Read: Prayers of Confession (Dr. Roels)

Introduction

Some of the most moving prayers in the Bible are prayers of confession. And it's easy to understand why. When we take a serious look at our lives in the light of the Bible, most of us recognize that we fall far short of being the kind of persons God wants us to be. When we consider the perfect purity and holiness of God, we, like Isaiah the prophet, recognize how impure and unholy we ourselves are (Isaiah 6:1-5).

When we remember that God commands us to love Him with all our heart and soul and mind and strength (Matthew 22:36-38), we realize how often we fail to do that. And when we remember that God also commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39), we recognize that we often fail to do that, too.

Prayers of confession are therefore very necessary and important. But they are also very humbling for us. Whenever we sincerely confess our sins we are reminded of our weaknesses, our failures and our foolish pride. And most of the time we do not like to be reminded of that. We would like to believe that we are able to live above the temptations in the world which draw us away from God and the paths of righteousness. But an honest examination of ourselves causes us to face who we really are. And that can make sincere confession very difficult and very unpleasant.

But praying honestly and humbly about our failures and sins is both biblical and important. In this Lesson, therefore, we will take a careful look at prayers of confession in the light of what the Bible teaches us. We will look briefly at the NECESSITY of Confession, the PURPOSE of Confession, the RESULTS of Confession, and QUESTIONS about confession.

[Note: The Bible includes some very moving prayers of confession of national sins or sins committed by large numbers of people. Some of those prayers are included in the Scripture verses cited in this Lesson. However, the primary focus in this Lesson is on personal or individual sins.]

THE NECESSITY OF CONFESSION

When we confess our sins to God we acknowledge that we have broken His laws, that we have failed to do His will, that we have hurt or offended Him or others, and that we did not always think, respond, or speak the way He wanted us to. We also acknowledge that at times we have left undone things we should have done and left unspoken things we should have said. And we acknowledge that on too many occasions we have lived according to the flesh and failed to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

When we confess our sins to God we obviously do not tell God something He doesn't already know. God knows all our failures and transgressions and sins far better than we do. However, when we confess those failures and sins to Him, we agree with Him that we have failed to be the kind of people He wants us to be. We also acknowledge that there may well be other sins in our lives which we are not even aware of.

When we pray, we must not only confess sinful deeds but also any sinful thoughts or words or attitudes we might have. We must also confess anything in our lives that brings dishonor to the name of Christ or harm to His cause. And we must confess the times that we have hurt or wounded others through our words, actions, or attitudes.

The list of possible sins is very, very long: pride, arrogance, selfishness, lust, greed, racial prejudice, lying, hatred, impurity, injustice, lack of love for others, an unforgiving spirit, indifference to the needs of the poor, excessive love of things, a lack of concern for those who are spiritually lost, insensitivity to the feelings of others, disobedience to those in authority, and so many other things.

When we confess our sins before God, we must make sure that we humbly and honestly confess specific sins by name. It is not enough simply to confess that we are sinners. We must humbly acknowledge each sin that we can think of and bring it before the Lord in sincerity and repentance.

Repentance is very significant. It is of little value to confess our sins if we are not genuinely sorry for them. And it is of little value to be sorry for our sins if we do not earnestly desire and intend, with God's help, to overcome temptation and sin in the future.

We know, of course, that we will have to fight against sin and temptation as long as we live. However, we also know that God promises to help us win a victory over temptation so that we may live a life that increasingly honors and glorifies Him (1 John 3:6, 9; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Corinthians 10:31).

We should therefore never be satisfied simply to confess our sins, but our confession of past sins should also lead us to seek to overcome our weaknesses and to serve God more faithfully in the future.

God graciously enables us to do His will when we truly seek to serve Jesus as our Lord and joyfully submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:12-15; Galatians 5:16). However, we must also recognize that even our best efforts fail to meet God's absolute requirement of perfect love and obedience.

That's why we must continue to pray daily as Jesus taught us: "And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:12-13).

Additional Scripture References

"None is righteous, no not one; no one understands, no one seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Romans 3:10-12

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” Ephesians 2:1-3

"Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” Psalm 51:4

"Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my pleas for mercy! . . . Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.” Psalm 143:1-2

THE PURPOSE OF CONFESSION

There are several reasons why we should confess our sins before God--even when it is painful or unpleasant for us to do so.

(1)By acknowledging and confessing our sins, we remind ourselves (and others) of the power of sin and evil and the importance of constantly being on guard against it. (1 Corinthians 10:6-12).

(2)Our sins create a barrier between God and ourselves which must be removed if we want Him to continue to bless us and answer our prayers. (Psalm 66:18).

(3)Our sins not only create a barrier between us and God but they also can create a barrier between ourselves and others. Honest confession and sincere repentance help remove those barriers so that we may again enjoy fellowship with one another and live in harmony and peace with one another. (Romans 14:19; Hebrews 12:14).

