Is confession of sin important, and if so, why?

[Cato]

There seems to be very little emphasis on confession of sin, specific sin, in our USA Christian culture.

What is the importance of confession to a believer? Why should we have to confess sin that has already been forgiven? Should it be emphasized more today?

[BLACK WOLF]

Cato,

Good questions.

What is the importance of confession to a believer?

The importance is the first step in realizing the sin and the change that is needed by confessing it.

An alcholholic can't start making changes to break the addiction until he first realizes he has a problem. The same goes for any other type of sin and addiction.

Why should we have to confess sin that has already been forgiven?

Because God wants us to be transformed into the likeness of Christ so that we can be a shining star unto His name and until we confess it, we can't be transformed by God to be the people He longs for us to be. A man transformed by the power of God is one of the greatest witnesses to His Love and Power.

Should it be emphasized more today?

Absolutely! When we confess are sins or our wrong doings, it empowers us to be able to be transformed.

Ray

[WildmanSC]

:amen: :amen: :amen: :amen:

And I might add, it is necessary for us to remain in close fellowship with Christ Jesus. God the Father looks at us through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and sees none of our sins, they are all covered by the blood. However, Jesus Christ, who shed His blood, sees us for what we are, be it living in the power of the Holy Spirit, staying on our knees in prayer repenting of our sins and seeking the power of the Holy Spirit upon our lives so we can live a victorious Christain life, or He sees us instead living life in the carnal flesh, not praying repenting of our sins and seeking for the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and living a defeated Christian life.

Bill Lamb

[Bill McNeal]

From a Salvation standpoint, man is incapable of professing his sin, because the unsaved man, while ignorant to the fact that he is unser a death sentence for his sin, will argue that he has no sin to confess. While the unsaved may admit to certain wrong doings, they are quick to point out that they are "good people" at heart, while Scripture tells us that the heart of man is deceitful , and "without cure".

However, through Gods Mercy, those chosen to be among the Elect are given the Holy Spirit, which then , and only then, makes them able to profess Jesus as Lord, confess their sins, and repent of them. Remember Scripture tells us that only people with the Spirit of God can recieveth the things of God....1Cor 2:12-14

So Cato, in my opinion, people who do not freely confess sin, are probably not Believers.

Shalom!

[WildmanSC]

"What is the importance of confession to a believer?"

Somebody missed the central point to this thread. The question is NOT "What is the importance of confession to a lost, unrepentant sinner", but, rather it is "What is the importance of confession to a believer?" It is important to carefully to read the question before giving an answer.

Bill Lamb

[WildmanSC]

I Cor 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
002:002 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

I've copied and pasted I Cor Ch 2 in its entirety. It wil help us to note a few things. First of all, to whom was Paul writing? We find the answer in verse 1 "And I, brethren,..." Paul is talking to Christians, not unsaved people. it is obvious that only the born again believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit who speaks to the believer's spirit and enables him to understand the spiritual things, the Biblical teachings and preachings. God chose the foolishness of preaching to reach the unsaved man. Once the unsaved man is saved, the preaching is no longer foolishness, at least that which he is mature enough to comprehend.

Bill

[Cato]

Wildman,

I often refer to and read vs 14 you posted above. It may be the subject of another post, but it reminds us why unsaved people find our perspective so offensive. They are unable to comprehend it. The NAS says "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."

My reason for this post is to discuss why it is so important for each of us, as believers, to acknoledge our specific sin, ask God to convict us of its offensive nature to Him, and ask Him to grow us out of it.

For one thing, when we sin and are complacent about it, or indifferent about it, we are like a rebellious child. God's goal for us is to grow more in the likeness of Christ (sanctification) and to learn to hunger and thirst for righteousness. It is a process. We cannot move forward if we do not learn from our mistakes, and allow the Spirit of God to enable us to do better.

As a rebellious child, God will do whatever it takes to get our attention. He prefers that we willingly sumbitt, and acknowledge our rebellion (confession) and commit to Him our heart's desire to change (repentance).

The Bible has much to say about those who go on sinning willingly. I just thought it might be a meaningful discussion.

Thank you for your responses.

[WildmanSC]

Mitchell,

Yes, I addressed only one small part of your intitial post. You have addressed the central theme of the question very well! It is impossible for us to remain in fellowship with the Lord without repenting of our sins.

Bill

[Bill McNeal]

"What is the importance of confession to a believer?"

Somebody missed the central point to this thread. The question is NOT "What is the importance of confession to a lost, unrepentant sinner", but, rather it is "What is the importance of confession to a believer?" It is important to carefully to read the question before giving an answer.

Bill Lamb

Actually Bill "somebody" missed the last part of my post. :) Mitchell raised the question as to why confession of sin is lacking in many Christians. I said in my closing staement that I feel it is because many of these people who claim to be Christians are not. I pointed to the verses in 1Cor 2 to support my claim that only Christians can understand the things of God, PRAYER in this instance.

Shalom!

[Bill McNeal]

I Cor 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
002:002 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

I've copied and pasted I Cor Ch 2 in its entirety. It wil help us to note a few things. First of all, to whom was Paul writing? We find the answer in verse 1 "And I, brethren,..." Paul is talking to Christians, not unsaved people. it is obvious that only the born again believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit who speaks to the believer's spirit and enables him to understand the spiritual things, the Biblical teachings and preachings. God chose the foolishness of preaching to reach the unsaved man. Once the unsaved man is saved, the preaching is no longer foolishness, at least that which he is mature enough to comprehend.

Bill

Bill, ALL Scripture is directed at the Elect/Believers. None of it is meant for the unsaved.

Shalom!

[WildmanSC]

"Bill, ALL Scripture is directed at the Elect/Believers. None of it is meant for the unsaved. "

Bill McNeal,

You cannot possibly seriously mean this. Even under your misguided understanding of how a person gets saved, the lost person must hear the gospel, even though I guess it is not intended for him, become convicted, and I guess you'll have to tell me what you did from there . Bill, how did you get saved? And secondly, Bill, do you know beyond a shadow of doubt that you are going to Heaven when you die?

Bill Lamb