The Spiritual Disciplines: Confession

http://directors.tfionline.com/post/spiritual-disciplines-confession/
By P Amsterdam

A familiar Scottish proverb tells us that “Confession is good for the soul,” and so it is. When we are looking to deepen our connection with the Lord, to live a God-centered life, confessing our sins plays an important role.

The Spiritual Discipline of confession involves sin that is committed after salvation. When we accept Jesus as our Savior we are forgiven for our sins, and therefore are seen as judicially righteous before God, with assurance of salvation.[1] In His great love for humanity, God made a way for us to be reconciled with Him, and that way was through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, who gave His life so that we could be born again as members of God’s family. Salvation changed our relationship with Him—He is now our Father.[2] We are eternally part of His family.

Being born again, however, doesn’t mean that we no longer sin, or that when we do, our sins have no consequences. Sin has negative effects in our lives and the lives of others, and most prominently in the damage it does to our personal relationship with God. Sin causes a breach in our relationship with our Father, and confession repairs the breach. It takes effort on our part to make things right, similar to how it takes effort to restore a relationship with another person whom we have hurt or offended.

The discipline of confession is the means of counteracting the effect our sins have on our relationship with God. If we don’t regularly repair the damage through confessing our sins, we run the risk of becoming hardened in heart and spirit and relationally growing more distant from Him. As John MacArthur wrote:

I’ve seen Christians—judicially forgiven and eternally secure—who are hardened, impenitent, and insensitive to sin. Consequently, they are also without joy because they don’t have a loving, intimate fellowship with God. They have blocked out joy and fellowship with the barricade of their unconfessed sin.[3]

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus directed us to ask the Father to forgive us our sins.[4] He wasn’t instructing us to pray repeatedly for justification, as we received that upon salvation.[5] Instead, He was showing us the means of restoring our personal fellowship with God when that fellowship has been broken or damaged due to our sins. When King David had grievously sinned, his fellowship with God was broken and his sin had distanced him. His prayer was:

Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.[6] He asked God for restoration: Restore to me the joy of Yoursalvation.[7]

Confessing our sins and asking God to forgive us is the path to that restoration. When we come before Him and admit that we have sinned, when we ask forgiveness and have heartfelt repentance, the breach is repaired and the damaged relationship is restored. We are cleansed from our unrighteousness and can once again be in fellowship with righteousness, God Himself.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[8]

Confession shouldn’t be looked upon as something negative or distasteful, because the positive result of confessing our transgressions is forgiveness. God desires to forgive us, and confession is the avenue through which we receive His mercy and compassion. His forgiveness brings freshness to our spirit as our relationship, love, and friendship with Him is renewed.
What Confession Means

The Greek word for sin is hamartia (pronounced ha mar TEE ah), which means to miss the mark, to wander from the path of uprightness and honor, to do or go wrong. As Christians, we don’t want to wander from the path of uprightness or miss the mark. Our goal is to journey through life walking close to Jesus, to avoid straying from His side. When we sin, we wander from Him, but confessing draws us back. Confession is an expression of our love and desire to have a close relationship with Jesus and stay connected to Him.

The word used in the New Testament in reference to confessing our sins is homologeo (pronounced ha ma la GAY oh),which comes from the combination of the words homos, meaning “the same,” and lego, meaning “to speak.” It means to speak the same thing, to agree. When we confess our sins, we are saying the same thing about sin as God does. We are agreeing with His condemnation of sin and acknowledging that in sinning we have acted against God personally, against His Word and His nature. We are admitting that sin is wrong and that we have acted in a way that is offensive to Him. It’s acknowledging that we call these actions the same thing God calls them: envy, jealousy, lust, hatred, deceit, greed, anger, gluttony, adultery, etc.[9]

It is recognizing that these actions are repugnant to God and that by doing them, we are hurting our relationship with Him. It is agreeing that because of the sins of humanity, including our specific sins, Jesus suffered torture and death on the cross. Confession is the acknowledgment that these things are wrong, that we have personally done them, we have offended God, we are sorry, and we need His forgiveness. It is also an expression of our understanding that when we confess our sins, God, in His love and mercy, forgives us.

