The Grace of Confession, Part 3

Dec 31, 2025 • James Ramieri

12-31-25 Grace of Confession 3

High-Detail Theological Outline: The Grace of Confession and 1 John 1:9 (Strict Chronological Flow)

Opening greeting and pastoral tone

“Good evening, and happy New Year’s Eve…”

Expression of joy to be with the congregation.

Purpose of silent prayer before study

Acknowledgment of recorded format; repetition may feel redundant to those present.

Explanation for new listeners of the doctrinal reason for silent prayer:

Scripture cited: 1 John 1:9

Quote: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Doctrinal point: Confession ensures the filling of the Holy Spirit for believers.

Terminology:

“Filling of the Holy Spirit” as one half of the believer’s power system.

“Rebound” defined: The act of confessing known sin to God (1 John 1:9) to recover the filling of the Spirit.

The second half of the power system: Perception, metabolization, and application of Bible doctrine.

Pastoral application:

Set aside present trials, pressures, tribulations to let the Word speak.

Personal note: Teacher acknowledges his own “serious trials and pressures.”

Opening prayer

Thanksgiving for the day and gathering around the Word.

Requests:

Open hearts for present hearers and future listeners.

Quickening of truth.

Clarity, accuracy, authority aligned with Scripture; grace in delivery.

Invocation in Jesus’ name; congregation responds “Amen.”

Administrative note

Reference to QR code (resource/access point).

Review section setup (due to missing last week)

Series context: Under the “pre-designed plan of God.”

Initial sub-series focus: “Walking” (approximately six weeks).

Note: Have not yet begun detailed studies on “pre-designed plan of God” or “predestination.”

Conviction during “walking” series regarding practice and meaning of “biblical walking.”

Prompt for current series:

Multiple questions from people about “confession,” “1 John 1:9,” and “rebound.”

Observation: Assumed common knowledge may not be fully understood; need for thorough teaching.

Current series topic and intent

Title: The Grace of Confession.

Plan: A few studies already completed; three or four more to come including tonight.

Commitment to thoroughness for proper understanding.

Review of imputation basics (third repetition for clarity)

Clarification: Not the full “Doctrine of Imputation” tonight; highlighting key points necessary to understand 1 John 1:9.

Three imputations overview:

1. Soul life (creation and imputation)

Doctrinal point: Every soul is created individually and independently by God and is imputed to each person at birth.

Note: Scriptures for this were covered previously; available via tape/app.

2. Sin nature (transmission and theological necessity of virgin birth)

The genetically formed sin nature (predisposition; affinity to sin) is passed through the father.

Virgin birth necessity:

Jesus had no earthly father; thus, in His true humanity, He was born without a sin nature.

3. Adam’s original sin imputed to the sin nature (real imputation)

“Real imputation” defined: There is an affinity—Adam’s sin coheres with the existing sin nature.

Pastoral objection addressed: “That’s not fair—condemned before committing a sin?”

Theological answer:

Yes, universal condemnation at birth precedes any personal sin.

Grace rationale: By condemning for something not personally done (Adam’s sin), God universally qualifies all for the need of a Savior.

Contrast: If condemnation hinged on committing one personal sin, a single act would result in irrevocable condemnation; God’s grace makes salvation universally accessible.

Illustrative phrase: “Everyone’s equal at the foot of the cross.”

Universalism in offer, not outcome: Universal condemnation enables universal offer of salvation by something we also did not do (Christ’s work).

Soteriological implications:

Eternal security argument connected to imputation:

Salvation is entirely the work of God from beginning to end.

Human role: Non-meritorious faith (belief).

Therefore: If salvation never depended on human merit, it cannot be lost by human failure.

“If it ever depended on any of us, we would have lost it already.”

Two judicial imputations

Judicial imputation defined: No inherent affinity; effected by the sovereignty and justice of God.

1. All personal sins imputed to Jesus Christ on the cross

Most significant for understanding 1 John 1:9 in this study.

