The Power of Confession
Key Thought | Confession isn’t shameful. It’s a life-giving practice that keeps our hearts humble, honest, and open to God’s grace.
Key Scripture | “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 just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:8–9 (NKJV)
Confession is such an important practice for Christ-followers. I was first introduced to this passage at a youth camp I attended over 30 years ago, and it has stuck with me ever since.
For some reason, in modern Christianity, we don’t talk about confession much. Part of that is an overreaction to Catholicism and priestly confession. But the Catholics didn’t get it all wrong! Confession is a biblical principle, and it’s one that would do us all a lot of good if we practiced it regularly.
A few thoughts…
1. John is clear. We all have sin.
Maybe you don’t hear that very often, and maybe it feels offensive. But maybe it should be.
Sin in the Greek simply means to miss the mark. And we all miss the mark, often and daily. It’s not meant to be heavy; it’s meant to awaken awareness. It’s not a question of whether we’ve all sinned; it’s acknowledging that we all have.
2. Confession keeps us from pride.
I don’t know why, but we often struggle to admit when we’ve messed up. We tend to live in one of two ditches:
Both are rooted in pride.
Self-awareness is key to a healthy spiritual life. I say that as someone who struggles with self-awareness myself, yet confession keeps me grounded, reliant on God’s grace, and acquainted with His mercy.
3. God is faithful to do what He always does. He forgives.
Our God is a forgiver. He is merciful, gracious, loving, and kind. And here’s the truth: the more we realize our need for forgiveness, the more forgiveness will flow from us to others.
Let’s be honest, Christians can be the worst at forgiveness. Why? Possibly because we’ve turned forgiveness into a one-time conversion experience instead of a daily practice.
Right before this, John writes:
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:7 (NKJV)
Confession flips the lights on! It creates real relationship instead of the polite, surface-level “Southern Hospitality” ones.
You can be real with God; and in being real with Him, you’ll discover that He loves you deeply. And when you know that, you stop being consumed with how others view you.
Like I said, the Catholics didn’t get it all wrong. Confession is good for the soul. When we practice confession, we don’t just acknowledge our sin; we make room for God’s grace to transform us from the inside out.
Prayer | Lord, thank You for inviting me into honesty rather than hiding. Help me walk in the light with You, fully aware of my need and fully confident in Your mercy. Give me the courage to confess, the humility to stay soft before You, and the grace to extend forgiveness to others the way You extend it to me. Teach me the freedom that comes from living transparent and clean before You. Amen.
Reflection | Where am I tempted to hide, minimize, or excuse my sin instead of confessing it honestly before God? How might confession help me grow in humility, self-awareness, and relational health—with God and with others?
Key Scripture | “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 just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:8–9 (NKJV)
Confession is such an important practice for Christ-followers. I was first introduced to this passage at a youth camp I attended over 30 years ago, and it has stuck with me ever since.
For some reason, in modern Christianity, we don’t talk about confession much. Part of that is an overreaction to Catholicism and priestly confession. But the Catholics didn’t get it all wrong! Confession is a biblical principle, and it’s one that would do us all a lot of good if we practiced it regularly.
A few thoughts…
1. John is clear. We all have sin.
Maybe you don’t hear that very often, and maybe it feels offensive. But maybe it should be.
Sin in the Greek simply means to miss the mark. And we all miss the mark, often and daily. It’s not meant to be heavy; it’s meant to awaken awareness. It’s not a question of whether we’ve all sinned; it’s acknowledging that we all have.
2. Confession keeps us from pride.
I don’t know why, but we often struggle to admit when we’ve messed up. We tend to live in one of two ditches:
- the “woe is me” ditch
- or the “I never mess up” ditch
Both are rooted in pride.
Self-awareness is key to a healthy spiritual life. I say that as someone who struggles with self-awareness myself, yet confession keeps me grounded, reliant on God’s grace, and acquainted with His mercy.
3. God is faithful to do what He always does. He forgives.
Our God is a forgiver. He is merciful, gracious, loving, and kind. And here’s the truth: the more we realize our need for forgiveness, the more forgiveness will flow from us to others.
Let’s be honest, Christians can be the worst at forgiveness. Why? Possibly because we’ve turned forgiveness into a one-time conversion experience instead of a daily practice.
Right before this, John writes:
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:7 (NKJV)
Confession flips the lights on! It creates real relationship instead of the polite, surface-level “Southern Hospitality” ones.
You can be real with God; and in being real with Him, you’ll discover that He loves you deeply. And when you know that, you stop being consumed with how others view you.
Like I said, the Catholics didn’t get it all wrong. Confession is good for the soul. When we practice confession, we don’t just acknowledge our sin; we make room for God’s grace to transform us from the inside out.
Prayer | Lord, thank You for inviting me into honesty rather than hiding. Help me walk in the light with You, fully aware of my need and fully confident in Your mercy. Give me the courage to confess, the humility to stay soft before You, and the grace to extend forgiveness to others the way You extend it to me. Teach me the freedom that comes from living transparent and clean before You. Amen.
Reflection | Where am I tempted to hide, minimize, or excuse my sin instead of confessing it honestly before God? How might confession help me grow in humility, self-awareness, and relational health—with God and with others?
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