Charles Spurgeon pointed out that as God’s children, we don’t come before Him to confess as a culprit or criminal comes before a judge. Instead, as His children, we come to our loving Father who desires to forgive.

There is a wide distinction between confessing sin as a culprit, and confessing sin as a child. The Father’s bosom is the place for penitent confessions. We have been cleansed once for all, but our feet still need to be washed from the defilement of our daily walk as children of God.[10]

When we confess our sins, we are recognizing and admitting our guilt. We are stating that no matter who we have wronged, we have sinned against God, whom we are accountable to, we deeply regret doing so, and we seek His forgiveness.

Confession consists of acknowledging our specific sins and claiming them as our own. The following story expresses this point well:

A counselor was trying to help a man who had come forward during an evangelistic meeting. “I’m a Christian,” the man said, “but there’s sin in my life, and I need help.” The counselor showed him 1 John 1:9 and suggested that the man confess his sins to God. “O Father,” the man began, “if we have done anything wrong—” “Just a minute!” the counselor interrupted. “Don’t drag me into your sin! My brother, it’s not ‘if’ or ‘we’—you’d better get down to business with God!”[11]

Because our goal is to regain our close relationship with God, it is helpful to confess specific wrongdoing along with our general sins and weaknesses.

Of course, part of confession is repentance, meaning the changing of the mind, a change of view and of purpose. It’s understanding that sin isn’t just a weakness or an area of your life that you need to work on; it is you acting contrary to God and His nature, resulting in His displeasure and causing a distance in your relationship with Him, as well as negatively affecting you as a person. Repentance means turning from sin and toward God, similar to the prodigal son who returned from a far country to his father’s house. It’s being sorry for sinning and committing to change.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.[12]

Every one of us sins frequently. We don’t want to, we usually don't mean to, but we do. And while some sins are more serious than others, all sin is spiritually damaging. Confession as a discipline is part of the process of counteracting the damage.
How Often to Confess?

There is no set rule for how often to confess your sins to the Lord, though it seems wise to do so on a regular basis. Before coming before the Lord to confess your sins, it’s good to take some time in self-examination, thinking and praying about the ways you have sinned and any specific sins you can remember. The goal isn’t to root out every detail or every possible sin, rather it’s taking time in prayer to invite the Lord to move in your heart to show you areas in which you need His forgiveness.[13]

If you invite the Holy Spirit to help you search your heart, you will likely become aware of specific sins you would want to confess. Not just sins of commission, but also of omission—times when you should have done something but didn’t. You may become more aware of sins of the heart (such as greed, pride, anger, etc.), which are less obvious than the more outward sins of the flesh. The purpose of confession is greater closeness to God, and taking some time to pray, meditate, and open ourselves to God in self-examination is part of the discipline.
Whom to Confess to

Scripture tells us to confess our sins to God. I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.[14] Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.[15] We confess to the Lord because ultimately He is the one we have sinned against. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t apologize to those you’ve wronged—you should, and also make restitution if it’s called for.

Besides confessing our sins to God, Scripture also speaks of confessing our sins to others.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.[16] If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.[17]

Some Christians—Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and some Anglicans—act upon the instructions to confess sins to another within the sacrament of confession (also called the sacrament of penance or the sacrament of reconciliation), as they confess their sins to a priest. Generally, Protestant belief is that confession is made only to God in the privacy of personal prayer. In some Protestant services, the pastor will call for a period of silence in order to allow time for members to privately confess their sins to the Lord.

While confessing one’s sins is generally a private matter between the individual and God, as we’ve seen by the verses above, there are occasions when we are instructed to confess our sins to one another. Martin Luther said that “secret confession” to another Christian, although not required by Scripture, was “useful and even necessary.” John Calvin also commended private confession for any believer who is “troubled and afflicted with a sense of sins, so that without outside help he is unable to free himself from them.”[18]

There are times when individuals confess their sins to the Lord, but don’t feel it is enough; they don’t have peace that their confession has restored their fellowship with God. In times like these, it can be beneficial to confess the sin to a trusted brother or sister in the Lord. In such instances God has given us our brothers and sisters to stand in Christ’s stead and make God’s presence and forgiveness real to us.[19]Making a verbal confession of sin to a trusted fellow Christian, along with the effective prayers prayed by that Christian, is sometimes needed to bring the realization of forgiveness, resulting in peace of heart, mind, and spirit.

