Confess Much?

BEYOND THE BASICS
John Hines | Haynesville, Louisiana

There is an old saying, “Confession is good for the soul.” I would suggest it is not only good for the soul, it is necessary if we are going to be saved. It plays a role in our conversion, but it certainly does not stop there. Consider a few of the confessions we are called to make as Christians.

The Good Confession
This should be the most obvious one. Paul told Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot…” (1 Timothy 6:12-14). These verses are not speaking of what Jesus saw, but rather what He testified as witness, “Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause i have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.'” (John 18:37). Our confessional journey begins here, as we proclaim our faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. It is a recognition of His identity, supremacy, and authority.

Paul was encouraging Timothy, who was already a Christian, to hold fast to when he first obeyed the Lord’s calling. He reminded him of the “many witnesses” to his confession. These witnesses were brothers and sisters in Christ who could testify of Timothy’s obedience. Paul was reminding the young preacher and holding him accountable, before the Father, before the Son, before the brethren, and before Paul himself. “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust…” (1 Timothy 6:20). Let us all hold fast to our own good confession; it is a manifestation of our believing hearts (Romans 10:10).

The Confession of Sin to the Lord
Another confession we must make is the one spoken about in 1 John 1. “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth … If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:5-6, 9). Repentance is not merely ceasing from sin, yet that is what many people practice. They say, “I won’t do it again. I’ll do better. I promise.” That is well and good, but should we not also express, “God, be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13)? There is no forgiveness without the confession of sin.

We also see the power of the Lord in 1 John. Many Christians say we are weak and sinful creatures, both before and after our forgiveness. Our verse makes it clear – the Lord cleanses us “from all unrighteousness.” So, what sin is left? None. That is the power of the grace of God; that is the power of the Lord’s sacrifice and it is not automatic. We must confess our sins. Do you think the father in the parable of the prodigal would have been well pleased with his son if the child would have come home without the “Father, I have sinned…”? Probably not. Confessing our sin to God is one of the most important confessions we are all called to make.

The Confession of Sin to One Another
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16, KJV). Remember, the prodigal did not just confess his sin against God. He also had sinned in his father’s eyes (Luke 15:21). There is a reason we must confess our wrongdoings to each other. If I keep my confession private, but you know I have sinned, what will your mindset be? You will assume I still need to repent unto God. You would rebuke me when the time of rebuke has passed. After seeking forgiveness, it is time for confession and prayer.

“Pray for one another, that ye may be healed” (KJV). Two things about this verse:
1) When we go to our brother in confession, or when they come to us, we need to pray together. Simply saying, “Oh, that’s OK. Don’t worry about it…” is not going to cut it. We are restoring fellowship which is in the Lord. Don’t cheapen it and do not skirt around it.
2) “Ye” is plural. Consider your earthly body for a moment. When a limb is severed, there are two sides to the wound. When there is sin between brethren, yes, there is a guilty party and an innocent party, but both parties are hurting. Both parties are wounded and both parties need to be healed. The Great Physician does not want us broken and hurt. He wants us well. Our confession and prayer are crucial in that process. Both the offender, and the offended, need to heal. So, there is great importance in confessing and praying together.

Confession in Evangelism
“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetop … whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven…” (Matthew 10:27, 32). This is neither the good confession that we began with or the confession of sin. It is proclaiming Jesus and it is just as essential to our salvation as any other confession.

It is no coincidence in the next verse Jesus said, “…a man’s enemies will be those of his own household?” He speaks of setting a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and those who love family more than the Lord not being worthy of Him (verses 34-38). Where does our confession often go silent? It is within the walls of our home. When that happens, make no mistake, it is exactly what the Lord is speaking about when He says, “Whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (verse 33). Let us confess the Lord and let the power of the gospel work. Our sphere of influence is only so big, but it has the biggest impact at home. our children, our parents, and our in-laws – all are in need of our confession.

Confession Involves Doctrine
Confession in evangelism is more than just, “You need to believe in Jesus!” Consider Paul as he stood before the Sanhedrin in Acts 23. When Paul identified himself as a Pharisee, it split the assembly, pitting the Pharisees against the Sadducees, with Scripture giving the reason; “For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection – and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both” (verse 8). The Pharisees may have been wrong about a lot of things, but here are two things they were right about, and they freely confessed them.

Some folks will confess Jesus as the Son of God, but it is far fewer who will confess His doctrine. To most in the religious world, doctrine is a 4-letter-word, as they consider it synonymous with legalism. From the beginning of the church, we see the truth. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship…” (Acts 2:42). Doctrinal issues are important. Jesus astounded people because of His doctrine (John 7:16). If our confession does not involve His doctrine, then our confession has come short. Let us speak as the oracles of God (1 Peter 4:11).

The Pilgrim’s Confession
As Hebrews 11 looks at the faith of Abel, Enoch, and especially Abraham, we are reminded of the confession made by those who walk by faith. “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland … Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (verses 13-16). This world is not our home, but do you believe that? Pertaining to our study, do you confess it?

It is easy to become too comfortable here. We forget our dwellings, whether they be wood, brick, or concrete, are just as movable as Abraham’s tent. One of these days, God will remove them. After being told to leave his home, Abraham did not look back. If he had wanted to, he could have returned to the country from which he had come (verse 15). The faithful are unattached. They are unattached from this land so they may be attached to the next. “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; Believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:2-3, ESV). There is a reason many are so troubled by the affairs of this world. It is because they are too attached to this world. Let us follow Abraham and the others, confessing freely we are pilgrims and strangers. We will be happier, now and forever.

Conclusion
So, we see the confessions we are called to make touch every facet of our walk with the Lord. Thayer’s definition for the word “confession” reads this way: 1) “To say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent.” Amen. Let us always be walking in the Lord’s footsteps, imitating Him. The definition goes on: 2) “To concede… to admit or declare one’s self guilty of what one is accused of.” Amen The Lord came to call sinners to repent. We are thankful for His grace, patience, and sacrifice. Let us never spurn our call to confession. There is also an element of the word “confession” pertaining to thanksgiving. “Therefore, by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15). The word for “giving thanks” is the word for confession. Worship and thanksgiving are incorporated into the life of our confession. While confession certainly is a part of our conversion, let us look beyond, building upon it, and what a glorious idea it is: “continually,” which describes our confession. Does it describe yours? We hope so. If not, it is time to confess once again. It is good for the soul, and our heart, mind, and body too.

* All passages quoted from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

18.01.01 | GROW magazine