Reconciliation doctrine: Sins of all mankind (believers and unbelievers) paid for at the cross.

Pastoral assertion:

All personal sins we will ever commit were already judged at the cross.

“Finished work of Jesus Christ” stressed—our sins will never be mentioned in final judgment.

Evangelistic emphasis: No one goes to hell for personal sins; those were paid for. The issue is rejection of Christ.

2. The righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed at salvation

Not universally given; only received by faith in Christ.

Clarifies distinction: While all sins were judged, righteousness is only credited upon salvation.

Summary reason for repeated emphasis (third time)

Believers still sin; lack of comprehension of Christ’s finished work fuels “yo-yo” spiritual experience.

Foundational: Understanding imputation shapes assurance and confession practice.

Transition note

Administrative direction: Prior recordings contain extended teaching on these topics; listeners can access for more detail.

Movement to main verses for current study under “the grace of confession.”

Central question addressed in this study

“If our sins have been forgiven, why do we have to confess?”

Short doctrinal answer: Because God says so; divine design mandates confession as part of the believer’s spiritual protocol.

Promise of deeper, complex answer as study progresses.

Greek term referenced for order/accuracy

Stoicheo (στοιχέω)

Note: Will be revisited; highlights that God has an ordered plan and reasons for spiritual procedures.

Scripture study: Colossians 2:13

Text: “And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings.”

Greek grammar observation:

“Having forgiven” is an aorist participle.

Aorist participles precede the action of the main verb.

Main verb: “He made you alive together with him.”

Theological implication:

In order for us to have been made alive with Christ, He must have already forgiven our trespasses.

Reading sense: “He made you alive together with him, having already forgiven all your wrongdoings.”

Application:

Reinforces that total forgiveness precedes experiential spiritual life; crucial for understanding confession as fellowship restoration, not judicial forgiveness procurement.

Review of related terms in the study of confession

Recovery and rebound

Distinction: “Recovery” as restoration to fellowship and operational status; “rebound” as the act of confession (1 John 1:9) recovering the filling of the Spirit.

Repentance vs. confession

Clarification: Repentance is not the same as confession.

Common misconception:

Many equate repentance with “feeling sorry” or “feeling bad” emotionally.

Greek word study:

Metanoia (μετάνοια) defined: “To change your mind.”

Not emotional remorse; an intellectual/volitional reorientation.

Confession (1 John 1:9) pertains to naming, acknowledging sin before God to restore the filling of the Spirit and fellowship, within the power system of perception, metabolization, and application of doctrine.

Opening clarification on “rebound”

Emphasis: “Very, very specific rebound is very, very specific.”

Definition: Immediate restoration to fellowship and the pre-designed plan of God (PDPP).

Preview note: A fuller study on the “same way” mechanics will come “next week or the week after,” but a highlight is given now.

Parallel between salvation and confession

Word study:

Homologeō (Greek: “to confess”) and pisteuō (Greek: “to believe”) identified as non-meritorious acts.

“To have faith was a non-meritorious act—that’s how you were saved; and when we confess our sins, it’s done the same way.”

Doctrinal warning: “You cannot add anything to it.”

Adding anything to confession prevents forgiveness and restoration to the filling of the Spirit.

Adding anything to salvation prevents salvation.

Examples of adding human merit to salvation:

“It can’t be salvation, but now I have to get baptized.” → “Oh no, that’s it, you’re not saved.”

“Walk down the aisle and repent of all of my sins.” → No.

“Make Jesus Lord of my life.” → No. It is “believe.”

Divine purpose: No creature credit

Reason God designed non-meritorious mechanisms:

“So that we don’t get any credit. It’s no creature credit. There’s no credit [that] can take place.”

Application to confession:

God rejects “I feel bad, I’m sorry, I’m going to make it up to you, I’m not going to do it anymore, say five Hail Marys, pray the rosary…”

Warning against Pharisaic boasting (“Thank you, God, that I’m not like other people; I do this, and I do this…”).