Of course, such a confession wouldn’t be made to just any Christian, as not all of our brothers and sisters have the necessary empathy or understanding to receive a confession, neither can every Christian be counted on to keep the information in absolute confidence. Richard Foster gives some further qualifications for a person who will be receiving a confession:

Others are disqualified because they would be horrified at the revealing of certain sins. Still others, not understanding the nature and value of confession, would shrug it off with a “That’s not so bad.” Fortunately, many people do understand and would be delighted to minister in this way. These people are found by asking God to reveal them to us. They are also found by observing people to see who evidences a lively faith in God’s power to forgive and exhibits the joy of the Lord in his or her heart. The key qualifications are spiritual maturity, wisdom, compassion, good common sense, the ability to keep a confidence, and a wholesome sense of humor. Many pastors—though by no means all—can serve in this way. Often ordinary folk who hold no office or title whatever are among the best at receiving a confession.[20]
Receiving a Confession

Receiving a confession from another Christian is a sacred matter. Your brother or sister is coming to you in obedience to Scripture, trusting that you will listen with love and compassion. In order to properly receive a confession, you need to begin from a place of deep humility. All sin is abhorrent to God, and since we all sin, no one is in a position to be judgmental or to look down upon the one making confession.

The individual making their confession may be in pain and sorrowful about their sins, or they may be confessing in obedience to Scripture, or because they want to please the Lord. They deserve the utmost respect and love from you. If you can’t give them that, if you don’t feel you can keep the information confidential, if you are concerned that you may betray their trust, then you shouldn’t agree to receive it.

Foster gives the following wise counsel for those who are receiving a confession:[21]

When one is opening their griefs to you, discipline yourself to be quiet. Don’t try to relieve the tension by making an offhanded comment, as it’s distracting and even destructive to the sacredness of the moment.

Don’t try to pry out more details than necessary. If you feel they are holding something back due to fear or embarrassment, it’s best to wait silently and prayerfully.

Pray for them inwardly and imperceptibly, send prayers of love and forgiveness toward them. Pray that they will share the “key” that will reveal any area needing the healing touch of Christ.

Once they have confessed, pray for them out loud, and in the prayer, state that the forgiveness that is in Jesus is now real and effective for them. You can say this in a tone of genuine authority because If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.[22]

Ask God to heal their heart and mind from any wounds the sin has caused.

One of our goals as Christians is to have a deep and abiding relationship with God, through Jesus. Because sin separates us from God, we want to avoid sinning; yet as human beings, it is impossible for us to be completely free of sin. Because of this, confessing our sins and seeking the Lord’s forgiveness is key to our having the relationship with Him that we desire. Confession is God’s way for us to eliminate the effects of sin in our relationship with Him. God desires to forgive us, and He wants us to be willing to seek His forgiveness.

When we come to the Lord to confess our sins, we may come in sadness, sorrow, and contrition, but we leave with great joy.—Joy that we are forgiven, that our relationship is restored, and that we can be in His presence unhindered by the burden of our sins. Confession leads to celebration. Our sins are forgiven, our lives are changed. Simply put, “confession is good for the soul.”

Note

Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Footnotes:
[1] For more on the concept of Justification, see: The Heart of It All: Salvation, Results—Justification, Adoption, and Regeneration.
[2] When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God (Galatians 4:4–7).
[3] John MacArthur Jr., Alone with God (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1995), 104–106.
[4] Luke 11:4.
[5] Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
[6] Psalm 51:11.
[7] Psalm 51:12.
[8] 1 John 1:9.
[9] David Walls and Max Anders, Holman New Testament Commentary: I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 166.
[10] C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening: Daily Readings (Complete and unabridged; New modern edition), (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006).
[11] W. W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 481–485.
[12] Isaiah 55:7.
[13] Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York: HarperOne, 1998), 151.
[14] Psalm 32:5.
[15] Proverbs 28:13.
[16] James 5:16 NAS.
[17] John 20:23.
[18] W. A. Elwell and B. J. Beitzel in Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988).
[19] Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 147.
[20] Ibid., 153.
[21] Ibid., 155–56.
[22] John 20:23.

