So, what should we do when we fail, make mistakes, and even fall in sin? We are told what to do – to confess, not to a priest but to the Lord himself who is both faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:3-10).

Some believers find it difficult to believe that the Lord will immediately forgive them once they have confessed but that is what he does. He does not hold it against us in some kind of grievance or as a means to manipulate us. The devil is very cunning in making God’s children feel condemned when they are not. Satan brings us into condemnation but scripture says that we are not condemned. (Romans 8:33-34).

If you suffer from condemnation then it is the work of the enemy, not the Holy Spirit who works in our hearts to bring conviction, which is different from condemnation: conviction leads to confession, cleansing and forgiveness.

Do you have to confess to a priest? The answer is no, we are not forgiven through proxy, Jesus alone forgives us. There may, however, be a need if you have wronged a person to go to that person and confess your fault to them, and if necessary, them to you. (James 5:16, Matthew 5:23-26, 18:15, Galatians 6:1-2).

I would offer a word of caution here and say that one must be very careful about confessing sins to just anyone. It can cause untold damage if that person cannot be trusted to keep confidences. Neither are we permitted to share another person’s faults with anyone else unless we have been given approval to do so. It is a matter of honour before the Lord, who judges the hearts of all men, and severe repercussions can come upon those who do not maintain godly integrity. (Proverbs 16:2).

Walking in the Light

Once we acknowledge our need of cleansing from sin and accept correction from the Lord, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).

This principle is illustrated by the way the Lord, on the last night of his earthly life, washed the feet of the disciples. (John 13:3-10). This was normally the task of a servant. People in those times walked everywhere, and their feet became dirty and needed washing. Peter did not understand what Jesus was doing and protested, saying he needed his whole body washed, but Jesus said only his feet needed washing because he was already clean.

What Jesus did was symbolic of our need to be washed as we walk in a world that rubs dirt off on us. We need daily cleansing and this comes from regular reading of the Word and when necessary, confession. God’s Word has a cleansing affect upon us. (Ephesians 5:26).

Notice how John makes a difference between walking in darkness and walking in light. Because believers walk in light and are in fellowship with both the Father and the Son, they are cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3, 7). If we trip up and fall, our fellowship is not broken because we walk in the light, and our confession immediately maintains it. This is possible because Jesus is our advocate with the Father and defends us. (1 John 2:1-2). He is our propitiation and “atoning sacrifice”.

The Principle of “Putting Off and Putting On”

There is a “putting off, putting on” principle likened to the Old Testament practice of confession to the priests followed by sacrificial cleansing. The difference is that we don’t go to an earthly priest or bring sacrifices but to our High Priest and his shed blood. (Hebrews 7:24-27). The Lord said to his people that he would not remember their sins. (Isaiah 43:25, Psalm 103:12).

If he has forgotten them, who are we to remember them? We must of course learn from them but God entirely eradicates them. The apostle Paul wrote that he had not reached perfection but, “forgetting those things that are past”, he pressed on to the calling of God. (Philippians 3:12-15 NLB).

Confession is the principle we must practice in a life of faith: daily confession when it is necessary, putting off sin and putting on forgiveness. When you received Christ, you were buried with him and died to sin. Your sins are dead and buried and you have now been given Christ’s righteousness.

If your sins are buried then they must remain buried: don’t go back and dig them up like old bones. Walk in his forgiveness and when necessary cast every sin into the grave of forgiveness and forgetfulness.

Join me as we continue on our journey through “A Life of Faith.”

Blog series Six – Pitfalls to a Life of Faith:

Episode 3: The Principle of Sowing

Blog series Eight – Keys to Growing in Christ