Remember the definition of “confession” highlighted on Monday? Confession is saying the same thing as God does about sin or having the same perspective on sin as God does. Confession is not a suggestion from God, but a commandment. God forgives our sins, not man (Psalm 130:3-4). Confession does not require a priest or a pastor, for there is one mediator between us and God—Jesus Christ (I Timothy 2:5). We confess our sins to God to receive his forgiveness, cleansing, and to be restored in right standing with Him. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (I John 1:9).
We confess our trespasses to one another to solicit prayer, encouragement, and strength for life’s journey. Obeying Matthew 5:23-24 brings forth honesty and purity, undergirding the unity of Christ’s body— the church. In this passage, Jesus instructs us to confess our trespasses to the person we have wronged and get it worked out. If this is a common practice for you, splendid. If not, when will you begin to follow this directive from Jesus?