When we do fail we hate that we did and confess to be cleansed. Remember David, "the apple of God's eye" was tormented over his own sin until he confessed? He even prayed that God would reveal to him unknown sin. And then there was the consequence of his son who came out of that sin was taken from him. He accepted the consequences after grieving over the illness of that child but rose to accept God's will when the child died.
We are sinful people in our flesh with the power in Christ to resist. Sometimes we are weak and stubborn and do not confess until the consequences become too much for us. Christ's blood had to cover our sin to be in the presence of God. No one will come before God with their own righteousness, it is the righteousness of Christ in us.
Also remember when we die only our Spirit goes to heaven, our body is left behind because it is sinful flesh. When God takes His children in the rapture he must change our bodies for them to enter His presence.
1 Corinthians 15:50-52 "50 Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.…"
Those who think they are sinless are walking in pride and are fleshly. There must be a denial of the real self when someone thinks they never sin again after they are born again.
God commanded His children to "confess to one another", to confess to Him to be cleansed. And, He promised discipline to those who will not confess.
James 5:15-16 "…15 And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail. "
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Sometimes the consequences of God's discipline are life long problems. Not all lifelong problems are because of sin but some are. For the obedient believer lifelong problems are God's way of strengthening us to become more holy and less focused on this world.
1 James 1:2-8 "2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
Never listen to those who would discourage you into believing that your sin has lost the salvation you didn't earn. Listen to the warnings to repent. If you have lived a continual lifestyle of sin without sensing any guilt for it then you may not have ever been saved.
God's salvation is simple and easy, that is admit you are sinful and need Christ, believe that He can and will cleanse and save you and He will.
Anyone who attempts to discourage you by placing "works" on the table as a means of salvation are preaching another gospel. Ignore them and carry on to trust Christ with your life.
We are HIS workmanship, all we have to do is believe Him. He does all the rest of the work in us.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
We ought to submit to God when He disciplines us, that will bring spiritual and emotional growth. A blessing that cannot be described in words. The sense that we are His and He WILL work in us is worthy of praise toward Him.
