke from his sleep and thought, I will go out as before, and shake myself free. But he did not know that the Lord had left him." Now, see, David, because of Deuteronomy 17, verse 18 and 19, he had read this numerous times, hadn't he? He was to keep his copy of the Word of God with him and read it every day. We can see the impact that had on him by just reading Psalm 119. So he had read this numerous times. Plus, he had seen this firsthand happen to King Saul in 1 Samuel 16, 14. So of course, when David confessed his sins, he was concerned that the Holy Spirit would leave him and that he would be helpless. or even worse that a evil spirit would take the Holy Spirit's place. So do we have to worry about this? Is that a concern that we have to worry about? Well, no. We don't have to worry about that. We know that the Holy Spirit does not reside in the temple But rather, when we are born again, the Holy Spirit resides in us. We become the temple of God. We here believe and have eternal life. We here believe and are sealed with the Holy Spirit. And as such, we have a promise. Pastor, read Romans 11.29, please. Romans 11.29. Romans 11 29 Romans 11 29 the Bible says for God's Gifts and his call Yeah So we don't have to worry about that do we? We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. God's gifts and God's calling to us will never be revoked. We might disqualify ourselves because of sin, but they remain there waiting for us to repent. His gifts and His callings are irrevocable as is His Holy Spirit. So, when we confess our sins, we need to remember that we are confessing our sins in the context of New Covenant Christians. So, when we read the Psalms of Confession, we have to keep that in mind. Now, a great prayer that many use for confession is 1 John 1.9. Bami, would you read 1 John 1.9? If we confess our sins, it is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Now the question becomes Did Christ die on the cross when you became a Christian? No. Now Roman Catholics believe that, don't they? You do your first confession and then the priest sacrifices Christ and you do your first communion. But we know that's not true. When were your sins placed on Christ? Look at Isaiah 53.6 Isaiah 53.6 Isaiah 53.6 and the word of god says we all like sheep have gone astray each of us has turned to our own way and the lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all yeah see that's way back here two thousand years ago isn't it pastor read first peter two twenty four Peter 2.24. Okay, 1 Peter 2.24, it says, he himself put our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. by his wounds you have been healed. So approximately A.D. 32, the year of our Lord 32, Jesus died on the cross, didn't he? He did. Now, when he died on the cross, your sins were placed on Christ and he was punished for them. The doctrine of imputation and substitutionary death of Christ. Now, for me, in 1968, I prayed to receive Christ. That was 1,936 years later. Can you see that? 936 years later, that's one million, 1,936 years later, time passes, I became a Christian. I was born here in 1951. And then in 1968, 17 years later, I prayed to receive Christ. When I received Christ, 1,936 years had passed. Now what people who will say then is, well when I received Christ, I confessed my sins and God forgave them. Well, praise God. But what about all the sins I commit here? What happens to them after I receive Christ? Maybe what if I don't confess all my sins? Bami, do you confess all your sins? Bami, do you confess all your sins? Well, as the Lord brings it to my attention. Ah, so that's a no. Yes. So you don't, because we don't realize all of our sins, do we? Yes. So, let me look at James 2.10. Please. James 2.10. Whoever keeps the old law but fails in one point is become guilty of all of these. So Bobby, how many sins will it take to send you to hell? Just one. And you don't confess all your sins? You're in trouble. Yes. But only if you're a Roman Catholic. We don't worry about that. Because when were your sins placed on Christ? A.D. 32. Now, you say, well, my sins were placed on Christ when I received Christ, but what about the sins after I've received Christ? But that's a nonsensical question. Because what you're saying, these sins were placed on Christ because I confessed them, but I hadn't committed these sins, so how could they be placed on Christ? Isn't that the question? The issue is, since I haven't committed sins, how can they be placed on Christ? Isn't that the question they're asking you? But you see, that's a nonsensical question, because what you're saying, when you confess these sins, is that when they were placed on Christ? Mommy? No, 2,000 years ago. So you're saying, now, these sins which I had not committed were placed on Christ. But since I haven't committed these sins, how can they be placed on Christ? That's nonsensical, isn't it? You are saying you have sins which you didn't commit for 936 years. for one thousand nine hundred and thirty six years but they were placed on christ but this and over here nine thousand one thousand nine hundred and thirty seven years that's not placed on christ because you had committed it you hadn't committed any sin when your sins were placed on christ this is very important concept When you received Christ and say, well, when I