Confession is simply agreeing with God about our sins and saying the same thing he does about
sin. The result of confession and the believer’s life is to likewise agree with God about his
gospel. It is a powerful spiritual discipline that not only acknowledges our wrongdoings but also
strengthens our connection with God’s gospel.
“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
Post-conversion, the sins we continue to grapple with can cloud our perception of God and his
grace. If left unconfessed, they act as self-made barriers in our relationship with Him and fellow
believers. The presence of unconfessed sin in a believer’s life often leads to feelings of shame
and guilt, prompting them to withdraw and protect themselves.
When we grow as followers of Christ and walk in God’s light, we become more aware of our
ongoing sin struggle. We see more sins that we commit, not fewer. When we are faithful to
confess those sins, we experience a cleansed conscience and a fresh experience of his faithful
forgiveness.
Here is a simple suggested pattern for confessing our sins:
- Acknowledge the sin.
- Name the sin. Be specific.
- Own the sin. Do not make excuses or try to explain away.
- Confess the heart of the sin to the best of your understanding. (For example, I lied because I cared more about myself than the truth and the God of truth).
- Lament over your sin.
- Rejoice in God’s grace, faithfulness, and your own spiritual growth.
- Tell someone about your experience of God’s faithfulness.
Confession should not simply be occasional in Christians’ lives; it should not be relegated to
what we have decided are the big things. Sin is a big thing. Confession ought to be a relentless
daily practice in a Christian life.
The bottom line is that Satan wants you to feel conviction about your sin and receive it as
condemnation, thereby increasing the shame, guilt, and alienation. Satan wants your
experience of conviction of sin to shake your faith and steal your hope.
But the reality for the Christian is that conviction of sin is a gift that provides us with an
opportunity to confess our sin, allowing us to walk more faithfully in God’s light. When we confess sin we experience anew God’s forgiveness, fellowship with God and other believers is
strengthened, as is our personal assurance and hope.
