Confession is Good for You
Christians do not have to pretend they do the right thing all the time. Perfect we are not. Neither do we have a ‘license’ to sin, as some accuse us. Our desire is to be careful followers of Jesus. Before going any further, it is important to consider a very interesting paradox we find in Scripture.
The paradox involving confession
A paradox is two truths that run parallel to each other like the rails of a railroad track. They are laid right next to each other but never intersect. This is a pretty fair definition of a paradox. And confession definitely involves a paradox.
One rail of the tract is the fact that all of our sin has been placed on Jesus when He died on the cross. Our sin was then buried, or put away, with Jesus in His tomb; and it is utterly and completely gone. And that is all of our sin, past, present, and future. Yes, all of our sinning, past, present, and future is already covered by the blood of Jesus.
The second rail is that we are to continue to confess our sin despite the fact all of the sin has been forgiven. Paradox?
This is where personal and ongoing confession comes in. Let us examine a key passage of Scripture, that of 1 John 1:8-2:2.
First, 1 John 1:8-10:
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
The “ifs” in bold (my work) above are in Greek grammar what are called “future more probable” conditional clauses. So then, it is possible that a Christian may say they have no sin and if they do, it is big mistake. Such denial means we have to carry guilt around, and doing so eventually damages us both spiritually and emotionally. Over time, guilt multiples, self-condemnation sets in, and relationships are undermined
We see the paradox then: We are forgiven yet still need to confess our sin—both at the same time.
Later on, John writes, “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Out of God’s love for us, He does not want us to carry around the weight of unforgiven sin. This is why confession is good for us. Our ongoing sin is not to be ignored, it is to be confessed. And not just simply, “Lord, forgive me, a sinner” but to name them one by one, the circumstances, instances, maybe down to the details.
Confession, one to another
James, the half-brother of Jesus and first pastor of the Jerusalem Church, wrote, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16). This opens up something different from the foregoing. Now confession is made directly to others, even to those, especially to those we have sinned against. Instead of settling for broken relationships, the attempt is made to heal breaches as they develop, and we all know, they develop.
Caution is advised when it comes to confessing sins one to another. The gifts of wisdom and humility vital here. We are careful not to accuse, blame, or gossip in making confession. In addition, over sensitivity must be avoided, but healthy relationships, especially within the family and the church, are critical.
The great Judge is merciful
Christians do not have to hide from God, nor anyone else for that matter. Even if one commits a really big sin, still there is forgiveness. This is a lesson I learned from talking with convicts at San Quentin Prison over thirty-two years as a volunteer there. Murder, rape, and other such, are no bar from total and complete forgiveness though it may take a long while for the freedom of forgiveness sets in. Our Father God never stops loving us and, of course, we cannot fully grasp this, we can only struggle to believe and accept it this enormous truth. Indeed, others will remember our sin, even accuse and blame us and far into the future, but not the Judge of all. He actually forgets our sin.
One of the enduring images I have carried with me over the decades is that I am standing before God at the Day of Judgment, but He does not see me since Jesus is standing right in front of me. The Judge only sees Jesus His beloved Son. I am completely hidden in Christ.
Knowing this solid biblical truth, I have confidence to live my life freely and without the burden of guilt and shame. I have done some pretty ugly things, stuff others will still bring up, for whatever reasons, but I know I am covered in the shed blood of Jesus. And this is not a psychological invention of mine, it is a truth straight from the Word of God.
Second now, 1 John 2:1:
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
Notice the “if” again. It is that same construction, a third-class conditional clause as before. John means that we will likely sin, and if and when, we have the best lawyer there is to argue our case, which always results in complete acquittal. Jesus is our advocate, our counselor, our attorney.
As we mature in our Christian lives this truth becomes very precious to us. We go through difficult times, sometimes lasting over considerable periods of time. For whatever reasons, we do some really dumb things, so much so that we are tempted to think our heavenly Father is angry at us and rejects us. NO, and NO, and NO. Wrong thinking. This is the way of a fallen world, but we are not of the world any longer. We will not let anything, or anyone separate us from the love of Christ. Here is how Paul put it in Romans 8:38-39:
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, not things present not things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What does this all mean? One thing is clear: we do not fear to confess our sin to God. He is the ultimate Father.
I have five children and I would not ever want to add to their burden if they should do something egregious. Not at all, my desire would be to make whole again and this is our Father who is in heaven desire.
A final word of encouragement
Confession is good for us. No matter how often, and it is of course, daily, we have full access to the throne of grace. That sin, and every one, Jesus took upon Himself, is gone forever already and the delight of the Father is to remind us of that very fact.