Do You Need to Confess Sins to people, or just to God?

[Gregory Thompson]

I think a feeling of guilt can at times give us the motivation to repent and do what is right. If it can be helpful I would see no reason that God wouldn't make use of it. Sometimes the remedies and surgeries that bring us great benefit can be painful.

I would agree . but guilt and feeding into it tends to feed the addictive cycle sin feeds on and makes things worse over time .

So i would also leave room for people to mature past that spiritually . where God no longer needs to use the body's reaction to things to communicate His message cryptically, as to people seeing things as what they want and don't want . but clearly as to people who see what God wants and doesn't want but still mess up every so often .

but in agreement, here's a passage that comes to mind from what you said .

2 Corinthians 7:9-11

9yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

 

[the.Sheepdog]

Jesus is God. Your neighbor is not.

 

[ebia]

Jesus is God. Your neighbor is not.

...and....?

 

[jckstraw72]

yeah i didnt mean to say God was laying a guilt trip, but we need to know we screwed up and that it negatively effects us if we're going to repent

 

[JamesAH]

Jesus is God. Your neighbor is not.

You mean Mr Wilson isn't God

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Jesus is God. Your neighbor is not.

This is true . but we are to God our neighbours as we would God ourselves . God is Love . whatever we do to the least of these . etc etc .

 

[Servant of Jesus]

All of us, every day, sin. Let's face it, it would be impossible to contact all those we have sinned against and ask forgivness.

Only God has the ability to manage all the requests for forgiveness. If the Holy Spirit moves you to seek forgiveness from others; fine, do it- but I think that you are ultimately accountable only to God.

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

To claim Jesus' forgiveness, all the Bible says you have to do is repent and sin no more.

So does repentance require telling others, especially the victims of your sin, about them, or is that something that can be dealt with just between you and God?

Bible references please!

.

I think you should use your own common sense when it comes to that. If you have hurt another person, and that person is hurting because of your sin against them, then by all means, you should do what is right and try and correct the wrong that you did against them and ask forgiveness from the person as well as God.

But I think there are some instances when you just go to God with your request for forgiveness.

I'll give you a hypothetical example. Let's say I cursed my mother in law and thought all kinds of terrible things about her, but she didn't know it because it was done in my mind only.

Should I go to her and tell her all of the terrible things that I thought about her? No! That would only cause her pain. In this case, or something similar, I think a person should just go to God about it instead of further causing suffering to an innocent person.

I remember when I was on a youth group field trip once, I was very young, maybe 6th or 7th grade. I was having a good time, until one of the youth leaders (adult) came up to me and wanted to speak with me in private. I said "ok" and off we went. He proceeded to break down in tears and tell me that he had sinned against me in his mind by thinking bad thoughts about me, or something to that affect. I don't remember all of the details, but that was the jist of it.

I remember being confused and hurt by this "confession" as I had no idea that he had bad thoughts about me, and I had no idea what to say. It was very upsetting and I was far away from home at the time, and just a child. I never forgot it, and I hadn't felt hurt before because I didn't even know, but after I knew I felt hurt, but he felt ok I guess because he "confessed" to me and asked for forgiveness. Talk about messed up! LOL! I know he was just doing what he thought was the right thing to do, and he was trying to right a wrong, but I wasn't even aware that a wrong had been committed against me until he told me about it. I believe this was an innocent error in judgment on his part, not using common sense.

Do you see what I mean? But something like stealing from another person, you should confess to the person and do everything that you can to make it right and seek forgiveness and healing from that person as well as God.

So, it's not as cut and dry as a yes or no answer. With everything, pray about it, and use the brain that God gave you to figure out what to do.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

When one asks for forgiveness and forgiveness is released . it does something . it's invisible . but it is quite noticeable . if we were to go about the absurd practice of the seven times seventy discipline every day . i wonder what kind of world this would be?

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I think you should use your own common sense when it comes to that. If you have hurt another person, and that person is hurting because of your sin against them, then by all means, you should do what is right and try and correct the wrong that you did against them and ask forgiveness from the person as well as God.

But I think there are some instances when you just go to God with your request for forgiveness.

I'll give you a hypothetical example. Let's say I cursed my mother in law and thought all kinds of terrible things about her, but she didn't know it because it was done in my mind only.

