K100. Would Jesus still tell the believers to confess their sins today? (1)

If you have read my previous post K099, you will know the answer. Of course, Jesus would still tell the churches or believers to confess their sins. If Jesus had taught and told all His disciples to confess their sins in Luk 11:4 and commanded the churches in Rev 2-3 to repent, He would still tell the churches today to confess their sins too.
However, many churches today still argue that they can never sin, and therefore they would never need to confess (or tell their believers to confess) any sin. When they say so, they are trying to preach that Rev 2-3 and the warnings of the Lord are not applicable to us. If they can convince us, they will go further and conclude that all the warnings, the words, the commands, the principles, and the doctrine of Christ are not applicable to us too (because they can now listen to the 'gospel that Paul preached'). They will just conveniently say that all the doctrine and commands of Jesus are hard sayings which were applicable only to the Pharisees or those who were under the law. But I find it hard to accept their ridiculous excuses or false teaching.

The Bible has clearly taught the believers to confess sins; not prosperity, righteousness, or 'positive' desires
Today many who argued vehemently against the confession of sins may still change their minds. They may say that they do not mind if people confess or not confess their sins. But, they would still insist that confession of sins is only for the agnostic believers; not for other believers. They would argue, "What's the big deal if we confess or do not confess our sins? However, we would rather confess righteousness! If we confess righteousness, we will see more benefits; but if we confess sins, we receive only reminder of our sins, and subsequently, more condemnation of sins .."
I will tell them, Yeah, it's no big deal for you; but, it is a big deal for us. It is because Jesus, John the Baptist, and John the disciple had all taught and said it clearly that we should confess sins. If all of them had told us to confess sins, it would be a big deal if we try to preach otherwise. If you said that it is no big deal for you to confess sins, why do you make it a big deal to confess righteousness (500 times or 5000 times to get more health or wealth)? Obviously 'confession of righteousness to get things' is just what you think. Paul had never said that we should confess righteousness to get more things or better things. Yes, he did say that we are made righteous in Christ; but he DID NOT SAY that we CONFESS it to be more righteous or to prosper more in heath or wealth: 1Co 1:30 KJV  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.
Yes, John may tell us to prosper in health (3Jn 1:2); but he DID NOT SAY that we should CONFESS it to prosper in health and wealth too.

The believers do not confess sins to get 'things'
Hence, if we must confess something, we must make sure that we confess it according to God's words; not according to men's words or men's thinking. If we confess it, we must confess it only because God said it; not because we think that God said it (based on our own interpretation or understanding).
Many of us think that we must confess sins to get something too (to get righteousness of God, forgiveness of our sins, or prosperity). But, I realise that while a sinners may confess sins to get all those things; a believer do not confess sins to get 'things'. Actually I did ask God: "If the believer do not confess sin to get forgiveness or things, it should be no big deal for us to confess sin or not to confess sin? Why would the Lord or John still teach the disciples or the believers to confess sins?" I did not get the answer initially. I could not answer the lawless preachers who proposed that we should just confess righteousness instead of sins. They said, "We understand that the sinners should confess sins to get forgiveness of their sins; but we are now righteous, why do we still confess sins ?"

Why would the believers still need to confess sins?
But I can now answer them. I woke up this morning with the answer. That feeling was like 'having my ears totally blocked by something unknown for many many years; but that blockage suddenly disappears and I can now hear and think more clearly than before, even before my ears were blocked'.
The answer is already in the Bible; but we could have been too blinded to see it. The Bible has actually explained why the disciples and believers will still confess their sins even though they have been made righteous (or would be made righteous). The sinners may confess sins because of one reason, ie. to show that they will now repent, turn from their lawlessness, and turn to God; but, the believers confess sins because of more than one reason. I can now show three reasons, all of which can be confirmed or seen clearly in the whole gospel or the Bible.
Jesus wants us (THE BELIEVERS):
1. to remember that we ourselves are the sinners too, and therefore we ought to forgive other sinners (Luke 11:4)
2. not to think highly of ourselves and behave like Pharisees who prayed in Luk 18:14 or like Peter who became over-confident and boastful in Mat 26:33
3. to be honest about our sins and repent like the prodigal son in Luk 15:17-19, especially if we have wronged others or sin against God.
Many of us think that the parable of the prodigal son is about two types of people: 1. the sinners and 2. the believers. However, it could be two types of BELIEVERS too: 1. the believers who fell and came back to God, and 2. the believers who did not sin but became ungracious and unforgiving. The first group of believers would confess their sins because they know that they have sinned and that they could still fall and sin; but the second group would think that they could never sin. The second group could have forgotten that they were sinners too. If they could still remember the Lord's prayer in Luk 11:4 and pray, they would confess their sins too, and humble themselves and accept those who have repented and come back to God.

