Posted on 10/03/2016 3:41:59 AM PDT by metmom
“If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:10).
Confession is the first step toward defeating sin.
It is often true that the hardest part of dealing with a problem is admitting that you have one. Beginning with Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:11-13), people have denied responsibility for their sins, and our generation is no exception. To acknowledge that one is a sinner, guilty of breaking God’s holy law, is not popular. People call sin by a myriad of other names, futilely hoping to define it out of existence. They do so, motivated by their innate awareness that there is a moral law and that there are consequences for violating it (Rom. 1:32).
But God’s people have always recognized the necessity of confession. After committing the terrible sins of adultery and murder, David acknowledged to Nathan the prophet, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Sam. 12:13). Later he cried out to God, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, and done what is evil in Thy sight” (Ps. 51:3-4). Faced with a vision of the awesome majesty and holiness of God, Isaiah declared, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips” (Isa. 6:5). Daniel was a man of unparalleled integrity, yet part of his prayer life involved confessing his sin (Dan. 9:20). Peter, the acknowledged leader of the apostles, said to Jesus, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8). The apostle Paul, the godliest man who ever lived (except for Jesus Christ), wrote this about himself: “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all” (1 Tim. 1:15).
The examples of those godly men illustrate a fundamental biblical truth: constant confession of sin characterizes true Christians (1 John 1:9). Those who claim to be believers but refuse to confess their sins deceive themselves (1 John 1:8) and make God a liar (1 John 1:10).
Suggestions for Prayer
Confess and forsake your sins today, and experience the blessedness of God’s forgiveness (Prov. 28:13).
For Further Study
Read and meditate on Nehemiah’s masterful prayer of confession in Nehemiah 1.
Studying God’s Word ping
Great read thanks Metmom
Thanks for posting. Jesus gave us this sacrament through Peter. I go on a regular basis. Keeping my soul clean from the stain of sin is what enables me to live by God’s grace, at least that is my goal.
Thanks for a great post
We have direct access to Christ in this. We can directly confess our sins to Him.
I received God's forgiveness over two thousand years ago.
I heard a preacher say that “confession” - the kind that God wants us to do - is to “name it as HE names it”. It’s humbly coming clean about our sin without sugarcoating, without excuses, without rationalizations or justification. It’s acknowledging what we have done the way God sees it. I can attest that it truly takes this kind of confession to really feel the cleansing forgiveness from all unrighteousness God promises when we do.
The Cross was all Judgment.
Forgiveness only comes when we face God, confess our sins to Him, through faith in what Christ provided at the Cross, i.e. our sins have already been judged.
Then God the Father is free to forgive us our sins.
We are all condemned prior to salvation.
Can you substantiate that assertion in the New Testament covenant?
It is my belief that God is free to do as he damn well pleases.
It is my belief that God forgave me even before I was born.
It is my belief that God wanted me to decide how and when I receive his forgiveness.
Receiving forgiveness and not expressing gratitude is like not opening a beautifully wrapped package.
Thank God for what you have; trust God for what you need.
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