Such attitudes cannot glorify God and are incompatible with the PDPP.

Turn to Scripture: 1 John 1:5–10 (context of 1 John 1:9)

Reading of the passage (vv. 5–10) with key observations.

Immediate doctrinal point:

Walking outside God’s plan equals walking in darkness.

“Walking” defined as habitual—“This is not talking about acts, one individual act… This is talking habitual walking.”

No middle ground: You are either in the PDPP or in the cosmic system.

Verse 7 emphasis:

Even “walking in the light,” believers “are continually cleansed by the blood of Christ and His saving work.”

Anticipation of sin reality:

Recognition that believers will sin; the passage anticipates this.

Audience of 1 John and rebuttal of denial movements

1 John written to believers (not unbelievers, not Gnostics as recipients).

Purpose: Written to combat Gnosticism, but addressed to believers.

Internal evidence: “Little children,” “beloved,” etc.

Warning: Kingdom of darkness aims to keep believers out of PDPP by attacking confession.

Pastoral attribution:

Reference to “pastor Thieme” (R. B. Thieme Jr.):

Concept: Some believers are in God’s plan only once (at salvation) and never recover the filling of the Spirit.

Result: Works done out of fellowship (e.g., “Mother Teresa feeding the hungry in Calcutta… give all your money to the poor”) “will not account for God anyway.”

Outcome: “Loser in the Christian life” per cosmic influence.

Focus on “if” in 1 John 1:9

Greek conditional classes overview:

Mention of four classes:

“If and it’s true; if maybe it is, maybe it’s not; if and you wish it to be true;” one more “slipping my mind.”

Conclusion for 1 John 1:9:

“If” is third-class condition, derived from the mood of the verb.

Mood analysis:

Homologeō in 1 John 1:9 is in the subjunctive mood—condition of potential (“maybe you will and maybe you won’t”).

Forthcoming note:

“Forgive” and “cleanse” also in subjunctive in a future study—“Maybe you will be forgiven, maybe you will be cleansed,” contingent on doing it God’s way.

Homologeō (to confess) grammar and meaning

Parsing: Present active subjunctive.

Meaning: “To cite, to admit, or to acknowledge.”

Instruction: Do not add anything else to this definition.

Illustration: Criminal confession

Investigators seek an admission, not a sorrow essay—“You’re admitting that you did the crime.”

Application to 1 John 1:9: Confession is acknowledging the sin before God.

Scripture support: Psalm 51:4

Quotation: “Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified when you speak and blameless when you judge.”

Point: Confession is directed to God; vertical accountability emphasized.

New Testament parallel through Psalm 32 quoted in Romans 4:6–8

Read Romans 4:6–8:

David speaks of blessing of imputed righteousness apart from works.

Quotes:

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered.”

“Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account [impute].”

Chronological note:

David’s attitude in Psalm 32 precedes Psalm 51.

Observation:

David recognizes non-imputation (“will not take into account”) yet still confesses (“Against you, you only…”).

Building doctrinal tension:

Two points:

1) Non-imputation of personal sins to the believer in terms of eternal condemnation.

2) Ongoing need to confess sins to God for fellowship.

Clarification on emotions and homologeō

Homologeō does not mean “to feel sorry” or require emotional reaction.

Practical realities:

Sometimes you will feel bad naturally; emotions are responders.

Sometimes you may not feel bad and even desire to repeat the sin.

Doctrinal axiom:

“The way that you feel about your sin is absolutely inconsequential.”

Emotional interference:

Emotional responses can hinder rebound (restoration to the filling of the Spirit).

Emotional complex of sins:

When emotions lead (not respond), emotion becomes sin and removes you from PDPP.

Application to confession:

Do not let emotion supplant obedience to the system.

Grammar restated

Present tense of homologeō: Habitual action for Church Age believers—ongoing necessity to confess.

Active voice: You must do your own confessing.

Subjunctive mood: Volitional—“maybe you will, maybe you won’t.”

Central principle

“The most important part of receiving forgiveness is following God’s instructions.”