received Christ, my sins were placed on Christ. No. Your sins were placed on Christ in AD 32. You hadn't committed those sins yet. So it does not make sense to say the sins which I had not committed and would not commit for 1,936 years, these sins were placed on Christ. But this sin over here, which I committed 1,937 years later, it wasn't placed on Christ because I hadn't committed it yet. Well, you hadn't committed these sins either, had you? So when Christ died on the cross, all of your sins were placed on Him. So we don't have to worry what happens to our unconfessed sins. They are all placed on Christ. All of them. and we are sealed, we are born again for eternal life and sealed with the Holy Spirit. Now that's very important for us to understand because when we go and begin confessing our sins we have to understand that when we are confessing our sins we are the prodigal son confessing our sin. The prodigal son's sonship was never in question, was it? What was in question? Was his sonship in question? When the prodigal son returned to his father, was his father's response, you're not my son, you're dead to me? No. Was that his response? When the brother complained when the brother complained about the prodigal son. Let's turn to Luke 15, shall we? in Luke 15. Now, in verse 30, when the brother who is angry at his brother, how does he refer to his brother in verse 30? said, but when this son of yours... Oh, so the brother was upset, but the boy's sonship wasn't in question, was it? It was in question. And in verse 31, how does the father refer to the faithful son? My son, the father said. So he was referring to the faithful son as his son. But how about in verse 32? How does he refer to the prodigal? Well, we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found. Yeah, he called him his brother who was dead, who was lost, but now is found, isn't he? Now, how does God the Holy Spirit refer to him? Let's look over at John 15 and in verse 21 John 15 verse 21 John 15 21 they will treat you this with the cost of my life. No, John, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I love that verse, so my mind switched over to it. I'm sorry, Pastor. We're still with the prodigal son. That is 100% my fault. Luke 15, 21, Pastor. Luke 15? Luke 15 what? Luke 15 verse 21. The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Now, the prodigal son felt he was unworthy, didn't he? But we know all scripture is inspired by God. How does God, the Holy Spirit, refer to him in verse 21? does he says well go ahead by me god the holy spirit says and the son said god the holy spirit verse twenty one doesn't say and this man who was no longer worthy to be a son said does he so the sonship of this boy was never in question What was in question was his relationship with his father. As long as he was out of fellowship with the father, what was his life like? His life was miserable. Yes. In Luke 15, verse 15 and 16, read that. Luke 15. And to read that, please. Okay, 16. He longed to fill his stomach with the parts that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. Yeah, he was miserable, like Pastor said. Out of fellowship. And then he, read verse 20, Bami, Luke 15, 20. And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still, a long way off, his father saw him and thought compassion, ran and embraced him and kissed him. So God, the father was yearning for fellowship. The boy was out of fellowship, but he was still his son, wasn't he? Now, that's how we want to treat our sons. We don't want to be like King David. When Absalom returned to King David, what did David say? I'm still mad at you. You're no son of mine. You go live on the edge of town. I'm still angry. And Absalom was left there in his bitterness and he resorted to violence. He set fire to people's fields. He involved himself with bad fellowship. He got involved in vandalism and rebellion. So that is not the picture of God. That is the picture of a sinful father who refused to forgive his son. But this is a parable that Jesus gave. And God and the Father is the picture of God the Father. And this son was never out of the thoughts and heart of the Father. And in fact, the son was allowed to be disciplined by his circumstances and finally return to the father. So, the sonship was never in question, was it? What was in question was the relationship. Bami read 1 John, no, read John, not 1 John, John 3.3. And pastor, uh... you read uh... luke fifteen first twenty nine and thirty so first we'll read john three uh... three jesus answered him truly i say to you unless one is born again Yeah, so we've been born again. That's always the question we ask. Have you been born again? That cuts to the heart of the matter. Was there a time when you prayed to receive Jesus Christ, you were born again, you became a new creature, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit, you were born again. Then that is our sonship for eternity. but our relationship though is in question not our sonship and we could be like the prodigal son now uh... pastor read your uh... passage please twenty nine at fifty luke fifteen twenty nine and thirty john fifteen i'm sorry luke fifteen luke fifteen answer his father all these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitute comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him. Yeah, so