Confession.

[Ken405]

Was wondering about this. When I praying/talking to the Lord, do you confess a particular sin or just that you have sinned?

Make sense? I generally compare my day to the 10 commandments or things I’ve picked up on that the Lord is not a fan of. Myself I seem to struggle with anger, and lust. But I don’t normally itemize the list.

Sorry if I’ve asked this in a dumb way I’m not very poetic lol.

 

[David Lamb]

Was wondering about this. When I praying/talking to the Lord, do you confess a particular sin or just that you have sinned?

Make sense? I generally compare my day to the 10 commandments or things I’ve picked up on that the Lord is not a fan of. Myself I seem to struggle with anger, and lust. But I don’t normally itemize the list.

Sorry if I’ve asked this in a dumb way I’m not very poetic lol.

I think it's a balance. If we just say, "I have sinned" without mentioning what those sins were, how are we going to be able to try in God's strength not to commit those sins again? On the other hand, it is impossible for anybody to list all their sins, if for no other reason than that we just don't recognize all our sins. The Ten Commandments are a good "check-list".

By the way, I don't think you asked in a dumb way - you don't need to be poetic to post here; I'm not poetic either!

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @Ken405, it normally doesn't cross my mind to specify/name the sin(s) that I commit while confessing them and asking the Lord to forgive me of them (the Holy Spirit, who convicts us whenever we sin, as well whenever we are getting ready to do so, always knows what we are about to do next, long before we do). Nevertheless, I can still think of times when I did specify the sin and/or who I committed it against to God, especially when I felt particularly bad/guilty/ashamed about what I did and/or for having committed it (so just go with whatever you feel led to do in the moment).

King David was guilty of covetousness, adultery and murder, and Psalm 51 is his prayer to the Lord about those sins, and about his great desire to be forgiven and restored by God to full fellowship with Him, so check it out if you'd like to see what he said.

God bless you!!

--David
p.s. - anger and lust always start out as temptations in the mind, so I always try to take them "captive" (2 Corinthians 10:5) immediately. Doing so, taking such thoughts "captive", that is, and then handing them over to the Lord to deal with instead, is perhaps the principal way that we obey the command that we find in James 4:7, to "resist the devil", and also, then, the way that we receive the promise from the Lord for doing so, that "he [Satan] will flee from us".

 

[Ken405]

I guess I’m still working on handing things over. Maybe I don’t get it or don’t understand it. Just recently my anger has caused me some issue. I pray for help and guidance and the strength to be better. Even enrolled in therapy. But I never understand how to just hand things over to the Lord. It’s my screw up. I guess I have a hard time accepting help. Well I do there’s no guessing lol.

 

[Teresa W.]

For me, I always confess the particular sins. Usually immediately after realizing it.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

Was wondering about this. When I praying/talking to the Lord, do you confess a particular sin or just that you have sinned?

Make sense? I generally compare my day to the 10 commandments or things I’ve picked up on that the Lord is not a fan of. Myself I seem to struggle with anger, and lust. But I don’t normally itemize the list.

Sorry if I’ve asked this in a dumb way I’m not very poetic lol.

Hey there!

I always pray if there is a particular sin that I need His help overcoming and ask Him to show me any sins that I may have covered.

Thats great you are comparing your day to God's law- that is what its there for to show us our sins Rom 3:20 Rom 7:7 so we depend on His righteousness Psa 119:172 and it shows our need for Jesus, to save us from our sins. Mat 1:21

God is so good, He has answered so many of my prayers to help me be in line with His will. Psa 40:8 He is still working with me, but I have been able to overcome things I never thought I could.


God bless!

 

[T.i.m.o.t.h.y.]

Was wondering about this. When I praying/talking to the Lord, do you confess a particular sin or just that you have sinned?

When I recently did something, God saw me do it, so yes I repent of that thing I just did. When you confess it is when you get rid of it. When you sneeze you blow your nose and get rid of the tissue.

Make sense? I generally compare my day to the 10 commandments or things I’ve picked up on that the Lord is not a fan of. Myself I seem to struggle with anger, and lust. But I don’t normally itemize the list.

Stopping anger, or stopping personal lust is not in the 10 commandments. The apostle Paul provides the answer. "Walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16) and "Those who love God's law have great peace (undisturbed composure) and nothing causes them to be offended." The Old Testament, (Psalm 119:165)
Take those as your walk in the spirit confession pills, take them everyday and the anger & lust will no longer display.

The ten commandments of what not to do, is according to what is done when not obeying God's greatest law of Love. So obey love and you'll keep from doing those 10 wrong things. That's what the apostle Paul taught in Rom.13:8-10 "The person who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." For, "Love does no wrong to a neighbor." For, "The ten commandments are summed up in the saying, 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself'".

I don't let sins build up to where there's an itemized list. I don't like having to remember what I did one day a month ago and all sins I did after that one. I don't keep track of my sins and I don't have to when I quickly repent shortly after I sinned.
So Christians when they sin, it's like a new zit that pops up that must be cleansed to go away., we are to keep current to repent of our sins, and thereby get them covered by the shed blood of Jesus when he was crucified on the cross to deliver us from our sins.

Sorry if I’ve asked this in a dumb way I’m not very poetic lol.

No need to apologize.

 

[com7fy8]

But I never understand how to just hand things over to the Lord. It’s my screw up. I guess I have a hard time accepting help. Well I do there’s no guessing lol.

You screwed up, and you are not the person who is able to change your own self the way we all need. We all need how God changes our character so our performance is so better . . . in His love and His way of loving. So, reforming is not enough.

"casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

It is good that you know lust and anger are wrong. As we become gentle and quiet in Jesus, we gain His strength against cruel and dominating emotional things.

"'Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'" (Matthew 11:28-29)

 

[timf]

Confession and forgiveness are related to the restoration of relationship. Christians already have had the sins forgiven (even future sins).

The Christian life should be one of transition from walking in the flesh to walking by the Spirit. This is essentially the transition from selfishness to selflessness. Seeing a repetition of sins such as anger provides an opportunity to grow such that it is less often manifest. As one grows in understanding it might be possible to see anger as the reaction to something unanticipated. A review can be made of a particular incident to see why false assumptions were made. If expectations can be made more accurate, one will less often be caught off guard.

 

[mrunk]

When I recently did something, God saw me do it, so yes I repent of that thing I just did. When you confess it is when you get rid of it. When you sneeze you blow your nose and get rid of the tissue.

Stopping anger, or stopping personal lust is not in the 10 commandments. The apostle Paul provides the answer. "Walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16) and "Those who love God's law have great peace (undisturbed composure) and nothing causes them to be offended." The Old Testament, (Psalm 119:165)
Take those as your walk in the spirit confession pills, take them everyday and the anger & lust will no longer display.

The ten commandments of what not to do, is according to what is done when not obeying God's greatest law of Love. So obey love and you'll keep from doing those 10 wrong things. That's what the apostle Paul taught in Rom.13:8-10 "The person who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." For, "Love does no wrong to a neighbor." For, "The ten commandments are summed up in the saying, 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself'".

I don't let sins build up to where there's an itemized list. I don't like having to remember what I did one day a month ago and all sins I did after that one. I don't keep track of my sins and I don't have to when I quickly repent shortly after I sinned.
So Christians when they sin, it's like a new zit that pops up that must be cleansed to go away., we are to keep current to repent of our sins, and thereby get them covered by the shed blood of Jesus when he was crucified on the cross to deliver us from our sins.

No need to apologize.

What do you mean walk in spirit. I've heard this but I don't really understand what that means. I just had a really bad weekend did things that at the time I gave in to then I felt guilty about doing and ashamed at the same time. Bottom line is I had bad weekend and I want to make it right stop doing things I know I shouldn't. However I keep here this walk in spirit but I don't understand what that means per say. Sorry if that's a dumb question. I'm still trying to figure all this out.

 

[timf]

The flesh and Spirit oppose each other.
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

We are encouraged to "put to death" the flesh
Rom_8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

This may best be accomplished through starvation.
Rom_13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

 

[David Lamb]

This may best be accomplished through starvation.
Rom_13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

I don't believe that Paul intended to teach starvation in that verse. Unless we are being greedy, eating is not "fulfilling the lusts of the flesh." Remember what Jesus said:

“31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Mt 6:31-33 NKJV)

 

[timf]

Perhaps he meant to imply that if one is tempted by alcohol, to avoid going into bars.

 

[T.i.m.o.t.h.y.]

What do you mean walk in spirit. I've heard this but I don't really understand what that means. I just had a really bad weekend did things that at the time I gave in to then I felt guilty about doing and ashamed at the same time. Bottom line is I had bad weekend and I want to make it right stop doing things I know I shouldn't. However I keep here this walk in spirit but I don't understand what that means per say. Sorry if that's a dumb question. I'm still trying to figure all this out.

Walking in the spirit means being obedient to the promptings of the spirit of God not to yield to any temptations of the flesh.

Being obedient from promptings of the spirit comes by confessing the promises of God that will encourage you to refuse to yield to your flesh.

James 3 likens it to a rider on a horse using the bit in it's mouth and the reins to make the horse go where you want it to go. Or like the rudder and captain of a ship controls where it will go even if there are fierce winds blowing.

 

[oikonomia]

I guess I’m still working on handing things over. Maybe I don’t get it or don’t understand it. Just recently my anger has caused me some issue. I pray for help and guidance and the strength to be better. Even enrolled in therapy. But I never understand how to just hand things over to the Lord. It’s my screw up. I guess I have a hard time accepting help. Well I do there’s no guessing lol.

How do you begin your day each day ?
It sounds like you need a good hefty spiritual breakfast evey morning which you may not be getting.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

What do you mean walk in spirit. I've heard this but I don't really understand what that means. I just had a really bad weekend did things that at the time I gave in to then I felt guilty about doing and ashamed at the same time. Bottom line is I had bad weekend and I want to make it right stop doing things I know I shouldn't. However I keep here this walk in spirit but I don't understand what that means per say. Sorry if that's a dumb question. I'm still trying to figure all this out.

Jesus gave us a good illustration of this in Mat 5.

Matthew 5:19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

He gave two principles right from the Ten Commandments

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother [e]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’[f] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, [g]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of [h]hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

​

27 “You have heard that it was said [i]to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to [j]sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to [k]sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Walking in the Spirit is walking in harmony with God. Not only should we not break the literal commandments - we shouldn't even have thoughts that lead us to break them and it starts with our heart. If God changes us from the inside out and if we are not carrying around thoughts of anger or contempt toward our brother, it would not lead us to committing murder and the commandment would be kept.

Same for lusts of the flesh, guard our thoughts and don't allow ourselves to have thoughts we shouldn't - thou shalt not commit adultery would automatically be kept.

This is what Jesus wants a change of the heart because that is where sin begins. If we are walking with Jesus we would be in harmony with everything He commandments of us. Psa 40:8 Heb 8:10 Isa 48:18 walking just as He walked as He is our example 1 John 2:6