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The Christian Doctrine of Confession

By Dennis Edwards --

The following article was written in response to a young Muslim asking me on-line about the necessity of confessing ones sins before a priest.

The question of confessing ones faults before a priest leads to many important truths. Is it necessary to confess your sins before a priest to receive forgiveness? The simple short answer would be, no, it is not. However, the question is deeper than that. The fact the millions of people go to see psychologists every year points to a simple truth. We need to open up and confess our inner most problems and trials and even sins to someone to help us find consolation or relief from inner stress and turmoil.

Is confession a Christian belief? The answer is yes, it is. In various places in both the Old and New Testaments we see examples of confession of sins or faults as a precursor in ones path to find forgiveness and reconciliation. The Catholic Church, the biggest Christian sect, says it is necessary to confess your faults to a priest. However, we will look at the New Testament itself to see what is written there. The Protestants, or those who protested the Catholic interpretation of the scriptures, have interpreted the scriptures differently, and I believe more accurately to the context in which they were given. We will look at the Protestant way of interpreting the scriptures.

The Bible says, "Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another, that you may be healed."[1] So, obviously confession is important. As we see from the above verse,  the Bible says that we should not only confess our faults and sins to God, but also to one another. Jesus, in this context, said the following: "If you bring your gift to the altar (mosque), and there remember that your brother has something against you; leave your gift at the altar (mosque), and go your way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer your gift."[2] So Jesus is saying here, that before we bring an offering to God, we should first go and get things right with that person or brother whom we know is upset with us over something.

John the Apostle of Jesus wrote, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins (or faults), He (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him (Jesus) a liar, and his word is not in us.”[3] Again, here we see the importance of confessing our faults to receive forgiveness. Jesus said he had authority on earth to forgive sins. He healed the sick and raised the dead to prove his authority was from God. Let us look at the passage in Luke where Jesus heals a man and talks about the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”[4]

Jesus infuriated the self-righteous religious Jews who thought they were right with God by their often praying, their washing of hands, their doing religious service, tithing their income, etc. He said they had made the law of God of none affect through their traditions and rule keeping. Jesus came along and showed that love and mercy, forgiveness were greater than all the self-righteous religious rule keeping. Of course, the religious leadership saw that Jesus’ doctrine threatened their own control over the masses. Therefore, they decided he must be eliminated or the whole world would follow him. If that happened, they would lose their position as religious leaders and even their position with Rome as local political authorities.

It is interesting to note that Jesus continually referred to himself as “The Son of Man.” He was referring to an Old Testament prophecy by the prophet Daniel which states the following:

13“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He (the son of man) was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him (the son of man). His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”[5]

When Jesus was taken before these same religious leaders to be judged whether he was speaking blasphemy or false doctrine the following conversation took place.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.

Finally two came forward 61and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”(When Jesus said this, he was talking about the temple of his body which he would raise from the dead after three days in the tomb.)

62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

64“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered.

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”[6]

Jesus was referring to himself as both the “Son of God” and “the Son of Man.” This put the nail in the coffin, so to speak, with the religious Jews. He was making himself equal with God as in the Old Testament prophecy the “Ancient of Days” (God) gives the kingdom to “the Son of Man” and all peoples worship him (the Son of Man). That’s where you get the Christian idea of the trinity, or three in one, or God with three manifestations; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Son of Man is more than a mere mortal and Jesus’ claim to be the Son of Man is probably what elicited the verdict of blasphemy from the Jewish high court, because the “Son of Man” shares sovereignty in heaven with God and is worshiped by all men with a reverence due God only. In other words, by calling himself the Son of Man, Jesus was claiming to be equal with God.[7]

Jesus is also noted as making the same declaration after having healed a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. The healing took place in the temple and on the Sabbath. John records: "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God."[8]

Jesus not only responds by saying that the Father has committed all judgment unto the Son, and he who honors not the Son, honors not the Father, but goes on to say; "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself; and has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man."[9]

So we see quite plainly that Jesus referred to himself both as the "Son of God" and also as the "Son of Man," which is in direct reference to the Daniel prophecy which the Jews would have been very familiar with.

Elsewhere in the gospels Jesus claims Godhood. In a heated conversation with the religious Jews, Jesus claims to be the great “I am” of the Old Testament who came and spoke to Moses in the burning bush. We will read from John.

28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up (killed or crucified) the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

30 As he spoke these words, many believed on him.

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how says thou, Ye shall be made free?

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abides not in the house for ever: but the Son abides ever. 36 If the Son (Here he is referring to himself as the Son of God.) therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. 

Jesus said unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. 

Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convinces me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God hears God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. 50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeks and judges. 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou says, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makes thou thyself?

54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honours me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.[10]

So here we see Jesus calling himself the God of the Old Testament who came and spoke with Abraham and later with Moses to whom he gave the Ten Commandments.

Getting back to the idea of confession, in the Old Testament we read, “He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.”[11] We also read in the Psalms David's confession after having committed adultery with his friend’s wife and sending him back to battle to “accidentally” be killed by the enemy.

David prays:

Have mercy upon me, O God,

According to Your loving kindness;

According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,

Blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,

And my sin is always before me.

4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,

And done this evil in Your sight—

That You may be found just when You speak,

And blameless when You judge.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,

And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me hear joy and gladness,

That the bones You have broken may rejoice.

9 Hide Your face from my sins,

And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,

And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,

And sinners shall be converted to You.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,

The God of my salvation,

And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,

And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;

You do not delight in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

A broken and a contrite heart—

These, O God, You will not despise.

18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;

Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,

With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;

Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.[12]

God is more interested in us being humble and loving than in our sacrificial religious rule keeping of prayers and religious ceremonies. He wants us to give ourselves totally to Him.

There are many other examples of Old Testament and New Testament leaders confessing their faults. The idea of confessing is firmly established in both Jewish and Christian history. Because Jesus gave his disciples power to forgive sins, the Catholic Church incorporated this idea into their doctrine, In the Gospel of John we read, 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”[13]

A psychologist does not forgive sins, but helps his patience overcome the guilt that unconfessed sin weighs on our hearts and minds. Humankind has this need to talk to someone to get orientation, to get their conscience cleansed, to get things off our chest,  to feel cleansed. We do have the power to forgive one another, so we do indeed have power to forgive sins. Jesus taught us if we did not forgive others the sins they commit against us, God would not forgive our sins. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”[14]

It is important to confess our sins and ask forgiveness of both God from whom we know will forgive us and others from whom we may not be so certain to receive forgiveness and mercy. But as true believers we are commanded by God to forgive and show mercy like God does himself.

All of the above is closely related to the commandments that Jesus said were now the most important and closely inter-related. The Old Testament was God’s old agreement with man until the coming of the Messiah. Now, the Messiah has brought in a new agreement which emphasizes love, forgiveness, kindness, brotherhood above religious rule keeping and ceremony. Here's a conversation Jesus had with a religious leader:

34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” [15]

Love is above and more important than the law. Jesus taught this message and later died for it. His disciples taught the same message and died for it. True Christians today will teach the same message and will be willing to die for it.

The advantage of confession is that it helps us get right with God and with others. If we are right with God and others then we can expect God to answer our prayers. We gain peace, joy and faith that God is with us. It gives us peace of mind and happiness of heart. Confession is good for the soul. So confess, get things right between you and your loved ones or work mates and try again. How many times should you forgive your brother? Seven times, asked Peter Jesus' disciple?  Jesus responded, 22"I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." [16] In other words, we should continually forgive one another.

Footnotes:

[1] James 5:16
[2] Matthew 5:23,24
[3] 1John 1:8-10
[4] Luke 5:17-23
[5] Daniel 7:13.14
[6] Matthew 26:57-68
[7] Qureshi, Nabeel; Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus; Zondervan 2014; p.182-183 from Craig Bloomberg, Jesus and the Gospels, Nashville: B&H Academic, 1997; p.342-43.
[8] John 5:18
[9] John 5:25-27
[10] John 8:28-59
[11] Proverbs 28:13
[12] Psalm 51:1-19
[13] John 20:21-23
[14] Matthew 6:14,15

[15] Matthew 22:34-40

[16]Matthew 18:22

Copyright@DennisEMolinski

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The Spiritual Disciplines: Confession

http://directors.tfionline.com/post/spiritual-disciplines-confession/
by P Amsterdam
A familiar Scottish proverb tells us that “Confession is good for the soul,” and so it is. When we are looking to deepen our connection with the Lord, to live a God-centered life, confessing our sins plays an important role.

