About "Housecleaning"

AA gives a frank and false explanation as to why people "fall off the wagon", or go back drinking.

We think the reason is that they never completed their housecleaning. They took inventory all right, but hung on to some of the worst items in stock. They only thought they had lost their egoism and fear; they only thought they had humbled themselves. But they had not learned enough of humility, fearlessness and honesty, in the sense we find it necessary, until they told someone else all their life story.

"All their life story" -- where does anyone get the flimsy notion that we can tell someone, anyone, all that we have been through?

All our sins were wiped out, once and for all, at the Cross. It is foolishness to think that we can confess our sins and break free of the former shame that kept us in bondage. The Christian life is not about doing more, but rather about receiving the growing revelation that all has been done, and now God's grace works in our lives.

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2: 13)

The appeal in First John is for those who are not yet believers:

"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)

"All unrighteousness" -- all means all. Rejoice!

They had not learned enough humility, fearlessness, and honesty

Fearlessness is not something that we learn, but rather something that we receive by faith, which works through God's love:

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)

This love is God's sending His Son to die for us (1 John 4: 10). This love is perfected in us because His love has made us into sons of GOd (1 John 3: 1), and we are called then to rest in the truth that:

"As he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17).

As for "housecleaning", Jesus went further and cleansed the heavenlies for us:

"It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these" (Hebrews 9: 23)

The cleaning is done, especially for us in the Body of Christ:

"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" (Hebrews 1: 3)

and

"For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins." (Hebrews 10: 2)

The work is done, the cleansing is over. Sit down with Jesus and reign in life.