What is confession?

[Andrewn]

This question is NOT for Catholics or Orthodox.

The Bible recommends confession of sins:

Jam 5:16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, in order that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is able to do much because it is effective.

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Ps 32:3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat. Selah 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Seals

Which sins should be confessed? How should we practice confession?

 

[Josheb]

What is confession?

Acknowledging wrongdoing, faithlessness, and/or unrighteousness to God, self, and at least one other where a witness would be restorative, especially with any sufferer of that wrongdoing.

Which sins should be confessed?

All of them.

How should we practice confession?

Please clarify that question? Are you asking about the mechanics of opening our mouth stating the wrongdoing, lack of faith, or unrighteousness?

 

[Carl Emerson]

I think there are several parts to this.

First confession without conviction is fruitless.

Second - general confession - acknowledging we are but dust with no righteousness of our own - is fundamental

Third - responding to what He is saying personally must be dealt with in our lives.

Fourth agreeing with Him regarding His Word and submitting our thoughts to His truth in obedience.

Fifth - being brutally honest about our shortcomings knowing that a Loving Father will envelope us in His accepting embrace and work with us for the better.

 

[Aussie Pete]

This question is NOT for Catholics or Orthodox.

The Bible recommends confession of sins:

Jam 5:16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, in order that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is able to do much because it is effective.

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Ps 32:3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat. Selah 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Seals

Which sins should be confessed? How should we practice confession?

To confess is to declare what you know to be true. The meaning is usually taken to be confessing wrongdoing, but that's not always the case.

All sin should be confessed as soon as we are conscious of sinning. If the sin is public, confession should be before the brethren. If you have sinned against an individual, confess to that person. If you have sinned secretly, confess to God only.

 

[Andrewn]

Acknowledging wrongdoing, faithlessness, and/or unrighteousness to God, self, and at least one other where a witness would be restorative, especially with any sufferer of that wrongdoing.

Fifth - being brutally honest about our shortcomings knowing that a Loving Father will envelope us in His accepting embrace and work with us for the better.

If the sin is public, confession should be before the brethren. If you have sinned against an individual, confess to that person. If you have sinned secretly, confess to God only.

This is exactly what I wanted to know. Distinguishing 3 kinds of sin makes a lot of sense to me. But there are people who advocate confessing to a friend or a pastor and this is what I'm not sure about. Perhaps it would be useful is one desires counseling?

In chapter 15, the Westminster Confession of faith reads:

VI. As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof; upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy; so, he that scandalizeth his brother, or the Church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession, and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended, who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.

 

[Murray J]

This question is NOT for Catholics or Orthodox.

The Bible recommends confession of sins:

Jam 5:16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, in order that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is able to do much because it is effective.

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Ps 32:3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat. Selah 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Seals

Which sins should be confessed? How should we practice confession?

Christians do not sin after conversion.
1Jn 3:5 And you know that He was revealed that He might take away our sins, and in Him is no sin.
1Jn 3:6 Everyone who abides in Him does not sin. Everyone who sins has not seen Him nor known Him.

 

[Lost4words]

Christians do not sin after conversion.
1Jn 3:5 And you know that He was revealed that He might take away our sins, and in Him is no sin.
1Jn 3:6 Everyone who abides in Him does not sin. Everyone who sins has not seen Him nor known Him.

Christians do sin. We all sin.

When we do, we can turn to God and confess and be forgiven. We can never be pure like God in this flesh of ours..

 

[Aussie Pete]

This is exactly what I wanted to know. Distinguishing 3 kinds of sin makes a lot of sense to me. But there are people who advocate confessing to a friend or a pastor and this is what I'm not sure about. Perhaps it would be useful is one desires counseling?

In chapter 15, the Westminster Confession of faith reads:

VI. As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof; upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy; so, he that scandalizeth his brother, or the Church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession, and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended, who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.