The Spiritual Discipline of confession involves sin that is committed after salvation. When we accept Jesus as our Savior we are forgiven for our sins, and therefore are seen as judicially righteous before God, with assurance of salvation.[1] In His great love for humanity, God made a way for us to be reconciled with Him, and that way was through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, who gave His life so that we could be born again as members of God’s family. Salvation changed our relationship with Him—He is now our Father.[2] We are eternally part of His family.

Being born again, however, doesn’t mean that we no longer sin, or that when we do, our sins have no consequences. Sin has negative effects in our lives and the lives of others, and most prominently in the damage it does to our personal relationship with God. Sin causes a breach in our relationship with our Father, and confession repairs the breach. It takes effort on our part to make things right, similar to how it takes effort to restore a relationship with another person whom we have hurt or offended.

The discipline of confession is the means of counteracting the effect our sins have on our relationship with God. If we don’t regularly repair the damage through confessing our sins, we run the risk of becoming hardened in heart and spirit and relationally growing more distant from Him. As John MacArthur wrote:

I’ve seen Christians—judicially forgiven and eternally secure—who are hardened, impenitent, and insensitive to sin. Consequently, they are also without joy because they don’t have a loving, intimate fellowship with God. They have blocked out joy and fellowship with the barricade of their unconfessed sin.[3]

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus directed us to ask the Father to forgive us our sins.[4] He wasn’t instructing us to pray repeatedly for justification, as we received that upon salvation.[5]Instead, He was showing us the means of restoring our personal fellowship with God when that fellowship has been broken or damaged due to our sins. When King David had grievously sinned, his fellowship with God was broken and his sin had distanced him. His prayer was:

Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.[6] He asked God for restoration: Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.[7]

Confessing our sins and asking God to forgive us is the path to that restoration. When we come before Him and admit that we have sinned, when we ask forgiveness and have heartfelt repentance, the breach is repaired and the damaged relationship is restored. We are cleansed from our unrighteousness and can once again be in fellowship with righteousness, God Himself.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[8]

Confession shouldn’t be looked upon as something negative or distasteful, because the positive result of confessing our transgressions is forgiveness. God desires to forgive us, and confession is the avenue through which we receive His mercy and compassion. His forgiveness brings freshness to our spirit as our relationship, love, and friendship with Him is renewed.
What Confession Means

The Greek word for sin is hamartia (pronounced ha mar TEE ah), which means to miss the mark, to wander from the path of uprightness and honor, to do or go wrong. As Christians, we don’t want to wander from the path of uprightness or miss the mark. Our goal is to journey through life walking close to Jesus, to avoid straying from His side. When we sin, we wander from Him, but confessing draws us back. Confession is an expression of our love and desire to have a close relationship with Jesus and stay connected to Him.

The word used in the New Testament in reference to confessing our sins is homologeo(pronouncedha ma la GAY oh),which comes from the combination of the words homos,meaning “the same,” and lego, meaning “to speak.” It means to speak the same thing, to agree. When we confess our sins, we are saying the same thing about sin as God does. We are agreeing with His condemnation of sin and acknowledging that in sinning we have acted against God personally, against His Word and His nature. We are admitting that sin is wrong and that we have acted in a way that is offensive to Him. It’s acknowledging that we call these actions the same thing God calls them: envy, jealousy, lust, hatred, deceit, greed, anger, gluttony, adultery, etc.[9]

It is recognizing that these actions are repugnant to God and that by doing them, we are hurting our relationship with Him. It is agreeing that because of the sins of humanity, including our specific sins, Jesus suffered torture and death on the cross. Confession is the acknowledgment that these things are wrong, that we have personally done them, we have offended God, we are sorry, and we need His forgiveness. It is also an expression of our understanding that when we confess our sins, God, in His love and mercy, forgives us.

Charles Spurgeon pointed out that as God’s children, we don’t come before Him to confess as a culprit or criminal comes before a judge. Instead, as His children, we come to our loving Father who desires to forgive.