All the believers or sinners in the world must still confess sins
Many of us (the believers) may not behave or sin like the prodigal son or Zacchaeus. Hence, we may not confess our sins or repent like them. But, if Jesus has shown us that we should all repent and confess our sins for any one of the three reasons above, none of us can boast and say that we are too righteous to confess any sin, too anointed to pray any confession of sins, or too smart to be convicted of any sins.
Of course, we do not deny that grace and the forgiveness of God is greater than our sins; but it is still not great enough to exempt the sinners, the believers, and the churches in the world from confessing their sins, from praying, and from the conviction of the Holy Spirit too.
Joh 16:7-8 KJV  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.  (8)  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Confession of sins may be a practice under the law; but it can be a practice under grace too
Many preachers will still argue, "But confession of sins is an Old Testament practice. The Old Testament prophets would always tell the people to confess their sins; but we are in the New Testament. After the death of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, whatever they said, confessed, preached, or practised (including the confession of sins) have become obsolete teachings. Their doctrine is now replaced by the gospel of grace or the gospel that Paul preached - which do not have any confession of sins in true repentance."
Mat 3:4-6 KJV  And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.  (5)  Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,  (6)  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
I will tell them, Yes, both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ did preach confession of sins which could have been an Old Testament practice; however, what they preached (ie. water baptism) with the confession of sins is not an Old Testament teaching: The Jews would confess their sins with the offering of their animal sacrifice; whilst the believers today would still confess their sins with the water baptism.
Of course, we must view both the animal sacrifice and water baptism as just a ceremony, a practice, or an outward confession of our sins; but what is more important is the inner confession which cannot be seen. However, if we would still practise water baptism or the outward confession of our sins, it is still a valid practise in the New Testament. Why? It is still necessary for the churches and us to remember
1. that we are the sinners, and we ought to humble ourselves and forgive others too (Luk 11:4).
2. that it is the grace of God to allow us to repent and to be baptised
That's why we can say that water baptism and confession of sins is 'grace practice' and it is still under the New Covenant.

Like the law of God, confession of sins cannot be obsolete
It is certainly a weak argument to say that confession of sins, worshipping God, and keeping of God's commandments are all Old Testament practice, and therefore they are no longer necessary in the New Testament today. Yes, we cannot deny that all the Jews  confessed their sins, worshipped God, and obeyed God's commandments (and they did all these under the law); however, we, the believers, would still confess our sins, worship God, and keep God's commandments (under grace) too. The difference is in the way we do it:
1. Confession of sins - In the Old Testament, the Jews would confess their sins with the offering of their animal sacrifice or the wearing of sackcloth and ashes; but in the New Testament, we confess our sins in our prayer and in our closets (Luk 11:4). But we would still offer fruit of repentance by showing it with our lives (Act 26:20). We may still practise water baptism publicly to show our will, determination, and testimony to turn away from sin, but we must do it with a true heart of repentance (1 John 1:9).
2. Worshipping God - In the Old Testament, the Jews would worship God in the temple; but we worship God in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23-24, Php 3:3). We do not just love God, we worship God. If we worship God, we will keep His commandments and love our neighbour too (Luk 10:28, 36-37).
3. Keeping God's commandments - In the Old Testament, the Jews would keep God's commandments written on the stones or on the scrolls; but in the New Testament, we are taught to keep God's commandments in our hearts through Christ (Heb 8:10, 10:16). We do not keep the law of Moses or circumcision; we keep the law of Christ and the law of the Spirit (Rom 8:2). If we keep the law of the Spirit, we keep the law of God (Of course, the law of the Spirit and the law of God are the same; will anyone dispute it ?) If we keep the law of God, we will obey it and do it too. We will also do all that the Spirit of God say to us; not just one commandment or ten commandments - this is the (real) New Covenant:
Rom 8:2-8 KJV  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. .. (7)  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  (8)  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

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