Should I go to her and tell her all of the terrible things that I thought about her? No! That would only cause her pain. In this case, or something similar, I think a person should just go to God about it instead of further causing suffering to an innocent person.

I remember when I was on a youth group field trip once, I was very young, maybe 6th or 7th grade. I was having a good time, until one of the youth leaders (adult) came up to me and wanted to speak with me in private. I said "ok" and off we went. He proceeded to break down in tears and tell me that he had sinned against me in his mind by thinking bad thoughts about me, or something to that affect. I don't remember all of the details, but that was the jist of it.

I remember being confused and hurt by this "confession" as I had no idea that he had bad thoughts about me, and I had no idea what to say. It was very upsetting and I was far away from home at the time, and just a child. I never forgot it, and I hadn't felt hurt before because I didn't even know, but after I knew I felt hurt, but he felt ok I guess because he "confessed" to me and asked for forgiveness. Talk about messed up! LOL! I know he was just doing what he thought was the right thing to do, and he was trying to right a wrong, but I wasn't even aware that a wrong had been committed against me until he told me about it. I believe this was an innocent error in judgment on his part, not using common sense.

Do you see what I mean? But something like stealing from another person, you should confess to the person and do everything that you can to make it right and seek forgiveness and healing from that person as well as God.

So, it's not as cut and dry as a yes or no answer. With everything, pray about it, and use the brain that God gave you to figure out what to do.

When people think things in my direction i do perceive them . and they do cause me harm sometimes . you may think keeping things quiet is okay . but i think Jesus said certain things that most Christians ignore for a reason . a very good reason .

but in support of what you said . Jesus did say . if someone offends you . you go tell them . and so on and so forth etc . so if the person doesn't think it worth bringing up and you're unaware of it . then no worries .

 

[Zecryphon]

To claim Jesus' forgiveness, all the Bible says you have to do is repent and sin no more.

So does repentance require telling others, especially the victims of your sin, about them, or is that something that can be dealt with just between you and God?

Bible references please!

.

Do you believe repentance is an active action you take to receive forgiveness or do you believe it's a passive action that is a result of God working in your heart to prove that you are a sinner in need of a savior? I see nothing in Scripture that shows we actively play a part in our salvation. Some scriptures that support this are Ephesians 2:1-9:

Eph 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins Eph 2:2 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-- Eph 2:3 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. Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Eph 2:7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, Eph 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Romans 8:29-30:

Rom 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Rom 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

John 6:43-45

Joh 6:43 Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. Joh 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
Joh 6:45 It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me--

Romans 3:10-26

Rom 3:10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; Rom 3:11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. Rom 3:12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." Rom 3:13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." Rom 3:14 "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." Rom 3:15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; Rom 3:16 in their paths are ruin and misery, Rom 3:17 and the way of peace they have not known.", Rom 3:18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Rom 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. Rom 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- Rom 3:22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom 3:24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Rom 3:25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. Rom 3:26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

* All Scripture quotations taken from the English Standard Version of the Bible from e-Sword.

 

[christian73]

And when you say "ask forgiveness"- do you mean this literally, or do you also have to spell out what the sin was? And if you need to spell out what the sin was, then how much detail must you provide?

And if the sin involves something that was contrary to the law, and the person was never tried and convicted of the crime, do either of you then also have a responsibility to report this to the authorities and endure the consequences?

Please provide Bible references to support a position.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

 

[Jay217]

I have read this recently and think it fits this nicely

20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may clearly been seen that their deeds have been done in God

When we commit sin we do evil and that sin doesn't want to be exposed but if we can clearly show to someone your stain of sin then it can truly be rid of it.

One of the biggest complaint from my peers when we discuss confession is they don't want their pastors to think less of them or much that like. When if you can't even admit what you have done wrong to a teacher of Christ how can you truly believe your sin has been cleansed.

 

[visionary]

I have read this recently and think it fits this nicely



When we commit sin we do evil and that sin doesn't want to be exposed but if we can clearly show to someone your stain of sin then it can truly be rid of it.

One of the biggest complaint from my peers when we discuss confession is they don't want their pastors to think less of them or much that like. When if you can't even admit what you have done wrong to a teacher of Christ how can you truly believe your sin has been cleansed.

God gives you the peace that passes all understanding, and His annointing is upon your head. You just can't get that anywhere else.