There is a wide distinction between confessing sin as a culprit, and confessing sin as a child. The Father’s bosom is the place for penitent confessions. We have been cleansed once for all, but our feet still need to be washed from the defilement of our daily walk as children of God.[10]

When we confess our sins, we are recognizing and admitting our guilt. We are stating that no matter who we have wronged, we have sinned against God, whom we are accountable to, we deeply regret doing so, and we seek His forgiveness.

Confession consists of acknowledging our specific sins and claiming them as our own. The following story expresses this point well:

A counselor was trying to help a man who had come forward during an evangelistic meeting. “I’m a Christian,” the man said, “but there’s sin in my life, and I need help.” The counselor showed him 1 John 1:9 and suggested that the man confess his sins to God. “O Father,” the man began, “if we have done anything wrong—” “Just a minute!” the counselor interrupted. “Don’t drag me into your sin! My brother, it’s not ‘if’ or ‘we’—you’d better get down to business with God!”[11]

Because our goal is to regain our close relationship with God, it is helpful to confess specific wrongdoing along with our general sins and weaknesses.

Of course, part of confession is repentance, meaning the changing of the mind, a change of view and of purpose. It’s understanding that sin isn’t just a weakness or an area of your life that you need to work on; it is you acting contrary to God and His nature, resulting in His displeasure and causing a distance in your relationship with Him, as well as negatively affecting you as a person. Repentance means turning from sin and toward God, similar to the prodigal son who returned from a far country to his father’s house. It’s being sorry for sinning and committing to change.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.[12]

Every one of us sins frequently. We don’t want to, we usually don't mean to, but we do. And while some sins are more serious than others, all sin is spiritually damaging. Confession as a discipline is part of the process of counteracting the damage.
How Often to Confess?

There is no set rule for how often to confess your sins to the Lord, though it seems wise to do so on a regular basis. Before coming before the Lord to confess your sins, it’s good to take some time in self-examination, thinking and praying about the ways you have sinned and any specific sins you can remember. The goal isn’t to root out every detail or every possible sin, rather it’s taking time in prayer to invite the Lord to move in your heart to show you areas in which you need His forgiveness.[13]

If you invite the Holy Spirit to help you search your heart, you will likely become aware of specific sins you would want to confess. Not just sins of commission, but also of omission—times when you should have done something but didn’t. You may become more aware of sins of the heart (such as greed, pride, anger, etc.), which are less obvious than the more outward sins of the flesh. The purpose of confession is greater closeness to God, and taking some time to pray, meditate, and open ourselves to God in self-examination is part of the discipline.
Whom to Confess to

Scripture tells us to confess our sins to God. I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.[14] Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.[15] We confess to the Lord because ultimately He is the one we have sinned against. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t apologize to those you’ve wronged—you should, and also make restitution if it’s called for.

Besides confessing our sins to God, Scripture also speaks of confessing our sins to others.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.[16] If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.[17]

Some Christians—Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and some Anglicans—act upon the instructions to confess sins to another within the sacrament of confession (also called the sacrament of penance or the sacrament of reconciliation), as they confess their sins to a priest. Generally, Protestant belief is that confession is made only to God in the privacy of personal prayer. In some Protestant services, the pastor will call for a period of silence in order to allow time for members to privately confess their sins to the Lord.

While confessing one’s sins is generally a private matter between the individual and God, as we’ve seen by the verses above, there are occasions when we are instructed to confess our sins to one another. Martin Luther said that “secret confession” to another Christian, although not required by Scripture, was “useful and even necessary.” John Calvin also commended private confession for any believer who is “troubled and afflicted with a sense of sins, so that without outside help he is unable to free himself from them.”[18]


There are times when individuals confess their sins to the Lord, but don’t feel it is enough; they don’t have peace that their confession has restored their fellowship with God. In times like these, it can be beneficial to confess the sin to a trusted brother or sister in the Lord. In such instances God has given us our brothers and sisters to stand in Christ’s stead and make God’s presence and forgiveness real to us.[19]Making a verbal confession of sin to a trusted fellow Christian, along with the effective prayers prayed by that Christian, is sometimes needed to bring the realization of forgiveness, resulting in peace of heart, mind, and spirit.

