Skip to main content

Chain Reaction

             If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)

For many, confession involves going to an authority of the Church or the court and admitting that one has done something wrong or getting up in front of an audience and proclaiming that one has done something (generally) shocking. I’m not sure how long it has been used in these senses. Maybe always, but it is derived from Latin terms meaning “together” and “to say, to speak.” That might involve going to someone and speaking to them about something, but another possibility is that the idea was to speak in agreement with someone.

When we confess, then, our goal should be to say the same things about what we have done as the one to whom we’re confessing. It’s not just, “I’ve sinned” but “I’ve sinned, I agree that it’s wrong. I’m rejecting that way of life and walking with you.”

But as you read today’s passage, there’s something important to note. It does not say that confession produces forgiveness. God doesn’t forgive because we confess. God forgives because God is faithful to His nature to forgive. He forgives because He is just, and Jesus has already paid the penalty for that sin. Perhaps more importantly than that is the fact that when God forgives, He also purifies us, and not just from the thing we confessed, but from all unrighteousness. Our confession is just one link in a chain of purification.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more