TO WHOM SHOULD WE ALWAYS CONFESS OUR SIN?
Matthew 3:1–6, In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is He who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert. Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.” John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Almighty and everlasting God does forgive the sins of all those who are penitent.
Some people are not sure to whom they should confess their sins. Psalm 51:4, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.” David committed adultery with his neighbor’s wife. To cover up this sin, he caused the death of her husband. Afterward he wrote Psalm 51.
Whatever all confession should be made to God, because all sin is against God.
We should confess all our sins to God, because all sin is against Him and forgiveness comes only from Him. However, many times our fault and failings harm other people as well as being sin against God. Matthew 5:23–24, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift.”
In other words, if your sin has had anything to do with another person, you must confess to both God and the person you’ve harmed.
Confession of sin is the first result of true repentance. Now, if we have harmed someone, we must make restitution. In other words, we must put things right so that our relationship is the same as it was before the harm was done.
What is restitution? Is to return things to how they were before the harm was done.
Examples of how to put things right after harming someone. (1) An employer who gives special benefits to workers whom he had exploited in the past. (2) A workman who decides to put in extra hours / jobs without charge, to make up for time he had wasted on the job. (3) An employee who returns stationery that he had been pilfering at the office. (4) A person who does everything he can to speak about somebody’s good points, to make up for speaking unjustly about him in the past.
During this lent pray for a few moments, asking the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to put things right. May be there is someone you have harmed at home, at work, in your neighborhoods or even in your church, in particular against the leaders. 1st John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
God, who is the source of all forgiveness, forgives us because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
God never changes. He is always ready to forgive. However, we can only receive the benefit of that forgiveness when we have confessed to God.
Not admitting his sin brought sickness and spiritual dryness to David, but when he confessed to God he received the forgiveness of his sins and a feeling of wellbeing. Psalm 32:1–6, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. 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 sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledge my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”:- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not
Matthew 3:1–6, In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is He who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert. Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.” John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Almighty and everlasting God does forgive the sins of all those who are penitent.
Some people are not sure to whom they should confess their sins. Psalm 51:4, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.” David committed adultery with his neighbor’s wife. To cover up this sin, he caused the death of her husband. Afterward he wrote Psalm 51.
Whatever all confession should be made to God, because all sin is against God.
We should confess all our sins to God, because all sin is against Him and forgiveness comes only from Him. However, many times our fault and failings harm other people as well as being sin against God. Matthew 5:23–24, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift.”
In other words, if your sin has had anything to do with another person, you must confess to both God and the person you’ve harmed.
Confession of sin is the first result of true repentance. Now, if we have harmed someone, we must make restitution. In other words, we must put things right so that our relationship is the same as it was before the harm was done.
What is restitution? Is to return things to how they were before the harm was done.
Examples of how to put things right after harming someone. (1) An employer who gives special benefits to workers whom he had exploited in the past. (2) A workman who decides to put in extra hours / jobs without charge, to make up for time he had wasted on the job. (3) An employee who returns stationery that he had been pilfering at the office. (4) A person who does everything he can to speak about somebody’s good points, to make up for speaking unjustly about him in the past.
During this lent pray for a few moments, asking the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to put things right. May be there is someone you have harmed at home, at work, in your neighborhoods or even in your church, in particular against the leaders. 1st John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
God, who is the source of all forgiveness, forgives us because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
God never changes. He is always ready to forgive. However, we can only receive the benefit of that forgiveness when we have confessed to God.
Not admitting his sin brought sickness and spiritual dryness to David, but when he confessed to God he received the forgiveness of his sins and a feeling of wellbeing. Psalm 32:1–6, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. 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 sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledge my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”:- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not