(4)Confession and repentance are God's appointed way to the forgiveness of our sins. If we fail to confess our sins and do not sincerely repent of them, we cannot expect God to forgive them. (Psalm 32:1-5; Proverbs 28:13).

(5)Since our sins bring dishonor to the Lord and His cause, our confession and repentance may help to restore His honor in a world which is often very skeptical about Christianity and the claims of believers. When we confess our sins and find forgiveness, we teach others about the frailty of mankind and the greatness of God's mercy and compassion. (Psalm 103:8-14).

(6)When we find forgiveness through confession and repentance, our experience can serve as a witness to others how their sins can be forgiven, too (1 Timothy 1:12-16).

Regrettably, instead of confessing our failures and sins, we often try to make an excuse for them. Even when we recognize that we have done wrong, we try to shift the blame for our sin to someone or something else.

We may then talk about our poor upbringing, poor role models in our lives, "bad genes” (which allegedly lead us to addictions of one kind or another), difficult circumstances, loss of health, loss of a job, unusual temptations, poor self-image, or some other problem or concern.

Any or all of these things may well provide a plausible "reason” why we sinned, but they do not provide an "excuse” for our sin. We may try to minimize our guilt and wrongdoing and even be successful in persuading others that we are not to blame for what we have done, but God knows our hearts and He is the one to whom we must give an account (Hebrews 4:13).

So, instead of seeking to minimize our sin and guilt, we should seek to maximize God's grace and forgiveness. It is far better to cast ourselves on the mercy of God than to make excuses for what we have done or try to make ourselves look better than we really are.

Since God is willing to forgive every sin of every repentant sinner who truly trusts in Christ, let us come to Him with boldness rather than running away from Him in fear (Genesis 3:8; Hebrews 4:15-16).

Scripture References

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” Psalm 51:1-2

"So Moses went back to the Lord and said, 'Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin . . . .'” Exodus 32:31-32

"Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love.” Numbers 14:19

"Acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the LORD your God . . . and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. . . . Return, O faithless children, declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 3:13-14

"If they sin against you--for there is no one who does not sin . . . and if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart . . . then hear in heaven your dwelling place . . . and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you.” 1 Kings 8:46-50

THE RESULTS OF CONFESSION

Whenever we humbly confess our sins and sincerely believe that Jesus died to pay the penalty for those sins, God will graciously and completely forgive every sin we have ever committed. Our relationship with God will be restored, our guilt will be taken away, we will have peace in our hearts, and we will be assured of having an eternal home in heaven with our Savior.

Also, when we confess our sins and find forgiveness for them, we are freed from the burden of a guilty conscience. Daily living with unconfessed sin can be very costly. Many who fail to acknowledge or confess their sins suffer from physical or psychological problems. Some live with a heavy heart, a feeling of unworthiness, distrust of others, fear of punishment, and deep depression or anxiety. Not everyone who lives with unconfessed sin will experience all of these things, but many do. As the Bible teaches, "There is no peace, says the LORD, for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22).

David personally experienced the blessing and joy that came from confessing his sin after living for a year or so with unconfessed sin in his life. He wrote, "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. 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” (Psalm 32:4-5).

When a person confesses his sin and finds complete forgiveness from the Lord, he not only experiences a deep joy in the Lord, but he also finds delight in doing the will of God. The grace of God which forgives him also gives him the power and strength to live a life that brings glory to the Lord and blessing to others. As David wrote in Psalm 51:7-13:

"Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. . . . Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.”

Additional Scripture References

"If we say we have no sins we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9

"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.” Psalm 32:1-2

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity. . . . He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as afar as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:2-3, 9-12

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

QUESTIONS RELATED TO CONFESSION

1. WHEN should we confess our sins to the Lord?

We should confess our sins as soon we become aware of them. We should not put off confessing our sins until we go to bed or when we are at a prayer meeting or a church service or when we find ourselves in a "better mood.” We should confess our sins immediately, sincerely repent of them, and then humbly ask God for His forgiveness.

Usually, the longer we wait to confess our sins, the more significant the results of those sins will be. Sins which are not confessed and forgiven often have a ripple effect which continues on and on until the sin is dealt with. We should therefore humbly confess our sins without delay, make amends where we can, and trust in the Lord for His mercy and grace.

Scripture References

"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7

"Now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

2. TO WHOM should we confess our sins?

Our prayers of confession should be offered directly to God, since only He can forgive our sins (Mark 2:7; Isaiah 43:25). However, there may be times where it is helpful for us to confess our sins to others so that they can help us find forgiveness and peace from God by directing us to God's promises in the Bible. (See Matthew 16:19; John 23:22-23.)

There may also be situations when it is helpful to confess our sins to others when such a confession would help provide physical healing or restore broken relationships. (See James 5:16; 2 Corinthians 2:10.)

We should also confess our sins to others when we need to ask their forgiveness if we have hurt them or offended them. (See Genesis 50: 15-17; 1 Samuel 25:28; Matthew 6:14-15; Matthew 18:21- 22, 35.)

