February 10, 2012 Confession

Psalm 32: 3-4 When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.

One thing about us Protestants is the pride we take in not having priests to hear our confession, sharing with pride that we don't need a priest, we can go straight to God in prayer. The problem, I think, is that therefore, we don't do much confessing. We find comfort in the reality that Christ paid our sin-debt, so confession is unnecessary. It does not get rid of sin, nor the consequences of sin. At least in our minds.

It is true that Christ paid our sin-debt, and it is true that confession does not rid us of the sin and a demand for payment. However, confession is still an important part of our walk with God because we do still sin. What confession does do is many-faceted.

First, an awareness of our sin and desire to make it right through confession restores fellowship with God. As long as we walk around knowing that we have "missed the mark" and offended God, we feel a distance between us and God. Oh, He hasn't moved, but our own discomfort or feeling of guilt serves to make us feel backed away from. We feel as though our fellowship is just not there, and God becomes more and more a distant acquaintance. Confession restores that fellowship. Confession occurs when we just tell God that we see how we have offended Him and we are sorry about that. We regret it. It's like when you have a fight or disagreement with a friend or family member, and you finally realize you were the one who was wrong. You go to them and tell them you are sorry, and the distance that separated you evaporates.  Your intimacy can be restored. Confession is a powerful tool in restoring relationships.

Then, confession removes that mountain of guilt that we feel. I think the evil one dances a happy jig when believers drift into depression and loneliness and defeat over a weight of unnecessary guilt. God, not only does not want us to live that way, it does not honor Him in any way. Confession says to God, I get it. You already paid the debt for my offences. I am serving an unnecessary penance; I have given the power in my life to the evil one. You call me to be free, to live free from sin and in love and joy and peace.

I could go on and on about the value of confession, but I think instead I need to spend some time in personal self examination to see if there is sin I need to confess. It is amazing how easily sin creeps in, building walls, brick by brick, to separate us from the love of the Father.

And that line about discipline - maybe that is God's effort to bring us back, to restore us, not to punish us.