Is our liturgy right?

[hopeforhappiness]

Why does the Anglican liturgy say "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness"?
Surely that's a one time event (the forgiving of our sins)?
Otherwise isn't it just legalism and neurosis?

 

[Paidiske]

I think, from God's perspective, forgiveness might be a one-time event; after all, God is not bound by time.

But from a human perspective, we sin, we repent, we try to do better, we sin... we need ongoing experience of forgiveness, and ongoing expression of repentance.

 

[JohnTh]

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness

Is from 1 John 1:9

Surely that's a one time event (the forgiving of our sins)?

God is above time and law and, hence, forgiveness isn't a moral issue.

Evil doesn't exist in itself and sin is distortion so the difference between heaven and hell is existential because hell is choice.
When we confess our sins we do an existential act and not an informational act because God respects our liberty.

So, when we try to get out from our distortions we cannot but if we really want to, God will give us the victory in no-time because He is above it. This is His forgiveness which we experience under time like a stream of fresh existential water. We turn away from the stream? We don't feel it anymore and we get thirsty. We turn back? We start to feel it again.

This is in very few words - perhaps it is a little bit dense. If something is unclear, just drop a line.

 

[JohnTh]

Me again: We should stress that God's forgiveness is the expression of his perfect, intelligent love and not a necessary action. God isn't forced by anyone and anything.

 

[SkyWriting]

Why does the Anglican liturgy say "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness"?
Surely that's a one time event (the forgiving of our sins)?
Otherwise isn't it just legalism and neurosis?

God exists outside of time. There is no limited forgiveness.