Broader principle:

The most important part of the Christian life: Doing things God’s way—accuracy and preciseness matter.

Rebuttal to “God knows your heart” sentiment:

God knows the heart is “deceitful and desperately wicked.”

Hence, God provided a written system and protocol; motive alone is insufficient.

Rejection of pluralistic “all roads lead to heaven” and “as long as motives are pure.”

System emphasis

God has a system for everything: blessing, forgiveness; future discussion on sowing and reaping.

Necessity of knowing what sin is (to confess properly).

Natural law and consequences:

Example: Alcohol abuse leading to cirrhosis is not divine punishment but natural consequence.

Distinction:

No punitive judgment for sins (judged at the cross).

But divine discipline may occur to restore fellowship—loving parental correction, not punishment.

Pastoral application:

God is not “out to get you” or “mad,” nor does He “clobber” you for every failure.

Discipline is restorative, not retributive.

Parental analogy

It would be unjust to punish twice for the same offense—God does not do that.

Punishment for sins occurred at the cross; God will not punish believers again for those sins.

Word study: Stoicheō (Galatians allusion)

Meaning: “To march in step,” follow a plan, follow a leader from the ranks.

Verse alluded: “If we live by the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.”

Principle: If we do not follow the system, it will not work.

Dispensation of Grace principle

Everything God commands for receiving from Him has no merit attached.

Issue is obedience to God’s instructions, not feelings about sin.

Hamartia: Word for “sin”

Category: Personal sins.

System for forgiveness:

God is interested in: “admit, acknowledge, name, and cite.”

Warning: Emotion and confessing to other people are often mechanisms to pacify a guilt complex.

Doctrinal point: Emotions cannot think—designed to respond, not dictate.

Categories of personal sins

Mental sins: Anger, bitterness, pride, arrogance, etc.

Verbal sins: Gossip, judging, maligning.

Overt sins: Murder, adultery, fornication, drunkenness, stealing.

Observation: Even unbelievers often recognize overt sins, but theological clarity is required.

Imputation doctrine reiterated

Where were our sins imputed? To Jesus Christ on the cross—past, present, future.

Refutation:

“Only past sins were paid” is wrong: All our sins were future relative to the cross.

Denial of “hold out to the end” or “stop sinning now” for salvation.

Doctrine of balance forthcoming:

Reject extremes:

Legalism (ascetic hammering).

Licentiousness (“sin even more because grace”).

Paul condemns abusing grace.

Extremes are satanic tactics to remove believers from PDPP.

Spiritual warfare realism

The devil is intelligent and adept at removing believers from PDPP.

We are no match for Satan apart from:

The Word of God.

The filling of the Spirit.

God’s protective “wall of fire.”

If Satan could, he would take us out instantly—dependence on divine resources is essential.

Hamartiology

Term: Doctrine of sin (“Hamateology” pronounced/used here).

“Our sins” noted with “ego” emphasis:

Responsibility for our own sins, not others.

Believer-priest application:

Keep out of others’ affairs; not our job to “straighten out” another believer.

When a person sins, it is between them and God.

Note: Mention of discussing this at lunch earlier in the day—pastoral reinforcement.

Return to Psalm 51:3–4 (reiteration and expansion)

Quotation:

“For I know my wrongdoings, and my sin is constantly before me.”

“Against you, you only I have sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified when you speak and blameless when you judge.”

Doctrinal emphasis:

Vertical primacy: Even sins against others (adultery, murder) are stated as “against You and You only.”

Application:

Ultimately, sin is between you and God.

It is never for anyone to heap guilt, condemnation, criticize, or condemn you.

Nor is it our place to do that to others.

Vital pastoral conclusion:

Confession protocol preserves grace orientation, rejects human merit/emotionalism, and keeps believers in PDPP.

Opening setup: “We’re going to talk about it in a minute.”

Sets stage for topic on judging, privacy, and confession.

Romans 14:4 introduced and quoted

Text: “Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls, and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

Key emphasis:

“Who are you to judge the servant of another?”

