CONFESSION INCLUDED IN RESTORATIVE FORGIVENESS

CONFESSION INCLUDED IN RESTORATIVE FORGIVENESS
PSALM 32;1-11

GOD IS THE AUTHOR OF ALL FORGIVENESS--He, Alone, can forgive sin. Even The Lost
Religionists of Jesus' Day knew this--Luke 3;18-26-[Turn].

Sinners have profaned His Name, abused His Patience, violated His Laws, and
stained His Glory. Nevertheless, He forgives them, of their sin.

NOW, LISTEN, TO THIS; Because of Everlasting Forgiveness, sins committed by believers
are hidden, from the eyes of The Father. The Blood of Jesus Christ covers all sins-
Past, Present, and Future. How many of your sins were in The Future, when He died/
ALL OF THEM. . .

ALTHOUGH A Believer's sins are hidden from The Father, they must be duly confessed
and cleansed.

The JUSTIFIED PERSON RETAINS HIS SIN NATURE; THEREFORE, HE REQUIRES CONTINUAL
SANCTIFICATION. Sinning Christians lose the joy of their Salvation.

Everlastingly forgiven persons alone, experience joy. [Joy cannot be restored, to
those, who have never experienced it]. The restoration of one, who through sin, had
lost the joy of His SALVATION, is recorded in PSALMS 32 and 51.

JACOB WAS ALSO RESTORED TO THE FELLOWSHIP, HE HAD PREVIOUSLY ENJOYED AT Bethel-
GENESIS 31;3-''And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers,and
to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee.''

GENESIS 35;1--15-[READ]
''ARISE GO TO BETHEL''--Place of Revelation, or, of closeness to God. It may stand
for; Time of Conviction; Time of Conversion; Time of Consecration; The Call to a life
of faith.
''WHEN THOU FLEDDEST''--You were scared before, and I took care of you, and I can do
it again.

The saints at Ephesus, Who had left their first love, were exhorted to return--
Revelation 2;1-5--[Turn].

The introduction to Psalm 32, as found in Verses 1 and 2, describes The Joy,
experienced by a forgiven sinner.
David recognized the radical nature of sin [VV. 3-7], and The Lord answered his
confession of sin [VV. 8-9].
The Psalm concludes with a testimony of God's Redeeming Grace in VV. 10-11.

Psalm 32;1-11--[TURN].
The Psalm is introduced with an expression of overflowing joy because of forgiven
sins.
The Writer rejoiced over forgiven acts of sin.
In Psalm 51, he rejoiced over the forgiven nature of sin.
Erroneous concepts of forgiveness result from ignorance of that distinction.

The LORD pronounced David Blessed, because he had been Everlastingly forgiven. That
Forgiveness was based on The Everlasting Covenant, that God the Father had made with
His Son, and on Christ's finished work on The Cross.

Regenerated persons are blessed, because they are in a better state, than Adam was,
before he fell. We don't bemoan Adam's fall, but rejoice that we are trophies of
God's grace.

Future blessings are also promised [REVELATION 21-22].

One, whose transgressions are forgiven, is blessed. This one word doesn't adequately
convey the meaning Here. It is called ''transgression,'' ''sin,'' and ''iniquity''--
PSALM 32;1-3-[read].
1. Transgression is rebellion against rightful authority.
2. Sin is missing the mark.
3. Iniquity is moral crookedness.

Three expressions for PARDON are also given; ''FORGIVEN,'' ''COVERED,'' ''NOT
IMPUTED'' [VV. 1-2].
1. Forgiveness signifies taken away. . .comment-leviticus 16;1-10; 18-22-[read]
2. Covered indicates that sins are hidden from God's Face.
3. ''No imputation'' means the debt has been canceled; it is not reckoned to the
sinner's account.

Believers are blessed with assurance, that the sins they commit after REGENERATION,
will not be imputed to their accounts.
Repentance and Confession of sin are fruits of CHRIST'S ADVOCACY.
The Lord Jesus Christ righteously settled the sin question, on the cross;
consequently, He righteously pleads for believers, on the throne.
Past, present, and future sins of believers were judged in the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ.

Believers without guile [hypocrisy] are blessed. Sincerity and Hypocrisy are
incompatible.
Guile is manifested, by refusing to seriously consider one's self before God. Such
individuals excuse themselves, for not confessing their sin.
Frivolous amusement and religious ceremonies are often adopted, in order to relieve
the labor of reflection.

A Forgiven Individual, on the other hand, openly confesses his sin, and makes no
excuse for it. He desires impartial treatment. He studies God's Word, and implements
what he has learned, by following practical holiness.

David recognized the radical nature of sin, felt the burden and sorrow thereof,
and confessed it. He recognized that, ALL SIN is against The Lord.

He looked retrospectively, from his restored fellowship, to his forgiven backsliding-
Psalm 32;3-4--''When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the
day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture is turned into
the drought of summer. Selah.''
During his silence--failure to confess his sins-- he suffered God's Chastening.

Now failure to confess sin, may result from thoughtlessness, pride, or
procrastination--''I'll get right with The Lord later.'' The ROAD OF BYE and BYE
leads to the town of Never.
Sin is never diminished by deferred confession. But, it is AGGRAVATED-- It not only
is WRONG, It is NOT WORTHWHILE. . .