he doesn't feel it's fair. and many christians don't feel it's fair here's this guy who's been living in sin and he returns to uh... the lord and confesses his sin and he's brought back into fellowship with the church as if nothing ever happened but how but what does god say in verse thirty-one pastor okay verse thirty-one my son the father said you are always with me and everything i have is yours in verse 32 but we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found yeah so we rejoice that when a sinner repents and returns to the church, we rejoice in that. But that doesn't mean the people who have been faithful have been wasting their time. Bami, read Colossians 3 verse 23 and 24. Colossians 3 verse 23 and 24 so what you do knowing that from the Lord you receive the inheritance serving the Lord Yeah. Whatever you do, do you work heartily as for the Lord rather than men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is Christ the Lord for whom you are working. So that faithful brother is going to receive rewards in heaven. It's not that there's no difference between the life of the faithful brother and the unfaithful brother. By God's grace, the prodigal son, he's squandered everything, but there's still time for him to work hard and gain a place in life, isn't there? But the faithful son is way ahead of him. But that doesn't mean that we just despair. We can always repent and return to the Father. So when we talk about confession, we are talking about restoring the relationship, not getting our sins forgiven. When we confess our sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That's true. But what we are looking at is Proverbs 24, 16. Pastor, we'll go back to you. Proverbs 24, 16. Okay, Proverbs 24, 16. Are you hearing me okay? Yeah, there's a storm coming through Houston, and I'm getting notifications that some of the internet connections, because of the storms, are unstable. So I was just checking to see if it's interfering with mine. OK. OK. So though the Red Shells fall seven times, they rise again. that's what we're going to stress now what do the righteous and the wicked both have in common they both fall that's right so as christians righteousness is not living the perfect life that job has been taken who took that job jesus that's right so that's not the job we're looking for But, getting up, not simply lying there, getting up and continuing on. So, the lifestyle of the disciple is one of sinning, confessing, repenting, getting back up and moving on. Now, if we just want to lie there with the pigs, we can. But we're going to be miserable and we are going to suffer loss. But we don't have to do that. So we never have to worry when we confess our sins, is God tired of hearing about this? No, He wants to hear about it, doesn't He? He wants us to confess our sins. He wants us to repent. Not because our sonship is in question, but because of our blessing of fellowship with Him can be restored. That's what God wants. What Satan wants you to do is to believe, how can you confess these sins? How can you do that? You've done it so many times. Isn't God tired of hearing about your sins? How can you go to Him the same thing over and over again? But look on the screen, do you see where it says omniscient? Remember when we studied about the nature of God? Look at 1st Samuel 2.3, boasts no more so very probably. Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge. With him actions are a way. God already knows. When you confess your sins, you are not bringing to light something that God doesn't know about. Job 11.11, for he knows false men, he sees iniquity without investigating. Psalm 33, 13 and 14, the Lord looks from heaven, he sees all the sons of men, from his dwelling place he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth. Psalm 139, 2 and 3, Thou dost know when I sit down and rise up, Thou dost understand my thought from apart, Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, and art intimately acquainted with all of my ways. Psalm 147, 5, Great is the Lord, abundant in strength, His understanding, His knowledge is infinite. So don't let Satan snooker you, fool you. When you are going to God to confess your sins, you are not revealing something to God about you that he doesn't know about. He already knows and loves you anyways. Bami, Romans 5.8. He already knows and loves you anyways. Yes, Christ didn't save you because you were being good. It was while you were a sinner. So when we go to God in confession, we are bringing to God our sins for the restoration of the relationship, not for the restoration of salvation. And that's very important for us to understand. If we think it's the restoration of salvation, soon we will give up. We've just blown it too many times. But if we understand that righteousness before God is to fall seven times, but every time to confess it, to get up, to embrace God as a son, and to continue on, then we can have confidence in confession. We know that God not only knows about it, He paid for it, didn't He? We'll close with Isaiah 53. Turn with me, if you would, to Isaiah chapter 53, verse 5. Hey, Bobby, would you read that? Isaiah 53, 5. But he was pierced upon his wretches. He was crushed for our iniquities. On him was incitement, broke us peace on his wounds. Jesus knows