“The Lord is able to make him stand.”

Doctrinal point: Judgment belongs to the Lord; believers are accountable to God, not to other believers’ scrutiny.

Application:

A believer’s rise/fall, success/failure is “before God,” not “before me.”

Pastor’s personal stance: It’s none of my business what anyone does outside this building unless you make it my business by telling me.

Even if informed, it is not my business to condemn; only provide spiritual advice if asked.

Norms and standards:

Your norms/standards may differ from mine; God teaches each believer in privacy.

Respect “privacy of your own priesthood.”

Congregational health requires not “sticking their nose in other people’s business.”

Give freedom and privacy to grow at one’s own pace; do not impose one’s norms/standards upon others.

Even if your norms are assumed correct, others still need liberty to grow.

1 John 1:9 referenced for confession

Text alluded: “Confess your own sins before God.”

Doctrinal point:

Confession is between you and God alone.

Not public confession in front of church.

Not sacramental confession to a priest (rejecting Roman Catholic practice).

Application:

You represent yourself to God as a believer-priest; you do not represent anyone else.

Warning against modern Pharisees (used by kingdom of darkness) who intrude, spread hearsay/presumption.

Societal caution: In a world of rumor, Scripture restrains judging others.

Reaffirmation of Romans 14:4 (principle restated)

“Who are you to judge the servant of another?”

1 Peter 2:9 cited and quoted

Text: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Doctrinal point:

Royal priesthood: God possesses believers, not organizations, pastors, or churches.

Priestly privacy and accountability to God emphasized.

Mark 4:34 cited and quoted

Text: “And he did not speak to them without a parable, but he was explaining everything privately to his own disciples.”

Doctrinal point:

The Lord handled matters privately with disciples—“family business.”

Implicit mandate for private confrontation and private instruction.

Matthew 18:15 cited and quoted, with clarification

Text: “Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”

Doctrinal point:

Private confrontation when personally wronged does not contradict prior privacy principle.

This applies when someone deliberately wrongs you (personal offense).

Application:

Go one-on-one first; do not spread to others before confronting.

If needed, stepwise church discipline (two witnesses) may follow—note: “not our topic.”

Distinction clarified:

Privacy principle applies to others’ personal lives not involving you.

Example:

Seeing a church member carrying cases of beer: not grounds to judge, gossip, or intervene.

Even if the person is an alcoholic, it is not your business unless they ask for help.

“Love covers a multitude of sins” applied to restrain gossip/maligning.

Strong application:

If someone wrongs you, address privately; do not tell anyone first—“The moment you tell someone else, even a spouse or a friend, you have violated the principle of privacy, and you are in the wrong.”

Confession focus: Our own sins, not others’. No place for maligning/gossip/judging.

Word study: “Gossip” in Scripture

Greek nuance:

Often rendered “whisperings”—subtle, private, indirect speech.

Definition (repeated for emphasis):

Careless passing of information (true or not) about someone else’s business when it is not your responsibility to know, speak, or handle.

Distinguish from maligning: gossip may lack overt malice; often done casually “under the guise of concern.”

Doctrinal boundaries:

Truth does not justify gossip.

Violates privacy, unity, and impersonal love.

Usually subtle: whispers, private conversations, indirect talk.

Qualified exception:

If it is legitimately your responsibility (e.g., church leadership handling church matters), involvement may be proper; otherwise refrain.

Proverbs 20:19 cited and quoted

Text: “One who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets. Therefore, do not associate with a gossip.”

Application:

Disassociate from gossip; protect privacy and unity.

Romans 1:29 cited and paraphrased

Text summary: Those “filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil… they are gossips.”

Doctrinal point:

Gossip is cataloged among serious sins; highly destructive to churches.

Pastoral references:

“I’ve heard both Pastor Bob and Pastor Dean” address:

Legalism and gossip must be expelled; “a little leaven leavens the whole lump.”

Gossips tear churches apart; violate privacy.

