The practice of confession has proven to be a liberating discipline for my life. Freedom in Christ is a great blessing. Our experience of freedom quickly erodes, though, when we fail to practice confession in life and allow unconfessed sin to remain. Confession as a spiritual discipline is essential for Christian growth in holiness and to build fellowship among one another. James tells us to confess our sins to one another, so we might pray for one another and be healed (James 5:16). It is a necessary vernacular for the Church.
Pastoral ministry has taught me that many people do not practice confession with one another because of betrayal by other people(s). People will disappoint, but God’s grace is greater than any hurt. Confession continues to be a powerful discipline for redemption among God’s people. In my recent sermon, I shared three basic principles of public confession to exercise wisdom. I have learned these through the years and found them to be most helpful. I pray these principles help and encourage you as well.
The first principle deals with our conscience and Holy Spirit’s leading. Our conscience becomes “seared” to Holy Spirit conviction when we tolerate sin, reject Holy Spirit conviction, and choose to believe lies over the truth of God’s Word. Few people intentionally choose to live in a recognized “lie,” but every time we say “no” to God’s Word we choose a lie over truth and deceive ourselves. Learning to listen and follow Holy Spirit requires spiritual sensitivity to God’s promptings. We may not always get every one right, but we never go wrong when we act in faith to follow Holy Spirit. Finally, sin that is tolerated is really an idol(s) that is worshiped. Idolatry fuels suspicion about God’s Word, breeds speculation about his goodness, and makes subject his wisdom to our human rationale. When we fail to recognize the principle of a seared conscience, God’s glory grows dull to us, we grow increasingly callous toward God, and we become dependent upon self and numb to Holy Spirit. A dull, callous, numb, and seared conscience senses no necessity for and importance in confession.
The second principle deals with the specific nature of our confessions. Confession should include the “specificity of conviction” in identification, direction, and extent. Confession should begin with a specific identification of the sinful action, whether an outward act or inward thought or attitude, as Holy Spirit reveals in conviction. The direction of our confession should address each specific sin as God’s Word instructs and as Holy Spirit leads in full application for repentance. Finally, as other people or situations are involved, the extent of our confession should include all people that need to be pursued for redemption. This leads to the third principle.
The scope of confession in repentance should be proportionate to the scope of committal. When understanding how we are to apply confession in our specific situation, we can consider the extent to which a specific sin’s committal affected others to know the extent to which our confession and repentance should be directed. As far as it is possible for us to seek out other people and situations, our confession should pursue them for full redemption. We cannot determine how they will respond. We can determine that we will obey to bring God glory through our confession, and hopefully through our testimony of the same.
An important question that I have been asked many times is, “When another person is not personally involved in any outward act but I do have bitterness against them in my spirit, how do I know when I should go to someone?” First let me say, I believe Holy Spirit will be specific to direct you. Do as he leads. In most cases I do not believe he will lead you to go to that person. However, I do believe wisdom counsels that when sin consistently affects your relationship with a person, in thought or attitude, feeling, and even action toward that person, you may need to go to them and confess to break the pattern of sin. In personal confession one will often learn that an outwardly-directed thought or attitude towards others diagnoses deeper issues of the heart. Once confession is practiced, God’s forgiveness and cleansing restores the deeper heart issue. In this case, going to a person would only serve to create a new situation to address. If you are led to pursue a person in confession, be careful that you explain your purpose and motives so that no blame, speculation, or accusation is placed on them. Rather, share that God is working in your heart, you are accepting responsibility for your sin, and seeking forgiveness from that person is an act of obedience for you. As a pastor I have had people come to me on a number of occasions to confess to me in this way. It is a powerful grace moment of healing and redemption. In any of these situations I advise great spiritual discernment. Seek the counsel of a pastor or friend of great spiritual maturity if you are still unsure.
Confession echoes David’s acknowledgement in Psalm 51:3 when he says, “I know my sin and I know my sin is mine.” When we confess, we agree with God about sin, what it is, and that it is personal to me and about me. When we confess to one another, we trust Christ for forgiveness by practicing it among God’s people.
I challenged people at the end of the sermon to take a simple step to acknowledge the work of Holy Spirit conviction in their lives. I was stoked by the response. People demonstrated a strong desire to labor for gospel-empowered redemption through confession. I also encouraged them to tell someone about God’s work in their heart to encourage and pray for them. I’m praying this week for God to work in powerful ways as our people turn and follow him as he leads them into the redeeming work of the gospel.
May the redeeming power of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ and the empowering work of Holy Spirit reconcile a little more of all creation unto himself this week.