Q3. Confession

[hanks]

Q3. (1 John 1:9) 
How would you define "confession"? 
Why is confessing our sins so important? 
What happens to us if we stop confessing our sins? 
What are the promises given to us if we do confess our sins? 
How is forgiveness of sins different from cleansing?
Confession of sin is our personal acceptance of God’s divine sovereignty. We acknowledge His right as our Creator and Heavenly Father to set the standards by which we must live. However, in this life our obedience to God is never perfect and we must depend on confession of our sins for God to forgive us and restore our fellowship with Him. Confessing our sins is important because each time we sin our personal growth and effectiveness as a Christian is weakened. At the same time the Holy Spirit is grieved. We do not lose our salvation but a rift forms in our fellowship with God. If we stop confessing our sins this rift widens as our sins pile up, and the only way we can restore our relationship with our Heavenly Father is by personally confessing to God the sins that caused this breach. God may use various ways to encourage us to comply. The down side is that there can be the loss of inner peace, and He may even discipline us. On confessing our sins, God promises to forgive us and also cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The forgiveness we received when we put our trust in our Lord Jesus Christ was for all our sins – past, present, and future, paid for Jesus on the Cross. However, as far as fellowship in the family of God is concerned, we need forgiveness from God. Confession is only made to God the Father. Confession of sin does not give us a license to sin. We cannot just sin and confess repeatedly thinking that God will just continue to forgive. Cleansing refers to the removal of the guilt of sin. We can now continue to grow in Christ, and there can be growth in the Spirit.  
 

[haar]

Q3. (1 John 1:9)

Q. How would you define "confession"?

A. Admit that one has done contrary to the command of God and ask for pardon.

Q. Why is confessing our sins so important?

A. It is the only way to receive pardon and restoration back to the fold

Q. What happens to us if we stop confessing our sins?

A. We remain in the dark and without fellowship with God and fellow christians

Q. What are the promises given to us if we do confess our sins?

A. God will forgive us our sin and cleans us from all our unrighteousness

Q. How is forgiveness of sins different from cleansing?

A. Forgiveness is receiving pardon for the sin committed while cleansing sanctification  and is to have the effect of the dart due to sin removed from our souls

 

[Reuben]

Q3. (1 John 1:9) How would you define "confession"? Why is confessing our sins so important? What happens to us if we stop confessing our sins? What are the promises given to us if we do confess our sins? How is forgiveness of sins different from cleansing?

Confessing is recognising and admitting your guilt as a sinner. It is important to to respond to this conviction and admitting you are guilty for transgressing so you can go to the next step repentance and asking for forgiveness. Stop confessing your sins and go back to being a Christian walking in the darkness, and what goes with that? Forgiveness is immediate , but cleansing is a process, day by day with the Holy Spirit as the active ingredient.

[Krissi]

Confession doesn’t involve other people but is between me and God. Similarly, absolution or forgiveness of sins does not involve other people, even though the sins I committed may have hurt others.

As I read Pastor Ralphs words, and skimmed through several comments, I was struck by how confession was something one did, and then moved on. I see confession as continual. There are degrees of confession just as there are degrees of sorrow, humility and contrition. My confessions are as deep and meaningful as my sorrowfulness for committing the deed. If my regret is overwhelming, my confession is more "effective."

So, I guess I'd define confession as my continuing awareness and deepening sorrow for thoughts and deeds that are wrong or sinful. In prayer, I discuss the problem and my contrition before God, pleading for his help and that he overlooks my sin. 

I don't think a Christian can stop confessing sins. He or she can purposely walk away, but the Holy Spirit within make it impossible to live without eventually returning to God. The act of re-turning to God includes confession.

Are there degrees of confession?  if so, there would be degrees of forgiveness, logically. But I don't believe this. If there is no confession, but only confessing, then perhaps as I sense the gravity of my sin, I increasingly bring it to the Lord, or as I increasingly sense what I've done, my intellectual grasp of thee problem includes acknowledging it's gravity? 

If I have confessed, He has forgiven. It's a done transaction.

If I am confessing, He is forgiving. It's an open transaction without closure.

I wonder if I'm ever able to reach the point where I regret my sin enough to be completely forgiven. I know this isn't the theologically correct thing to write, but it's what I'm thinking now.  I confess this!

 

[Rob Mc.]

(1 John 1:9) How would you define "confession"?

The speaking out loud, to God, of our transgressions.  We must let God know that we are aware that we have sinned.

Why is confessing our sins so important?

If we are not repentant, God cannot forgive us.  We must be aware that we have broken his commands, and let God know that we recognize that we have sinned.

What happens to us if we stop confessing our sins?

We experience the “falling away” from God.  He has made a covenant with us.  He cannot keep his end of the bargain, if we don’t keep ours.  We have to admit that we are sinners, say it out loud to Him, and repent for those sins.

What are the promises given to us if we do confess our sins?

That we will be forgiven for those sins.  God both Forgives, and Forgets our past sins.

How is forgiveness of sins different from cleansing?  God forgiving our sins is an immediate action: we confess, we repent, He forgives, He forgets.  Cleansing is a journey:  We are cleansed over time by (hopefully) gaining wisdom to recognize where we fall short in serving God.  We Learn, we Grow, we become Wise and sin less (especially in repeating the same sins over and over again).