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Confession of Sins

Part 1

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Review (What is sin?)

for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; - Romans 3:23 (WEB)

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin. - Romans 14:23 (WEB)

To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin. - James 4:17 (WEB)

Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. - 1 John 3:4 (WEB)

All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. - 1 John 5:17 (WEB)

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Review

The Origin of Sin & the Work of the Devil

Adam & Eve sin in the garden of Eden and are expelled
Sin & death spread to all mankind
The devil’s fall and use of lies and deceit

War Between Our New Selves in Christ and Our Flesh

Temptation presenting the option of sin
Things to keep in mind in our battle against temptation & sin
Walk by the Spirit, not by the flesh

Sin & Confession Under the Mosaic Law

Law bringing knowledge of sin to lead to justification by faith in Christ
Levitical procedures regarding sin, confession, sacrifices, atonement, forgiveness

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Confess (Greek Words)

homologeo - https://biblehub.com/greek/3670.htm

“to speak the same, to agree”
“3670 homologéō (from 3674 /homoú, "together" and 3004 /légō, "speak to a conclusion") – properly, to voice the same conclusion, i.e. agree ("confess"); to profess (confess) because in full agreement; to align with (endorse).”

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Question

What might hold someone back from confessing sins?

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Reading

1 John 1:5-2:2

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Questions (1 John 1:5)

This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. - 1 John 1:5 (WEB)

What is light?

What is darkness?

What do they do?

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God Sees All

There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. - Hebrews 4:13 (WEB)

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Cannot Have Fellowship with Light While in Darkness

This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don’t tell the truth. - 1 John 1:5-6 (WEB)

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If God is light, where there is no darkness (nothing hidden), then it is impossible - a contradiction - to say that we could have fellowship with Him while walking in darkness. To walk in darkness, we’d be walking (living our lives) without God’s illumination - walking in ignorance, being unaware of what is going on, or trying to hide or deny realities of who we are or what we’ve done.

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Example of Darkness vs. Light

This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.

For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.

But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.” - John 3:19-21 (WEB)

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Confession Makes Sense in Fellowship with the Light

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

- 1 John 1:8-10 (WEB)

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1 John 1:9 mentions confession of our sins. Notice what this verse is surrounded by - two verses that talk about us saying we don’t have sin (deceiving ourselves, trying to make God a liar).

“Confess” in the Greek (https://biblehub.com/greek/3670.htm) very much means to speak in agreement - speak the same thing, together. So these verses are highlighting the contrast between “confession” and the alternative of non-confession.

And if we’re walking in fellowship with God in His light, then it naturally makes sense that confession would occur. Otherwise, we’d be deceiving ourselves, walking in darkness (and thus not have fellowship).

Taking into account this 1 John passage thus far, a key thing to note is that unconfessed sin gets in the way of fellowship with God.

https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/is-my-repentance-real-if-i-keep-committing-the-same-sin

But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. - 2 Corinthians 4:2 (WEB)

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Question (1 John 2:1)

My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. - 1 John 2:1 (WEB)

https://biblehub.com/greek/3875.htm - Parakleton, sometimes translated as “Counselor” or “Advocate”, has at least some legal connotations, bringing to mind a lawyer or legal representative in a court.

Imagine that you’ve sinned and are on trial. What does this picture of Jesus Christ as your “Parakleton” bring to mind?

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Question (1 John 2:1-2)

My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. - 1 John 2:1-2 (WEB)

Now, add onto the picture of Jesus not only as a Counselor but also as an “atoning sacrifice”. What does that mean for us if we sin?

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Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice or propitiation for our sins (https://biblehub.com/greek/2434.htm). Take this picture combined with the previous one as Jesus as our Counselor/Advocate (Parakleton). What does this mean for us if we sin?

Thinking about the immense effort that God has put forth for us for our salvation - not only is Jesus our legal advocate, but we have further security/confidence due to the fact that Jesus Himself has paid the penalty for our sins to cover the offense.

What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things? Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. - Romans 8:31-34 (WEB)

By so much, Jesus has become the collateral of a better covenant. Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death. But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable. Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them. - Hebrews 7:22-25 (WEB)

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Question (1 John 1:7-9)

What follows on from confession?

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Below is an attempt to identify key “parts” of what might be seen as an overall intended confessional “process” (both before, during, and after). The idea is that such a breakdown could help understand and benefit more from the confessional “process”. Note that things may not be in such a strict, linear order. Also note that the follow-on “experience” that might result from confession is not to diminish Christ’s already finished work of redemption and forgiveness for us (or His ultimate perfection of us).

Identify - Before one can confess a sin, the sin to be confessed must first be identified. This is one of the benefits of “walking in the light”.
Confess

Note that “repentance” is often very closely tied to “confession” in a Christian context (it’s possible to confess but not repent, though that’s not the intent for a true Christian). You see confession alongside John the Baptist’s baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins: John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. - Mark 1:4-5 (WEB).
This could be seen as a separate follow-on step from what I have listed here in the notes, but note that action of people burning (getting rid of) items tied to their former life of sin: Many also of those who had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds. Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. - Acts 19:18 (WEB)

Repent

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EIEE198q-SfOfZg5khalXP-dFcpUEIAT1SecwnxTc28/
Repentance is primarily a changing of the mind. You can confess that you agree with God that a sin is wrong, but you ultimately really should repent - change your mind to think rightly (which should then result in right actions). It’s because of this that you’ll often see repentance closely tied to what we might label “salvation” and also forgiveness.
Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. - Acts 2:38 (WEB)
Note “refreshing” - “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, - Acts 3:19 (WEB)
Note the focus on heart being right before God, forgiveness, and the prior bondage - You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God. Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the poison of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” - Acts 8:21-23 (WEB)
Note the concept of works following on from repentance - but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. - Acts 26:20 (WEB)

Cleanse

“Cleansing” generally involves the concept of washing away/removing filth or impurities (that could hinder someone coming close to God or behaving righteously in their actions).
Some of those ideas remind me of the physician analogy Jesus makes - When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” - Mark 2:17 (WEB)
Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?” - Proverbs 20:9 (WEB)

Forgive

Note that the “righteousness” of forgiveness in this 1 John 1 passage is somewhat based on the role that Jesus places in the opening of 1 John 2. If Jesus served as the atoning sacrifice/propitiation for our sins, then it would be unrighteous or unjust for God to not honor that.
Forgiveness is a big topic but key to a restoration of fellowship. We know from plenty of other places in the New Testament how God has both the authority to forgive sins and how He has backed it up by His work through His Son Jesus Christ.
for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins. - Matthew 26:28 (WEB)

Fellowship

A restoration of fellowship seems to be the final [immediate] thing following on from confession based on this passage. The larger surrounding passage we just read is very heavily focused on fellowship.

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Why confess?

He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. - Proverbs 28:13 (WEB)

When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me. My strength was sapped in the heat of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn’t hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah. - Psalm 32:3-4 (WEB)

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Confession Before God

He also spoke this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others. “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” - Luke 18:9-14 (WEB)

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