Word study: “Maligning” (Greek: katalalia)

Definition:

Speaking against; intentional use of the tongue to run someone down, attack character, slander, or speak evil—true or false.

Always hostile, judgmental, accusatory; seeks to damage reputation/character.

Motives/emotions:

Emotional bitterness, resentment, jealousy, self-righteousness, vengeance.

Forms:

Criticism, slander, character assassination, verbal revenge.

Distinction from gossip:

Gossip: careless spread under guise of concern; may be casual.

Maligning: deliberate, often with an “axe to grind,” self-righteousness, retaliation.

Doctrinal warning:

These sins belong under the arrogance/emotional complex of sins.

They “obliterate” the believer out of the plan of God (fellowship loss).

Secondary discipline principle:

When you gossip about others’ sins, you incur divine discipline related to those sins (not eternal judgment, but temporal discipline), even if you did not commit them.

Practical caution: do not add discipline by spreading information.

James 4:11 cited and quoted

Text: “Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. The one who speaks against a brother or sister, or judges his brother or sister, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge of it.”

Greek note:

“Speaks against” = verb kataliete (derivative of katalalia, maligning).

Doctrinal point:

Maligning violates the royal law; turns you into a judge rather than a doer.

Titus 3:2 cited

Text: “To slander no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing every consideration for all people.”

Greek note:

Same maligning word group.

Application:

Gentleness and consideration oppose slander/strife.

Pastoral counsel on response to sin (gossip/maligning)

Do not fall into self-condemnation; avoid guilt spirals.

Proper rebound protocol:

Confess the specific sin: “Father, I confess the sin of gossip.” “Father, I confess the sin of maligning.”

Do not add human works to confession:

Not “I’m sorry, I’ll never do it again.”

Do not add promises or emotional penance.

Theological precision:

Salvation is not by works added to faith.

Filling of the Spirit is not by works added to confession.

Therefore, confession must be done the right way.

Doctrinal synthesis: Grace orientation and humility

Gossip: passes information that should not be shared.

Maligning: passes judgments that should not be made.

Both violate impersonal love and fracture local church unity.

Root causes: arrogance, bitterness, jealousy, curiosity.

Spiritual consequence:

Immediate removal from the pre-designed plan of God (carnality).

Practical application:

Recognize these sins quickly; confess promptly.

If unsure during moment of silence before class, examine for these categories.

Promise of cleansing: God “will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Doctrine of sin (hamartiology) applied

Purpose of studying sin:

Not to condemn or induce despair.

To identify what takes us out of fellowship.

To facilitate confession and ensure the filling of the Spirit, restoring the plan of God.

Assurance:

No eternal judgment for confessed sins; already paid for by Christ.

Issue is fellowship and the operational power system (filling of the Spirit), not eternal destiny.

Spiritual warfare note

Gossip/maligning give the satanic world system a foothold.

Ephesians 4 preview mentioned; extended study foreseen.

Planning note:

More weeks (“three or four more weeks”) on grace of confession; current segment emphasized necessity of addressing gossip/maligning within this study.

Acknowledgment of personal struggle:

Desire to lash out when wronged; must refrain to stay in God’s plan.

When failure occurs, immediately rebound without guilt spirals.

Rebound terminology

“Confess, name it, and cite it.”

God is “faithful and just” (pastor notes preference for “just” over “righteous” to be addressed in another study).

Ephesians 4:29–31 cited and quoted

Text:

“Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification, according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

“All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with malice.”

Doctrinal points:

Speech must edify and impart grace.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.

Sealing ministry of the Spirit: eternal security (“paternal security” referenced).

Removal imperative (“must be”) is for fellowship and plan of God, not for fear of hell.

Application:

These sins take you out of the pre-designed plan of God; hence removal.

Return to 1 John context (leading up to 1 John 1:9)

God is light; in Him is no darkness at all.

If we claim fellowship yet walk in darkness (habitual, unconfessed sin), we lie and do not practice the truth.