I don't find anything in God's word that says we must always confess to a pastor. I got born again because my boss preached the gospel to me. He was not a pastor. I did not confess sin to anyone but God for many years. I did not know to do anything different and I did not see anything in God's word that mandated confessing to another person, let alone an ordained minister.

Apologising for bad behaviour, wrong attitudes, saying things out of line is good. You have to be careful. People can easily misunderstand, especially unbelievers. It's also right to offer restitution if necessary. I know someone who stole from an employer years before she was saved. She was convicted and repaid what she'd stolen. The employer was stunned. What a witness! Other times, that is not possible of course.

In a counselling situation (and it's not necessary for the counsellor to be ordained), opening up about problems is the only way to get help. It is not necessary to go into detail. It may also be unedifying to the counsellor.

 

[Josheb]

If you have sinned secretly, confess to God only.

This is exactly what I wanted to know. Distinguishing 3 kinds of sin makes a lot of sense to me. But there are people who advocate confessing to a friend or a pastor and this is what I'm not sure about. Perhaps it would be useful is one desires counseling?

In chapter 15, the Westminster Confession of faith reads:

VI. As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof; upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy; so, he that scandalizeth his brother, or the Church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession, and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended, who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.

Aussie Pete's quoted comment is incorrect. I suspect he knows this and will amend his statement after reading what I say next. I suspect Aussie was speaking from the premise of "the circle of confession is only as big as the circle of offense," which is a good and valid principle but not one to be taken too rigidly.

We should each have a same-sex confidante; someone with whom we can share the more intimate parts of our life with help and without condemnation. Those of us who are married have our spouses with whom to do this, but that does not preclude a same-sex alternative. We grow most or best when we have someone with whom we can pray, someone with whom we can speak truth and with whom we can receive truth. Christian women tend to call these "prayer partners," and men tend to call the "accountability partners."

One healthy person does not live in a vacuum so every healthy person lives and breathes inside at least on healthy relationship. God is a God of relationship and He has made humans relational creatures. The more healthy, thriving not just functional relationships we have the more likely we are to be healthy ourselves and the less likely to act in unhealthy ways.

Healing from many sins and their effects takes time. When I share a persistent problem, say a compulsive use of pornography, or a difficulty with procrastination in completing a giving objective, or the fact someone has wronged me without confessing then I rely upon the one to whom I have shared as an agent of Christ in my life. I learn to be comfortable with being vulnerable, the intimacy brought about by praying with a brother in Christ, the practice of speaking truth to another and hearing it when necessary, and because this entails confession (disclosure) I learn greater boldness in confession. God (most) often works through the body of Christ.

So in many circumstances "private sins" should not be kept just between God and you.

Here's a thought for you: the most intimate act two humans can share is not sex; it is prayer.

 

[Murray J]

Christians do sin. We all sin.

When we do, we can turn to God and confess and be forgiven. We can never be pure like God in this flesh of ours..

Your view does not agree with scripture. John said that if a believer sins they are not a believer. When a believer first confesses they can be forgiven "all unrighteousness." Then they are truly free (but only if they stay sinless.) Scripture says that we can spur one another on to good works but it also says Heb 8:8 "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins."

 

[Lost4words]

Your view does not agree with scripture. John said that if a believer sins they are not a believer. When a believer first confesses they can be forgiven "all unrighteousness." Then they are truly free (but only if they stay sinless.) Scripture says that we can spur one another on to good works but it also says Heb 8:8 "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins."

One can still sin. We are human, flesh and weak.

This is why we can turn to God, confess and be forgiven.

 

[Murray J]

A Christian could suffer without sinning - at the time of the apostles there was much suffering as a result of persecution. A Christian could grow more in the likeness of Christ without sinning. But John was very clear that a Christian did not sin because Jesus had set them free from sin to live with Him in a glorious partnership of trust and respect. A Christian abiding in Christ was not weak but strong. (I am not such a person but the scripture isn't talking about me.)

 

[Lost4words]

Jesus knew that we would fail. This is another reason for the 'Our Father' prayer. "Forgive us our trespasses'....