“Oh wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God- through Jesus Christ our Lord!...There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 7:24, 25; 8:1)

In these words lies a practical thought. And from it arises a question which troubles many.

They say, “I believe all that in theory, and I know that Christ can cleanse me from sin. If I confess my sins, he is faithful and just to forgive me, and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. But my question is, Have I confessed all my sins? If I were only sure that I have, then I could claim that promise and believe that there is no condemnation in me.”

How are we going to know that we’re not under condemnation? Of course, confess everything the Lord shows you. But don’t stop halfway. Believe that God forgives it, and take His peace into your heart. And if He shows you other sins, confess them, believe that they are forgiven, and keep His peace still. But honest souls deprive themselves of a blessing and go into darkness because when they have confessed their sins they do not take the forgiveness, and thank God for the freedom that must follow.

The idea that we have confessed all the sins we know of, but still they’re not acknowledged freedom from condemnation, is really bringing a serious charge against God. It is making the Lord out to be the forgiver of the person who has the best memory. But was it your memory alone that enabled you to remember those sins that you did confess? Who quickened your memory? It was the Spirit of God. Are we going to charge God with doing a partial work? He sent His Holy Spirit to show you those sins. Shall we say He kept back a part of them that He did not reveal to us? He showed us just what He wanted us to confess, and when we have confessed that, we have met the mind of the Spirit of God, and we are free.

Jones, General Conference Bulletin, 1895, pp. 265,266