Walking in the Light
By confession, we mean the open acknowledgement of what the Bible commands us to declare to God, ourselves, and fellow Christians. Sometimes the Bible speaks of confessing truths about Christ (Rom. 10:9). In other instances, the Bible speaks of confessing truths about ourselves, particularly the reality of sin in our lives (Mark 1:5; Matt. 3:6; James 5:16; 1 John 1:9; Acts 19:18).
Fellowship and Forgiveness
This initial and ongoing confession of sin is propelled by the fact that we live in fellowship with a holy God. 1 John 1:5 tells us “that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” Therefore, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6). For those who claim friendship with this God of light, darkness cannot be an acquaintance. It is only as we “walk in the light” that we showcase Jesus’ cleansing of our sin (1 John 1:7).
But we know sin is still present in our lives (1 John 1:8). So, John provides us with a great promise followed by a sober warning:
But we know sin is still present in our lives (1 John 1:8). So, John provides us with a great promise followed by a sober warning:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
1 John 1:9-10
1 John 1:9-10
In other words, the reality of sin in our lives is true whether we confess it or not, but if we confess our sins in faith to God, he will be faithful in providing forgiveness and cleansing. This rhythm of grace, confession and faith in God’s response, is a gift of the gospel as Jesus operates as an advocate on our behalf to the Father (1 John 2:1, 2) and continually declares himself as our propitiation (appeasement of God’s just wrath toward sin).
Confession and the Gospel
Confession is a gospel issue. As one author described it,
“Confession is the spiritual discipline that allows us to enter into the grace and mercy of God in such a way that we experience forgiveness and healing for the sins and sorrows of the past. Both forgiveness and healing are involved in confession”
— Nathan Foster
— Nathan Foster
Think of confession as a prerequisite for repentance. As John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, he baptized people who were “confessing their sins” (Matthew 5:6). John summarized his message as a baptism for repentance (Matthew 5:11). Repentance is more than confession. It is a change from an old direction to a new one. Five things mark genuine repentance:
- First, there is a true sense of guilt and sinfulness (Psalm 51:4-5; 1 Timothy 1:15).
- Second, there is apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ (Rom 2:4).
- Third, there is hatred of sin (2 Cor. 7:9-10).
- Fourth, there is a turning to God (Acts 3:19; 8:22; 2 Cor. 12:21; Luke 15:10; 16:30; 17:3-4).
- Lastly, there is a persistent pursuit of holiness (Matt. 3:8; Acts 26:20). True repentance begins with a confession of sins that need to be repented of.
The Context of Confession
One final biblical emphasis on confession is the context where confession happens. In James’ description of what to do when believers are sick or suffering, he also includes a remedy for the sin-sick soul. He wrote,
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working”
James 5:16
James 5:16
Confess our sins to who? “One another.” The idea that confession of sin is a private matter between an individual believer and God flies in the face of James’ words. Confession is in the context of Christian community. James attached spiritual healing from sin to the practice of confessing to each other. To restrict confession to God only is to deny oneself of the power God promises for healing the infection.
If healthy confession is a corporate discipline, then trusted Christian friends are needed. We need brothers and sisters that we can be truly open with. William Carey, the great missionary to India, wrote of his best friend, Andrew Fuller, "I loved him very sincerely. There was scarcely another man on the earth to whom I could so completely lay open my heart as I could to him."
Christian friendships should be places where we can reveal all the good, bad, and ugly inside us, so the healing power of "one-another" confession can dig deep down into the wounds. This spiritual discipline cannot thrive unless its found in a church culture that is committed to this equation: gospel + safety + time. Ray Ortlund explains:
“The family of God is where people should find lots of gospel, lots of safety, and lots of time. In other words, the people in our churches need:
• multiple exposures to the happy news of the gospel from one end of the Bible to the other;
• the safety of non-accusing sympathy so that they can admit their problems honestly; and
• enough time to rethink their lives at a deep level, because people are complex and changing is not easy.
In a gentle church like this, no one is put under pressure or singled out for embarrassment. Everyone is free to open up, and we all grow together as we look to Jesus. Behaving well in the household of God sets a tone defined by gospel + safety + time for everyone. This is what sets a church apart as a new kind of community.”
• multiple exposures to the happy news of the gospel from one end of the Bible to the other;
• the safety of non-accusing sympathy so that they can admit their problems honestly; and
• enough time to rethink their lives at a deep level, because people are complex and changing is not easy.
In a gentle church like this, no one is put under pressure or singled out for embarrassment. Everyone is free to open up, and we all grow together as we look to Jesus. Behaving well in the household of God sets a tone defined by gospel + safety + time for everyone. This is what sets a church apart as a new kind of community.”
Practical Application
Our confessional friendships should be the safest places for Christians to bear their sin and seek healing that flows from the gospel, and these same friendships should strengthen each other for growth in holy living. Practically, a few steps can get the ball rolling for making confession a rhythm of grace in our lives:
1) Find a trusted Christian friend(s)
2) Commit to trust between one another that protects vulnerability
3) Establish a regular time of confession together
4) Apply the promises of the gospel to each other by confessing gospel truth (for example, Gal. 2:20).
There is a profound simplicity in the practice of Christian confession and its promises in Christ. May God lead us to a deeper discipline of confession this month!
1) Find a trusted Christian friend(s)
2) Commit to trust between one another that protects vulnerability
3) Establish a regular time of confession together
4) Apply the promises of the gospel to each other by confessing gospel truth (for example, Gal. 2:20).
There is a profound simplicity in the practice of Christian confession and its promises in Christ. May God lead us to a deeper discipline of confession this month!