Confession. What do you think of when you hear that word? Is your mind flooded with all of your deepest, darkest secrets that you'd sooner keep buried? Or maybe thoughts of nominalism - going before a priest sat behind a curtain and hoping you’ll be forgiven? Or maybe that typical prayer “oh God, I’m just an old sinner blah blah blah…”.
I’ve made a remarkable discovery about keeping things buried. I was reminded that things that I tried to keep well hidden, were the very things that became burdensome and dangerous. Why? Because God’s people have an ‘accuser’, whose role is to ensure you are constantly aware of your sins, and that you never receive the truth and freedom of God’s forgiveness:
“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”
Revelation 12:10 KJV
So what’s this big discovery I’ve made?
That when I confess my sins before God….there’s nothing for the accuser of God’s people - satan - to accuser me of! Confession literally disarms him. That oppressive and trepid control that he wields over us by reminding us of everything we’ve done wrong, is broken. But hold on - if that sense of fear and anxiety has been removed, Something else must occupy its space, otherwise those fears and anxieties about our sins can easily return. Here’s the perfect occupant: God’s peace, in knowing that he is faithful and just to forgive our sins. Check it out:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 KJV
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Romans 8:1 KJV
When you confess, you are no longer condemned, no longer accused, even if the devil comes with another attempt because you will now have an empowering precedent to follow. And did you note the part that says “…cleanse us from all unrighteousness”? You’re not only forgiven – God no longer even sees your sin. You can now walk free! It was never your place to carry a burden that you have no power of your own to remove - Jesus already did that on the cross. When you confess, you will find such relief from those burdens which have weighed you down for so long, and you’ll be liberated to freely and wholeheartedly worship God.
So come on! Get confessing - the right way. There is not one single thing that you’ve done wrong that will make our God, who took on every sin in his own body, recoil in horror by what you confess. There’s nothing he hasn’t already seen and nothing he doesn’t already know about. The confession part is for you.
It’s gonna be ok.
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