Nehemiah #5 Confession
Confession: This is a word that has had "bad press." Today we are encouraged to see ourselves as beings that are basically good ("filled with light") and so we don't like to think of ourselves in need of forgiveness. The reality is that, if we have done the praising part of our prayer right, we will know that there is a qualitative difference between God and me. He is righteous - I am not. He is pure - I am not. He is faithful - I am not.Nehemiah confesses his sinfulness. But here he goes a step further: He confesses the sin of the nation. He is very careful to show that he is not standing in judgement of the nation - he includes himself and his father's house.
But why do we confess? Does God need our confession before He can forgive us? Absolutely not! Confession has more to do with our being able to receive forgiveness than it has to do with God's willingness to forgive us. We don't confess because God needs our confession. We confess because we need to be set free of the blockages of sin and guilt in us. Every time we confess, we are opening ourselves to God so that He can do heart surgery on us, removing our stony hearts and putting hearts of flesh in place instead.
And why should we confess the sins of the nation? Nehemiah understood that the change of a nation lies with change in the people of the nation. As Nehemiah confesses the sin of the nation and his part in it, he puts in place a chain of events that will lead to the transformation of society.
Individual sin leads to corporate sin. Confession and the transformation that comes from forgiveness must also begin on an individual level. In Nehemiah 8 we can see how Nehemiah's private remorse becomes the nation's remorse as they weep while God's law is being read to them.
| I confess the sins we Israelites including myself and my father's house, have committed against You. We have acted very wickedly toward You. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees, and laws you gave your servant Moses. (Nehemiah1:6-7) |
