Forgiveness and Washing Dishes

Forgiveness under the old testament/covenant of law (Exodus 24-the death of Jesus on the cross) was much like washing dishes.

When we wash dishes, there is always another dish to be washed.

The dishes are never completely done.

Dish washing is continual...

...day after day after day...

...standing at the sink, washing dishes...

...there is always another dish to be washed.

The dishwasher can't sit down.

This is much like the old testament of law.

Under the old testament/covenant of law, there was always another sin to be forgiven (see the book of Hebrews).

Forgiveness was never complete.

Forgiveness was continual.

There was always another sin to be forgiven.

There was always another animal to be sacrificed (see Leviticus/Hebrews).

Day after day after day, the priests stood at the alter outside the temple and sacrificed animals for their own sins and the sins of the people.

The priest could not sit down.

However, once a year (the Day of Atonement - Leviticus 16) under the old testament of law, all the sins of the people that were not sacrificed for and forgiven for the year, were placed on an animal and sent into the wilderness.

Another animal was sacrificed for the sins of the people.

Then, the next moment, sins were committed and the whole sacrificial system was started again.

The Day of Atonement is much like a dishwasher.

All the dishes that have not been washed are put in the dishwasher at the end of the day.

Yet, as soon as the dishes are washed, the dishes are used again; therefore in need of being washed.

The new testament of grace (not books but the blood of Jesus at the cross) is nothing like washing dishes day after day and year after year.

The new testament of grace is when Jesus shed his blood on the cross for all sins, for all people, and for all time on one day.

Because of Jesus' one-day sacrifice for all of our sins, we simply receive God's forgiveness through faith (Acts 26:15-18; Acts 13:38-39).

Jesus' "washed our dishes" once for all people, for all sins, and for all time - on one day.

There is no more sin washing for Jesus. (If more forgiveness was needed, Jesus would have to die again and again - see Hebrews 9)

Forgiveness is finished.

Forgiveness is full.

Forgiveness is forever.

Forgiveness is for you.

Some will ask: "So what do we do when we sin?"

I tell them to read 1 John 2:1-2.

John says that if anyone does sin, that we have an Advocate (someone who has represented us) in Jesus who has paid our sin penalty in full (propitiation).

In this verse, John is telling the people that when they sin to remember that Jesus represented them at the cross and their sins have been paid for in full and are forgiven in full (1 John 2:12).

To seek ongoing forgiveness, many people are pointed to 1 John 1:9 when they sin, which reads...

"If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us of unrighteousness."

I have written a book called "Forgiven and Cleansed: 1 John 1:9 In Context" to explain how this verse is referring to FALSE TEACHERS much like the Pharisees and not to believers to seek ongoing forgiveness.

I also have a teaching on my YouTube Channel called 1 John 1:9 In Context if you would like to watch it.

We live in the new testament of grace(the blood of Jesus shed for the forgiveness of all sins) not the old testament of law.

Under the new covenant/testament of grace, our sins are completely forgiven forever (Hebrews 10:17-18).

This is eternal forgiveness (Hebrews 9:12).

God does not continually forgive sins under the new testament of grace because they have been completely forgiven through shed blood of Jesus.

Enjoy living in the new testament of grace.

Enjoy knowing your sins are fully forgiven forever.