`You disciplined me like an unruly calf,
and I have been disciplined.
Restore me, and I will return,
because you are the LORD my God.
19 After I strayed, I repented;
after I came to understand,
I beat my breast.
I was ashamed and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.' Jeremiah31:18-19
Confession is not a popular facet of modern day faith.
We hide behind the excuse that confession was abused in the church in the dark ages and we raise the problem of indulgences or question the competence of a human priest to hear a confession. We talk about how we are under grace and not under law.
But let's be honest. The real issue is that confession means admitting that we were wrong - and none of our egos like doing that!
The Bible has a lot to say about confession:
* Psalm 32:1-5 The psalmist feels physically ill until he confesses
* Nehemiah confessed the sins of the nation (Neh 1:6) and then the nation did it (9:2)
* In Ephesus people confessed their sins and burnt their occult stuff (Acts19:18)
* James (5:16) encourages us to confess our sins to one another
* 1John1:9 re-assures us that we are forgiven and that the Holy Spirit takes away our desire to sin as we confess.
So what is confession?
Confession is understanding who God is and valuing our friendship with Him. When we bring the smelly stuff of sin into our relationship with God, confession acknowledges the smelly stuff and gives God the go-ahead to help us get free of it. Confession acknowledges our brokenness and need for help.
In the above-quoted passage Jeremiah gives us a picture of good repentance and a productive confession.
Look how God responds in the next verse:
Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him, I still remember him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
I have great compassion for him,"
declares the LORD.
God is righteous and so He speaks against our sin - but His heart always yearns for us. Confession means we are expressing the desire to separate ourselves from our sin and this allows God to heal us!
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Theo Groeneveld theo@gracepresby.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
