Confession
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth
and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Proverbs 28:13.
The conditions of obtaining mercy of God are simple and just and
reasonable. The Lord does not require us to do some grievous thing in
order that we may have the forgiveness of sin. We need not make long and
wearisome pilgrimages, or perform painful penances, to commend our souls
to the God of heaven or to expiate our transgression; but he that
confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy.
The apostle says, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray
one for another, that ye may be healed." James 5:16. Confess your
sins to God, who only can forgive them, and your faults to one another. If
you have given offense to your friend or neighbor, you are to acknowledge
your wrong, and it is his duty freely to forgive you. Then you are to seek
the forgiveness of God, because the brother you have wounded is the
property of God, and in injuring him you sinned against his Creator and
Redeemer. The case is brought before the only true Mediator, our great
High Priest, who "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin," and who is "touched with the feeling of our
infirmities," and is able to cleanse from every stain of iniquity.
Hebrews 4:15.
Those who have not humbled their souls before God in acknowledging
their guilt, have not yet fulfilled the first condition of acceptance. If
we have not experienced that repentance which is not to be repented of,
and have not with true humiliation of soul and brokenness of spirit
confessed our sins, abhorring our iniquity, we have never truly sought for
the forgiveness of sin; and if we have never sought, we have never found
the peace of God. The only reason why we do not have remission of sins
that are past is that we are not willing to humble our hearts and comply
with the conditions of the word of truth. Explicit instruction is given
concerning this matter. Confession of sin, whether public or private,
should be heartfelt and freely expressed. It is not to be urged from the
sinner. It is not to be made in a flippant and careless way, or forced
from those who have no realizing sense of the abhorrent character of sin.
The confession that is the outpouring of the inmost soul finds its way to
the God of infinite pity. The psalmist says, "The Lord is nigh unto
them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite
spirit." Psalm 34:18.
True confession is always of a specific character, and acknowledges
particular sins. They may be of such a nature as to be brought before God
only; they may be wrongs that should be confessed to individuals who have
suffered injury through them; or they may be of a public character, and
should then be as publicly confessed. But all confession should be
definite and to the point, acknowledging the very sins of which you are
guilty.
In the days of Samuel the Israelites wandered from God. They were
suffering the consequences of sin; for they had lost their faith in God,
lost their discernment of His power and wisdom to rule the nation, lost
their confidence in His ability to defend and vindicate His cause. They
turned from the great Ruler of the universe and desired to be governed as
were the nations around them. Before they found peace they made this
definite confession: "We have added unto all our sins this evil, to
ask us a king." 1 Samuel 12:19. The very sin of which they were
convicted had to be confessed. Their ingratitude oppressed their souls and
severed them from God.
Confession will not be acceptable to God without sincere repentance and
reformation. There must be decided changes in the life; everything
offensive to God must be put away. This will be the result of genuine
sorrow for sin. The work that we have to do on our part is plainly set
before us: "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your
doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek
judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the
widow." Isaiah 1:16, 17. "If the wicked restore the pledge, give
again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing
iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die." Ezekiel 33:15.
Paul says, speaking of the work of repentance: "Ye sorrowed after a
godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of
yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement
desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved
yourselves to be clear in this matter." 2 Corinthians 7:11.
When sin has deadened the moral perceptions, the wrongdoer does not
discern the defects of his character nor realize the enormity of the evil
he has committed; and unless he yields to the convicting power of the Holy
Spirit he remains in partial blindness to his sin. His confessions are not
sincere and in earnest. To every acknowledgment of his guilt he adds an
apology in excuse of his course, declaring that if it had not been for
certain circumstances he would not have done this or that for which he is
reproved.
After Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, they were filled
with a sense of shame and terror. At first their only thought was how to
excuse their sin and escape the dreaded sentence of death. When the Lord
inquired concerning their sin, Adam replied, laying the guilt partly upon
God and partly upon his companion: "The woman whom Thou gavest to be
with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." The woman put the
blame upon the serpent, saying, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did
eat." Genesis 3: 12, 13. Why did You make the serpent? Why did You
suffer him to come into Eden? These were the questions implied in her
excuse for her sin, thus charging God with the responsibility of their
fall. The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies
and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam. Confessions
of this order are not inspired by the divine Spirit and will not be
acceptable to God. True repentance will lead a man to bear his guilt
himself and acknowledge it without deception or hypocrisy. Like the poor
publican, not lifting up so much as his eyes unto heaven, he will cry,
"God be merciful to me a sinner," and those who do acknowledge
their guilt will be justified, for Jesus will plead His blood in behalf of
the repentant soul.
The examples in God's word of genuine repentance and humiliation reveal
a spirit of confession in which there is no excuse for sin or attempt at
self-justification. Paul did not seek to shield himself; he paints his sin
in its darkest hue, not attempting to lessen his guilt. He says,
"Many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received
authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave
my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and
compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I
persecuted them even unto strange cities." Acts 26: 10, 11. He does
not hesitate to declare that "Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners; of whom I am chief." 1 Timothy 1:15.
The humble and broken heart, subdued by genuine repentance, will
appreciate something of the love of God and the cost of Calvary; and as a
son confesses to a loving father, so will the truly penitent bring all his
sins before God. And it is written, "If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9.
|
