My time with Jesus this morning led me to consider a lost spiritual discipline in my life and the lives of many believers. 1 John 1:6-10 brings it to light: confession. Most of the time we think of confession as this one time thing we did when we first accept Jesus as our Savior. We confess with our mouth that we are sinners in need of grace. While true, there is way more to the discipline of confession. Richard Foster is his book, Celebration of Discipline explains that confession "involves an objective change in our relationship with God and a subjective change in us. It is a means of healing and transforming the inner spirit." (144)
John uses three "if we say" statements to make his point very known. He is blunt and when we read this with conviction it can hurt. However, I think many of us believers need more spiritual bluntness in our lives. We need the proverbial "hit in the head" with the giant coffee table Bible.
Confession is a continuous act, not because we remove the grace of Jesus from our lives with each act of sin, but because post-salvation, there is this residual effect of sin. By nature sin resides in us and as such we develop habits from that nature. Habits are hard to break and can take a long period of time to do so. I'm a nail biter. I have been since I was a kid. I've tried to stop and been successful for a short period of time. Imagine though a nature of who you are has stayed with you over years. The habits developed in that time would be deeply ingrained. Paul in 1 Timothy 4:2 puts it that our consciences are seared. So, confession in a believer's life is about agreeing with God what sin is (in our lives and in the world) and bringing those things before Him. It is simply the continual process of dying to our self and seeking Him and His way for our lives. So why is it important? John gives us three truths to consider.
Truth 1: We lie to others when we do not confess
In verses 6-7 John basically says, "I know God, but our beliefs and behaviors contradict our words. By denying that Jesus is God in the flesh and downplaying the seriousness of sin, we lie to others about who we are"(19) states Daniel Akin in the Christ Centered Commentary on 1 John. We are a walking contradiction if we do not confess the sin or the residual effect of sin in our lives. Because salvation carries both an event and a process in nature we must understand that confession leads to growth in Christ. Growth in Christ leads to less and less sin present in our lives. As John says, walking in Christ (The Light) leads to the the cleansing of sin.
Side note: "walk" in this passage is about a continuous way of life.
Truth 2: We lie to ourselves when we do not confess
Verses 8-9 reveal that when we lack confession we can easily deceive ourselves into thinking what we are doing is right or good. John, bluntly says that the truth is not even in us when we think/say we have no sin at all. The most deceptive form we can see is the belief we can take care of the sin ourselves. John is stating that we are not sinless and many times we think we can cure whatever it is of our own accord. Yet, for the second time, John states that if we confess Jesus is ready to forgive and cleanse us. Imagine the last time you tried to fix your own sin. Odds are it consumed you, it drained you, it worked you to the bone. I know, I've been there. Yet, Jesus is ready to do the work. "Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest," He says in Matthew 11:28.
Truth 3: We lie about God when we do not confess
If there is no need for confession it is because there is no sin. If there is no sin, there is no need for Jesus. If there is no need for Jesus there is no need for God. Because of sin, we desperately need God. Not just for that one time event of salvation, but for every day. I think of that hymn I Need Thee Every Hour. Part of the lyrics state,
"I need thee every hour
Stay thou near by Temptations loose their power
When thou art nigh"
Temptations lose their power...that's really it! Confession is turning the power of sin over our lives to the the One who deserves the power over our lives. We need confession to center us back to our Savior who provided a way out of the power of sin and death. We need confession to speak the truth about God and about ourselves.
So what does this mean? I have said over the last several years that I believe at the end of church services we should see more believers at the alter laying down their sin before a holy and righteous God and to a Savior that is ready to forgive and cleanse us. It is not a bad thing to let people see you reveal sin in your life and bringing it before Christ. In fact, it is probably the most truth revealing thing you could do. It speaks of His grace, His mercy, His truth to fellow believers and to those who are lost and in need of a Savior.
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