David's State after his great transgression is reflected in PSALM 51;1-13-READ. His
decline was marked by various complications, which not only aggravated his personal
guilt, but directly affected the lives of others.
David paid four-fold-HIS CHILD DIED, HIS SON RAPED HIS HALF-SISTER, HIS SON KILLED
HIS HALF-BROTHER, AND HIS BELOVED SON WAS KILLED.

Now, A Christian's sin is the most heinous of all iniquiities. An unsaved
individual may be guilty of all kinds of sin, but, it is a Christian's sin, that
brings reproach upon the One,Who has everlastingly forgiven him.

If you let sin come into the local church, and it be known in the community, the
whole church loses respect and reputation in the area.

David's sin resulted in the loss of four [4] things;
[1.] He lost his peace, and prayed for forgiveness--V I--''Have mercy upon me, O God;
according to thy loving-kindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies
blot out my transgressions.''
His pleading for forgiveness began with requesting mercy, BEFORE mentioning his Sin.
He did not plead past purity, pious parentage, public position, or accomplishments
for the Lord.
[2]He lost his purity, and prayed for cleansing-- V. 2--''Wash me thoroughly from
mine iniquity; and cleanse me from my sin.''
His plea was for personal cleansing-wash me-not for cleansing of garments. Hypocrites
are satisfied with garment cleansing. But sincere Christians desire internal
cleansing.
[3.] He lost the joy of his Salvation, and pleaded for restoration [VV. 4-12].
Many become sick from sin, but David was sick ''of'' sin ''as'' sin. He made full
confession.
None, but truly born-again individuals, will fully confess before The All-Seeing eYE
OF GOD.
[4.] HE LOST HIS POWER--EFFECTIVENESS IN SERVICE, AND PRAYED FOR ITS RENEWAL-[VV.
13-19].

FIVE Great Themes dominate Psalm 51;
[1]SIN-MAN'S SIN IS REGARDED IN 2 WAYS; It is a polluted recoord, that must be wiped
out; it is a polluted robe, that must be cleansed.
[2] RESPONSIBILITY--David did not blame heredity, environment, society, instinct, or
circumstances for his sin. David acknowledged his own guilt.
Now, get this truth; those who seek to excuse sin, know nothing of God's Grace.
[3]REPENTANCE--The Old Testament Saints could understand from prophecy, that a
fountain is opened for cleansing--
Zechariah 13;1--''In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David
and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin, and for uncleanness.''
All the Saved, since the death of the testator, know THERE IS A FOUNTAIN, FILLED
WITH BLOOD, DRAWN FROM IMMANUEL'S VEINS, THAT CLEANSES FROM ALL SIN--
I John 1;7-- But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.''
[4] FORGIVENESS--Consciousness of sin leads the believer to that fountain, filled
with Blood.
[5] TESTIMONY--Forgiveness and cleansing lead to a life of witnessing for The Lord.
A REDEEMED PERSON CANNOT REFRAIN FROM DAILY WITNESSING.

Before he confessed his sins, David's bones waxed old-Psalm 32;3--''When I kept
silence,my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.''
His physical strength diminished.

The Sapping of a person's spiritual state affects his physical well-being,
I Corinthians 11;30-[Turn].

A individual, suffering from foreign matter in the eye, may not enjoy his eyesight,
any more that One, who is blind. Nevertheless, no one would conclude he lost hi
eyesight.
Removal of the foreign matter is often painful. Similarly, removal of that which is
foreign to Spirituality is very painful, to the offending Christian.

God's Chastening Head was heavy upon David--V. 4--''For day and night thy hand was
heavy upon me; my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.''

Scientists affirm that the atmosphere weighs on all solid objects, a certain amount
of pressure per square inch. However they are not crushed.

Likewise, A Christian is protected through God's Chastening--Psalm 89;3-4-[Read].
Here, we have The Davidic Covenant.
1. Verses 3-4--The covenant made with David and in him David's Lord and Son. Made for
his seed; made for himself--''his throne''.
2. The COVENANT CONFIRMED BY DECREE--''I HAVE MADE''; BY PROMISE-''I WILL
ESTABLISH''; BY OATH-''I HAVE SWORN.''

David repented and confessed his sin-Psalm 32;5-7-[Turn]. His confession was 3-fold;
[1] He acknowledged his sin. [2] He uncovered his sin. [3] He confessed his sin.

The Psalmist's grateful testimony after his restoration is recorded in Psalm 32;5-7-
[READ].

The Lord answered David's confession with instruction [V.8] and warning [V. 9].

CHRISTIANS CANNOT BE INSTRUCTED AND BLESSED, UNTIL THEY ACKNOWLEDGE, UNCOVER, AND
CONFESS THEIR SINS--Jeremiah 31;18-19-[TURN].
Instruction follows genuine confession of sin. Truth must be learned through this
kind of personal eexperience.

The ability to quote Scripture is insufficient. Abstract truth alone. Truth separated
from practical consideration, or application, profits no one.

God's people must be instructed-indoctrinated.
People may be theoretically indoctrinated, and give mental and vocal assent to
doctrine. However, only when doctrine is received into a believer's heart, can he
exhibit its molding influence.

Confession, forgiveness, and restoration enablle Christians to effectually serve The
Lord.

When DAVID WAS RESTORED TO THE JOY OF HIS SALVATION, HE BECAME A FAITHFUL WITNESS
FOR THE LORD.--Psalm 51;12-13-[Turn].