Confessing
Sin goes against the very nature of our Triune God
Christmas is when we celebrate Christ coming to be among us, our Immanuel. Jesus blessed us with His grace, love and truth. In gentle humility Jesus conquered sin and death for believers. Believers respond with faith and a desire to attempt to live as righteously as we can.
That includes confessing and repenting (turning) from any sin. Sin is not just disobedience before God and His design for how we should live as He revealed to us in the Bible. Sin goes against the very character and person of our holy righteous Triune God; the only God.
Today many live lives of hedonistic licentiousness (“what I call head lies”). Every desire is lived out. Sinful behaviours are rationalized or have excuses made up to “justify” them.
But sin is still sin and it is God who defines sin for us (Isa. 5:20). Humanities’ attempt to redefine sin is referred to in theology as the Fall (Gen. 3).
Sin goes against the very character and person of our holy righteous Triune God; the only God.
Confessing and repentance help us to live right before God and to grow in humility. We are reminded we need Christ and that Christ is our only hope.
Jesus died on the cross for the sins of humanity which brings eternal salvation to believers who are saved by faith through grace (Eph. 2:6-11).
Below is a traditional Lutheran liturgy of communal general confession that describes confession well. I changed it from 3d person to 1st person making it a personal general confession. Importantly, specific sins need to be confessed as well.
Confession is the first part of repentance which is acknowledging our sin against God. Repentance requires that we also turn away from the sin and turn towards God. Repentance requires change of behaviour and a change of heart.
Confession is a good spiritual discipline to start in the New Year and to keep going forward.
Most merciful God, I confess that I am in bondage to sin and cannot free myself (Rom. 3:23, 7:7-25). I have sinned against You in thought, word and deed; by what I have done and by what I have left undone. I have not loved You with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbour as myself. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy upon me. Forgive me, renew me, and lead me, so that I may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
Psalm 32:5 (ESV)
5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Psalm 38:18 (ESV)
18 I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.
Mark 1:14b–15 (ESV)
14 … Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
1 John 1:9 (ESV)
9 If we confess our sins, He [God - Jesus] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
May you come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and to make Him your Lord and Savior.
A great message on overcoming sin:
Shalom
An important message often neglected in proclaiming the good news that Jesus is Saviour to ALL who call on His name. "Create in me a clean heart oh God" Ps 51:10; "Examine me . . ." Ps 26:2. Redeem your church and our neighbours from the hand of the enemy that we may know life. What a wonderful Christmas gift.