A discussion of continual cleansing is certainly not a new thing, though it is a topic which I have never specifically addressed in print before. As with most topics that have been the subject of heated debate, it appears that there are misconceptions on both sides of the conversation as to what the other is saying. It’s sad that many disputes are the result of too much talking and not enough listening. Let us take a few moments here to consider what the Bible says about the forgiveness of sins, repentance, and the doctrine of continual cleansing.
What Is It?
It is fitting to begin with a brief description of what this doctrine of continual cleansing is. It is entirely possible that those who are young in the faith, or even those who have been Christians for some time, but pay no attention to brotherhood magazines do not recognize this term.
Basically the proponents of continual cleansing believe that if a Christians’ normal manner of life is to walk in the light, sins committed in ignorance or as some have put it, “slip ups,” are not held against him, but he is cleansed of these by the blood of Christ. Inherent in this idea is that these are transgressions of which he is not aware of and has not repented of.
Texts such as Romans 5:1 are put forth as evidence for this doctrine, but the primary text appears to be 1 John 1:7. There, the apostle John wrote:
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Brethren who have used 1 John 1:7 to advance the continual cleansing position do not teach Calvinism, as they have been falsely accused of at times. The Calvinist maintains that once a person is saved, they cannot be lost – those who support continuous cleansing are not saying this. These brethren do acknowledge that one might turn away from walking in the light, and in so doing, forfeit the hope of salvation.
What’s The Problem?
A continuous cleansing interpretation of 1 John 1:7 essentially makes the blood of Christ an automatic soul detergent which is applied to the Christian, removing the stains of sin and blessings the sinner with forgiveness apart from repentance. Can one be forgiven of sin without repenting first? If yes, where does the Bible reveal this?
John does not say the cleansing takes place apart from repentance. Notice what He wrote just two verses later:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
When does the blood of Christ cleanse us of sin (unrighteousness)? John does not say it is automatic – we are cleansed of our sins as we confess them to the Lord. The relationship of verse 7 to verse 9 is akin to the relationship of John 3:3 to John 3:5. One text explains the other. How are we born again? We must be born of water and the Spirit. When is the blood of Christ applied to our sins? We are granted forgiveness of our sins when we confess them to the Lord.
The idea that we can be forgiven of sin without repentance seems to cheapen the blood of Christ and minimize the seriousness of sin.
Living In Fear?
Well, if it is necessary for us to repent of sin in order to be forgiven, it must be that we are doomed to a life of fear as the people of God. How can we know if we have committed a sin and are simply unaware of it? Folks who are living good, godly lives could be condemned to hell because of a single moment of ignorance. Either you must live a life of perfection, or you must live a life of fear that you have failed to remember and confess a sin to God.
This is the rhetoric used by some who support the continuous cleansing position. We can’t allow such emotional pretense to cause us to disregard a clear necessity of the Bible – repentance. Nor should we allow human reasoning to sway our confidence in the Lord. John does not say we should live in fear, but rather emphasizes that we can know we know the Lord and have eternal life (1 John 2:3-5; 2:29-3:5; 4:6, 13; 5:13, 18-20). The prerequisite of repentance before forgiveness doesn’t negate the confidence of the faithful before God.
If one is not a Christian it is necessary to be baptized into Christ to be forgiven of past sin (Acts 2:38; 22:16). We cannot disregard this and teach men otherwise. Neither can we disregard God’s will about the forgiveness of a Christian’s sin. I am confident that the Lord desires people to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). Will He allow a penitent believer who is on his way to be baptized to die before obeying? I doubt it. Equally, shall we not have confid-ence that the Lord will care for His people and make them aware of sin in their lives (1 John 3:19-21; Galatians 6:1-2; Philippians 3:15; Matthew 18:15-17). Do we not have enough confidence in God and His word to believe that He will grant us the opportunity to repent if need be?
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