Of course, such a confession wouldn’t be made to just any Christian, as not all of our brothers and sisters have the necessary empathy or understanding to receive a confession, neither can every Christian be counted on to keep the information in absolute confidence. Richard Foster gives some further qualifications for a person who will be receiving a confession:

Others are disqualified because they would be horrified at the revealing of certain sins. Still others, not understanding the nature and value of confession, would shrug it off with a “That’s not so bad.” Fortunately, many people do understand and would be delighted to minister in this way. These people are found by asking God to reveal them to us. They are also found by observing people to see who evidences a lively faith in God’s power to forgive and exhibits the joy of the Lord in his or her heart. The key qualifications are spiritual maturity, wisdom, compassion, good common sense, the ability to keep a confidence, and a wholesome sense of humor. Many pastors—though by no means all—can serve in this way. Often ordinary folk who hold no office or title whatever are among the best at receiving a confession.[20]
Receiving a Confession

Receiving a confession from another Christian is a sacred matter. Your brother or sister is coming to you in obedience to Scripture, trusting that you will listen with love and compassion. In order to properly receive a confession, you need to begin from a place of deep humility. All sin is abhorrent to God, and since we all sin, no one is in a position to be judgmental or to look down upon the one making confession.

The individual making their confession may be in pain and sorrowful about their sins, or they may be confessing in obedience to Scripture, or because they want to please the Lord. They deserve the utmost respect and love from you. If you can’t give them that, if you don’t feel you can keep the information confidential, if you are concerned that you may betray their trust, then you shouldn’t agree to receive it.

Foster gives the following wise counsel for those who are receiving a confession:[21]
When one is opening their griefs to you, discipline yourself to be quiet. Don’t try to relieve the tension by making an offhanded comment, as it’s distracting and even destructive to the sacredness of the moment.
Don’t try to pry out more details than necessary. If you feel they are holding something back due to fear or embarrassment, it’s best to wait silently and prayerfully.
Pray for them inwardly and imperceptibly, send prayers of love and forgiveness toward them. Pray that they will share the “key” that will reveal any area needing the healing touch of Christ.
Once they have confessed, pray for them out loud, and in the prayer, state that the forgiveness that is in Jesus is now real and effective for them. You can say this in a tone of genuine authority because If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.[22]
Ask God to heal their heart and mind from any wounds the sin has caused.

One of our goals as Christians is to have a deep and abiding relationship with God, through Jesus. Because sin separates us from God, we want to avoid sinning; yet as human beings, it is impossible for us to be completely free of sin. Because of this, confessing our sins and seeking the Lord’s forgiveness is key to our having the relationship with Him that we desire. Confession is God’s way for us to eliminate the effects of sin in our relationship with Him. God desires to forgive us, and He wants us to be willing to seek His forgiveness.

When we come to the Lord to confess our sins, we may come in sadness, sorrow, and contrition, but we leave with great joy.—Joy that we are forgiven, that our relationship is restored, and that we can be in His presence unhindered by the burden of our sins. Confession leads to celebration. Our sins are forgiven, our lives are changed. Simply put, “confession is good for the soul.”

Note

Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Footnotes:

[1] For more on the concept of Justification, see: The Heart of It All: Salvation, Results—Justification, Adoption, and Regeneration.
[2] When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God (Galatians 4:4–7).
[3] John MacArthur Jr., Alone with God (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1995), 104–106.
[4] Luke 11:4.
[5] Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
[6] Psalm 51:11.
[7] Psalm 51:12.
[8] 1 John 1:9.
[9] David Walls and Max Anders, Holman New Testament Commentary: I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 166.
[10] C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening: Daily Readings (Complete and unabridged; New modern edition), (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006).
[11] W. W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 481–485.
[12] Isaiah 55:7.
[13] Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York: HarperOne, 1998), 151.
[14] Psalm 32:5.
[15] Proverbs 28:13.
[16] James 5:16 NAS.
[17] John 20:23.
[18] W. A. Elwell and B. J. Beitzel in Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988).
[19] Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 147.
[20] Ibid., 153.
[21] Ibid., 155–56.
[22] John 20:23.

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