CONFESSING SINS AND MISTAKES IS ALWAYS BETTER

CONFESSING SINS AND MISTAKES IS ALWAYS BETTER

By Dr. Josimar Salum

   From a biblical perspective, confessing sins and mistakes is overwhelmingly emphasized as the better and more righteous path. 

   Here are key points from Scripture:

1. Confession Leads to Forgiveness

• 1 John 1:9:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

• This verse highlights that confession is the pathway to receiving God’s forgiveness and cleansing.

2. Hidden Sins Bring Harm

• Proverbs 28:13:

“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

• Hiding sins can hinder spiritual growth, relationships, and blessings, whereas confession opens the way for mercy and restoration.

3. Healing Comes Through Confession

• James 5:16:

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

• Confession brings spiritual, emotional, and relational healing, and it fosters unity within the community.

4. Hiding Sins Separates Us from God

• Psalm 32:3-5:

“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

• This shows the inner torment of hiding sins and the relief and joy that comes with confession.

5. God Desires Truth and Repentance

• Psalm 51:6:

“You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.”

• God values honesty and a contrite heart over pretense or secrecy.

   The Biblical Principle

• The Bible consistently teaches that confession, accompanied by genuine repentance, leads to forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation with God and others.

• Hiding sins, on the other hand, leads to guilt, spiritual stagnation, and potentially greater harm.

   Practical Application

• Confess sins to God in prayer (1 John 1:9).

• Where appropriate, confess to others you’ve wronged (James 5:16).

• Trust in God’s mercy and grace to restore and guide you after confession.

   By choosing confession, you align yourself with God’s will and open the door to redemption and renewal.

   The Bible supports the idea of full honesty and transparency when confessing sins. Here’s why telling it all without holding back is vital:

1. God Already Knows Everything

• Hebrews 4:13:

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

• Since God already knows every detail of your actions and thoughts, there’s no point in holding back. True confession acknowledges this truth.

2. Partial Confession is Not True Repentance

• Proverbs 28:13:

“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

• Attempting to withhold details or minimize your sin hinders genuine repentance and can lead to lingering guilt or unresolved issues.

3. Full Confession Brings Full Healing

• Psalm 32:5:

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

• When you lay everything before God, it leads to complete forgiveness and peace, freeing you from the weight of guilt.

4. Honesty Honors God’s Holiness

• Psalm 51:6:

“You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.”

• God values a truthful and contrite heart. Holding back shows a lack of trust in His mercy and holiness.

5. It Restores Relationships

• When confessing to others, full transparency is equally important:

• James 5:16:

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

• Honesty promotes reconciliation and healing in relationships, fostering trust and understanding.

   How to Confess Fully

1. Examine Yourself Honestly

• Reflect deeply on your actions, intentions, and the impact of your sins.

2. Be Specific

• Avoid vague or general confessions. Acknowledge the exact nature of your sins.

3. Trust God’s Grace

• Remember that God is merciful and forgiving. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

4. Be Humble

• Admit your dependence on God’s grace and seek His guidance to avoid future sin.

   Final Thought

   Telling it all in confession demonstrates humility, faith, and a desire for true repentance. It allows God to work fully in your life, bringing forgiveness, restoration, and spiritual growth. Holding nothing back frees you from guilt and opens the door to complete healing.

   #ASONE

Grace Quiz: Proclaiming the forgiveness of all sins

PROCLAIMING THE FORGIVENESS OF ALL SINS by Josimar Salum

 

The apostles were to proclaim what Jesus had already done and not what He would do in the future. Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. We do not preach: Repent and be forgiven. The message of the Gospel is: You are all forgiven! Repent! Receive God's forgiveness.

“Then he opened their minds (the minds of the apostles and others who were with them) to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgivenesses of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Luke 24:45-47 ESV

God has forgiven all sins of all men and all women. The Gospel carries an outstanding and extravagant message. God forgave us of all sins we have committed and shall ever commit in our entire life. In Jesus we have redemption through His blood. Redemption is the forgiveness of our trespasses.

We were not redeemed when we received Jesus as our King and Lord. We were not redeemed when were born again, or delivered, or when we were saved. Actually we were not saved when we received Jesus. When the Scriptures say we will be saved, it is because we were saved. And we were not saved simply when we said the "sinner's prayer." We were saved before the world began. We were saved when Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead.

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” I Peter 1:18-21 NKJV

“In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Ephesians 1:7-10 ESV

Read this again in a similar perspective:

“Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.” Ephesians 1:7-10 MSG

We don't need to ask God for forgiveness and the cleansing of our sins. He already did. 

“Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?” Peter said, “Repent. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”” Acts 2:37-39 MSG

Repent! Turn to God! Be baptized! Your sins are forgiven! Because your sins are forgiven do not continue thinking the way you think, do not keep on sinning! Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit! 

The forgiveness of sin is a completed matter for God. The death of Christ has completed all that it is needed for salvation, redemption, healing, forgiveness and everything else for all human kind. Men and women should repent and confess sins to receive what it is already available in Jesus. Confessing and repenting is not a condition to be forgiven, it is our side to receive what Jesus has already done. He has forgiven us, then we confess, then we repent. We don't receive forgiveness because we have repented. We receive forgiveness because Jesus has already forgave us! 

“Forgiving  one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

Colossians 3:13 NKJV

 “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18 KJV

They receive what it is already provided, it is done!

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Acts 13:38-39 KJV