Week 1 - Confess
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
February 17-23
Often my own sinful actions are followed by a rising tide of shame within me, causing me to hide from those who I have sinned against, whether it be my spouse, a friend, or even God. I allow this intangible wall of shame to take on a very tangible form of physical and emotional distance between myself and the person I have wronged. Just as Adam and Eve attempted to hide from God in the garden (Genesis 3:8) after sinning against him, I begin to believe the lie that I can mask my sin and shame from others without it being discovered. These thoughts and actions sadden God because the truth of his gospel frees us to share and confess our sins.
We are not meant to live in self-induced isolation. God created us to live in community, encouraging and admonishing each other in love (Colossians 3:16). We are called to “walk in the light,” as 1 John 1:7 says, which means that as children of God our lives cannot be marked by secrets but must be illuminated by the truth.
Before we can confess our sins, it is essential that we understand that “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” These words, also in 1 John 1:7, mean that the sins, and subsequent shame, that we are hiding from have already been forgiven by God. Even with the full knowledge of our sinful nature, Jesus took the cost of all our sins upon himself, and now we are covered by the grace and righteousness of Christ. Now, when we confess, we are confessing forgiven sin. Holding onto that sin, shame, and guilt attempts to diminish Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice.
1 John 1:8-9 tells us that the mark of genuine Christian fellowship, with God and each other, is not only the recognition of our naturally sinful nature (verse 8), but also our corresponding confession of those sins (verse 9). Although God is intimately aware of the depths of our sins, the act of confession to him is a way to show our deep gratitude for his gift of salvation and to reorient our hearts toward him and away from our- selves. Confession of our sin to others, whom we trust, is applying and celebrating the gospel in community—as God intended it to be.
The ugliness of our sin thrives in darkness. When we confess our sins to another Christian, those thoughts and actions become exposed to the light. As the darkness of our sin is overcome by the light of the truth, together we can celebrate forgiveness and the continual work God is doing in our lives. He will be faithful to complete the good work He started in each one of us. In confessing sin we step into the light and experience God’s freedom and grace.
Emily Linebaugh
Questions to Ponder:
When have you experienced the freedom and weight-off-your-chest feeling that comes with confession and forgiveness?
What sin or shame do you have a hard time letting go of?
Who in your life is a trustworthy friend that you could be open to?