every sin we committed because he was punished for every single sin we committed, wasn't he? So you don't have to worry about bringing your sins to God. God the Father knows about them, doesn't He? Well, God the Son knows about them because He was punished, wasn't He? Wham! Wham! Wham! God the Father. Every single sin you ever committed was imputed to Christ and now He is punished. Every single sin, all of these placed on Jesus and then the heavy hand of God's judgment comes down upon Jesus for every single solitary sin. So we don't have to worry that God may be too upset with us this time around to forgive us. So when we go to confess our sins, look at Hebrews 4.16. We draw near with what? What does it say there? Confidence. Yes, we draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. that we may receive two things, mercy, mercy is not receiving what we deserve, and grace, that is receiving what we don't deserve. And when do we do this? In the time of need. That is exactly right. So, we'll pick up next week where we left off here, but the exhortation here and the reminder is that when we confess our sins, we do so as the prodigal son. It restores our relationship with God and our experiential blessings, but it has nothing to do with our sonship. He was a son before he rebelled, he was a son during his rebellion, and he was a son after he repented. The sonship was constant. His experiential relationship with God, now there are a lot of variables there, aren't there? And the faithful are comforted by God the Holy Spirit. They're saying, no, it's not the same. you have been faithful all this time and you have riches in heaven for that for the prodigal son all that time is wood hay and stubble but his salvation is secure look at first corinthians chapter three Now we'll look at verse 13. Pastor, would you read 1 Corinthians 3? I keep saying we're going to stop, then I think of one more verse. 1 Corinthians 3? Verse 13. Verse 13 says, their work will be shown for what it is, because the day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire. and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. Now notice that, is the person being tested by fire? Or his work? His work is being tested by fire. You know, if Bishan builds a chair for me, no, he builds me a podium. And he says, you know, you can throw this podium in the fire and nothing will happen to it. This will last you your whole life. So I say, well, I'm going to test it. So I throw the podium in the fire to see if it's true. Is there a difference between throwing the work of Bishan in the fire and throwing Bishan in the fire? Is there a difference, Bishan? There is. There is. Is there a difference, Bami, between throwing your work in the fire and throwing you in the fire, Bami? Yes, there is. No. No. Bobby, if you make me a podium to preach from, OK? Yes. That's your work. And you tell me that that work is impervious to fire. And I say, well, I don't believe that. I'm going to test it. So I throw the podium in the fire. What's being tested by fire? Yeah, the podium. There is a big difference from the podium being tested by fire and me taking Bami and throwing him in the fire, isn't there? Okay, yeah, that's true. Yeah, so our brothers and sisters in the Roman Catholic Church, they think they are going to be tested by fire in purgatory, don't they? But that's not true. It's the work. Now, verse 14, Pastor, 1 Corinthians 3.14. Okay, 1 Corinthians 3.14 says, if what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. Yeah, and up above that we say that in verse 12, a man can lay foundation upon build with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. so he can build with acts of righteousness or he can build with dead works and sinful works so if his work remains what will he receive pastor? he will receive his reward now pastor verse fifteen fifteen, if it is burned up the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved even though only at Yeah, he's going to be saved though, isn't he? He'll suffer loss, but the foundation, which is Christ, will make it through the fire. And he's on that foundation, and he will be saved. Yeah, he's right on that foundation, verse 11. Jesus has protected him from the foundation, from the fire. Only his works will be tested, not him. no purgatory, no fear. But there is a reward for the faithful and the unfaithful do suffer loss. So the question is, Bami, if some people in heaven are going to have more rewards than you, how can you be happy in heaven? Well, what is covetousness? Is it a sin or a virtue, Bami? to covet that's right will you be sinful in heaven? I won't be you'll be perfect so in heaven you will rejoice in their blessing rather than coveting their blessing so your joy in heaven won't be affected any because some people have more riches in heaven than you you'll be happy for them rather than being jealous rather than being covetous like satan was and got thrown out of heaven you won't have to worry about that you'll be perfect There is value in walking with God. There is value in repenting and turning to God, but the value does not rest in our salvation. The value rests in two things. One, our fellowship with God, and secondly, eternal rewards, but not our salvation. May God add his blessing to his holy word. In Christ's name I pray, amen.