Why Should We Confess
The second condition of forgiveness is called Confession. John wrote,
"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). That certainly
sounds
simple enough. Yet it is on this point that most people stumble and lose
their way. The question most commonly asked is this: How do I know I have
been forgiven There is only one correct answer to that question. We know
we
are forgiven because God said we would be. Here is where the beautiful
element of faith comes into the picture. We have every reason to know that
God's Word cannot ever fail. Whatever it says will take place. There is
built-in, self-fulfilling power in every promise of the Bible.
Could the man lame from birth stand upon his feet No, it was
impossible. He was carried every day to beg outside the temple in
Jerusalem.
Yet Peter commanded, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and
walk" (Acts 3:6). Suppose the man had remained on his pallet and said to
Peter, "I can't even stand on my feet, much less walk or run. I've been
crippled all my life, and have no strength in my feet to move off this
bed."
Do you think he would have been healed No, he had to accept as a fact that
Jesus of Nazareth had strengthened those anklebones so that he could get
up
and walk. When he made the effort as though his feet were normal, they
were
restored to normal. "According to your faith so be it unto you."
You may not feel forgiven when you ask for it, but the promise is
that
you are forgiven. So forget about feeling. Believe that it's done because
God said it would be. Thank Him for it and then act like it's done,
because
it is. Your faith makes it a fact.
Someone might say, "Well, I thought Christians got happy feelings as
a
result of accepting Jesus." Let me assure you, that feeling will follow as
a
result of your faith and forgiveness, but always remember that faith must
come before feeling. Paul had it right when he wrote, "Therefore being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"
(Romans 5:1). Just imagine for a moment that feeling came before faith in
forgiveness. In that case you would be a peaceful, joyful unbeliever, and
there is no such creature as that.
By the way, what is the real secret behind the confession process Why
do we need to tell God about our mistakes and sins Doesn't He already know
without my recounting them to Him Of course, it is true that we do not
inform God about anything He doesn't know already. Our confession does not
change Him either; it changes us. Ask anyone who has been courageous
enough
to ask forgiveness. You can probably remember having to make something
right
with an individual in the past. Perhaps you had repeated someexaggerated
rumor about the person and he found out that you were responsible. Even
though it was hard, you gathered up your courage and stammered out your
apology. What happened immediately You felt as though a great weight had
rolled off your shoulders. Tremendous relief flooded your soul. Yet, you
told that person nothing that he didn't know before. He was already fully
aware of your words that brought him so much pain. You needed that
confession more than he did.
|