3. SHOULD WE REPEATEDLY CONFESS our sins whenever we think about them--even if we have confessed those sins before? Or should we confess our sins only once and then never be concerned about them again?

The answer to this question will depend on our personal circumstances. If we are not sure that past sins have definitely been forgiven, we should sincerely confess them again and then humbly claim God's forgiveness on the basis of Christ's redemptive work on our behalf. However, if we are confident that our earlier confession was sincere, and if we have truly put our trust in Jesus as our Savior, we may quiet our conscience with the assurance that the blood of Jesus, God's Son, has cleansed us from every sin (1 John 1:9). It will then not be necessary to confess past sins all over again.

However, even though it is not necessary to confess sins that have already been forgiven, we may still benefit from "reflecting” on those sins whenever they come to mind. Doing so can benefit us in a number of ways.

Scripture References

"If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

"Let us draw near [to God] with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience . . . .” Hebrews 10:22

"Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression . . .? He does not retain his anger forever; because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:18-19

"In [Jesus] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7

4. IS THERE A SPECIAL PLACE where we should confession our sins?

No. We can confess our sins wherever we are. We do not need to be in a church or in a "prayer room” or in any other special place in order to bring our sins before the Lord and ask for His forgiveness. As long as our hearts and minds are humble and contrite before the Lord, it does not matter where we are physically. However, there may be times when we feel it is appropriate to confess our sins (either publicly or privately) in church or in some other special place. This is certainly acceptable even though it is not necessary.

Scripture References

"Listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place [the temple]. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.” 1 Kings 8:30

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. . . . the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and said, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'” Luke 18:10, 13

5. SHOULD WE CONFESS OUR SINS PUBLICLY OR ONLY IN PRIVATE?

Generally, private confession is all that is necessary. However, if our sins are publicly known to many people, it may be important that these people also know that we have confessed our sins before the Lord and that we have humbly asked His forgiveness. Also, if our sins have negatively affected a number of other people, it may be helpful if these people know that we have repented of those sins and confessed them before the Lord. At times, therefore, it may be necessary or desirable to confess public sins in a public place--such as a church or Bible study group or in some other appropriate place.

However, if our sins are not known to others, it is usually better not to confess those sins in public unless we are very confident that the Lord would truly be glorified by such a confession and confident that others would benefit from hearing it.

For example, someone might struggle with the sin of drunkenness or gambling or pornography without anyone else being aware of it. If this person finds forgiveness from past sins and victory over those sins, a public confession could possibly help others who are struggling with the same sins.

However, if there is any uncertainty about the response of people to such a confession, it will usually be better for the repentant person to rejoice in his victory without sharing that victory with others in a public setting.

It is also important to remember that people sometimes take a sinful delight in hearing about the lurid stories or perverse behavior of others. When that happens, there is a real danger that too much emphasis is put on the sinner and his sin rather than on God and His grace. We must always seek the guidance of the Lord, therefore, as we seek to know when and whether and how we should confess our sins in public

Scripture References

"The people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites . . . stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the LORD their God.” Nehemiah 9:1-3 (See also Ezra 9:5-15; Isaiah 59:9-15; Daniel 9:4-19.)

"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. . . . But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18

[Though confession of sins is not mentioned in these verses, what is said here about fasting would seem to apply also to prayers of confession.]

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Though many people emphasize what they call the "essential goodness” of man, most people recognize that our world is full of unfaithfulness, deceitfulness, failure and wrongdoing of every kind. It's not surprising, therefore, to find that most religions teach the necessity and importance of confession.

It is only Christianity, however, which offers a meaningful solution to our sin problem. The Bible teaches us how all our sins and failures can be completely and fully forgiven--no matter how serious or how numerous they are. We can be absolutely SURE that our sins are forgiven--not because of our own works or worthiness, but because Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, has paid the penalty for our sins through His sacrificial death on the cross.

When confession and repentance are accompanied by genuine faith in Jesus, we may have the wonderfully blessed assurance that our sins are completely forgiven and that we will spend eternity in glory with Him and with all those who have been redeemed through Him.

Confession of sin, therefore, is not only a biblical command but also a tremendous privilege. By God's grace, the humble and sincere confession of our sins serves as the divinely-appointed gateway to a rich and unending treasure of forgiveness, joy, and peace.

This precious truth is summarized in the beautiful hymn, Wonderful Grace of Jesus.

Wonderful grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin--
How shall my tongue describe it, where shall its praise begin?
Taking away my burden, setting my spirit free,
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me!

Wonderful grace of Jesus, reaching the most defiled,
By its transforming power making me God's dear child,
Purchasing peace and heaven for all eternity,
And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me!

Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
deeper than the mighty rolling sea,
higher than the mountain,
sparkling like a fountain,
all sufficient grace for even me.

Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
Greater far than all my sin and shame;
O magnify the precious name of Jesus.
Praise His name!Haldor Lillenas