Have you thought much about confessing your sin to God? In the past, I never thought much about it. After all, Jesus was crucified for my past, present, and future sins. So, why must I confess my sin to Him? I am thankful I eventually understood the biblical view.

Even though we are in Christ, we sin against God. All sin is an offense to God. Christians should and need to confess our sins to Him. The Bible tells Christians to confess their sins (Psalm 32:5, Acts 3:19). The Bible teaches that confession is the way back to fellowship with God.

The Holy Spirit convicts

The Bible is clear that the Holy Spirit convicts(Romans 8:9-11). You and I must respond to His conviction. It is not something to dread. Sin drags us down. The Spirit gives life all through our life!

Conviction is hard to describe. It is personal to your relationship with the Lord. He knows how to help you see sin the way He does. But I made a list of a few ideas of how He has brought conviction to me and others.

POSSIBLE WAYS OF CONVICTION:

• feels like a heaviness in your spirit
• persistent thoughts of what you did
• another Christian says something, or a bible study, preaching, or a counseling session brings the sin to mind
• comes from your conscience
• comes from a memory
• comes from scripture, or Christian music
• comes from a variety of sources because God will use whatever He pleases to help you understand

Who to Confess To:

Confess to God

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭

I believe each day of our Christian life, confession is needed. Having a daily morning quiet time is an ideal time to confess sin. I have several articles about the morning quiet time topic, one is :https://valerierumfelt.com/2023/09/25/why-i-meet-with-god-in-the-morning-2/

When you carry sin, then you carry a burden. If you feel distance between you and God, sin is always the issue. Go to Him in prayer. If the sin is unknown to you, ask God to search you as is stated below:

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭

Confess To Others

Often our sins are against others. Humble yourself and confess the sin to the other. Pray together. The peace that comes is beautiful. None of us does this enough. We exalt ourselves, rationalize our behavior, and compare our behavior to that of others. What freedom comes when we toss all that aside and do what frees us.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:6

10 Benefits of Confession to God (Based on Psalm 32):

• Enjoy forgiveness – Like a cool rain, forgiveness washes all dust and dirt away. Your sin is gone (Psalm 32:1).
• Honest living – Tell God what you have done, or thought or said (Psalm 32:2).
• Get free of anxiety – Sin causes anxiety. Your body aches like David’s did(Psalm 32:3 & 4).
• Fellowship is restored with God -(Psalm 32:5).
• Protection from the threat of darkness (Psalm 32:6).
• Great benefits like protection and deliverance (Psalm 32:7).
• Gain clarity – His love can guide you again (Psalm 32:8).
• Protection of a hard heart – You want to keep a soft heart to obey God’s ways (Psalm 32:9).
• Trust is increased in His unfailing love (Psalm 32:10).
• The ability to rejoice and sing returns (Psalm 32:11).

When Jesus died, the temple veil was torn. This is an actual fact. It represents the truth that now every person in Christ has access to God through Jesus. No mediator needed. When you go to God in prayer, and to confess your sin, you are talking to God the Father. God the Son is the One who made the relationship possible. And God the Holy Spirit is present to comfort you and lead you in paths of righteousness.

In kindness, God created a pathway to freedom through confession to Him. Do you confess your sin to God? He is safe. No matter what you have done. No matter how long you have stayed in the sin. Just go to Him. He accepts you and is waiting with unconditional love to listen and forgive.

Won’t you look at your life, Christian? If you don’t practice confessing your sin to God, why not start today? You will live the abundant life He promises (John 10:9-10). He is waiting with love.

“The discipline of confession does so much more than remove the guilt associated with a specific transgression. In confession, we come out of hiding and experience a restoration of relationship and shalom.” Richard Foster~The Celebration of Discipline

©Valerie Rumfelt

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