On My Mind...
It was one of my favorite things in the old “Red Green Show” on PBS. As the men gathered for their lodge meeting, they repeated their oath, “I’m a man. I can change, if I have to, I guess.” What is it about our reluctance to admit we are wrong? This is not a new development. When God came calling in the Garden of Eden and Adam was confronted about his sin, his response was, “It’s this woman…that YOU gave me.” For so many of us it is just galling to admit we are wrong about anything. But the Scripture is clear, confession is a virtue. To confess our sin is to agree with God about our sin. It is the acknowledgement that God is right.
We know that confession is necessary for our coming to faith. We must acknowledge/confess that we are sinners. We must acknowledge that we are unrighteous and that our only hope is the finished work of Christ. Apart from such a confession, we are without hope. John makes it clear that our on-going fellowship with God is dependent on our willingness to confess our sin, knowing that when we do, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sin. The apostle Paul reminds us that it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. So, why are we so convinced that if I acknowledge my sin, God is going to “unload” on me? We need to quit listening to the enemy of our soul and start listening to what God has told us through His word.
Take some time to read and meditate on the 32nd Psalm. There we find David saying,
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. (Selah)
I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Confession of sin is not a one-time deal for the Christian. Rather, ours is a perpetual life of confession. David lays out for us the benefits of such a life of confession. The confessing heart knows the blessedness of forgiveness (32:1-2); It knows the graciousness of God’s continuous work (32:3-50); such a heart is assured of God’s gracious provision (32:8-10). Thus, such a believer calls others to share this same blessedness (32:6-7).
Confession is not something to be avoided, it is a lifestyle to be embraced. David is described as a man after God’s own heart. He is known for his devotion and his faithfulness to God. David is also renowned for some colossal failures. David was a great sinner but also a great confessor, he was great at repenting. Rather than running from God in our sin attempting to cover ourselves, let’s run to God in confession and repentance and experience the wonder and grace of forgiveness and cleansing.
Have a blessed week and I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod
We know that confession is necessary for our coming to faith. We must acknowledge/confess that we are sinners. We must acknowledge that we are unrighteous and that our only hope is the finished work of Christ. Apart from such a confession, we are without hope. John makes it clear that our on-going fellowship with God is dependent on our willingness to confess our sin, knowing that when we do, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sin. The apostle Paul reminds us that it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. So, why are we so convinced that if I acknowledge my sin, God is going to “unload” on me? We need to quit listening to the enemy of our soul and start listening to what God has told us through His word.
Take some time to read and meditate on the 32nd Psalm. There we find David saying,
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. (Selah)
I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Confession of sin is not a one-time deal for the Christian. Rather, ours is a perpetual life of confession. David lays out for us the benefits of such a life of confession. The confessing heart knows the blessedness of forgiveness (32:1-2); It knows the graciousness of God’s continuous work (32:3-50); such a heart is assured of God’s gracious provision (32:8-10). Thus, such a believer calls others to share this same blessedness (32:6-7).
Confession is not something to be avoided, it is a lifestyle to be embraced. David is described as a man after God’s own heart. He is known for his devotion and his faithfulness to God. David is also renowned for some colossal failures. David was a great sinner but also a great confessor, he was great at repenting. Rather than running from God in our sin attempting to cover ourselves, let’s run to God in confession and repentance and experience the wonder and grace of forgiveness and cleansing.
Have a blessed week and I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod