FOLLOWING JESUS TOGETHER - PRACTICE OF CONFESSION - PASTOR CRAIG - AUG 13TH

Confession of sin has been a controversial topic for generations though the Scriptures are quite clear on its function. The word “confession” comes from the Greek language and literally means, “to say the same thing.” Confession is simply agreeing with what God says about something or someone. There are two ways in which confession is practiced. The first, and the most obvious, is that of confessing our sins to God. Most believers instinctively know to do that, likely because our salvation journey begins with our confessing our sins and confessing that Jesus is Lord. From that moment on, believers will sense the conviction of the Holy Spirit when they stumble and will feel the need to ask God’s forgiveness for the specific way they have acted, thought, or spoken.  The second, and more controversial practice in confession, is that of confessing our sins to one another. For obvious reasons, this is more difficult because while we confess to God in secret, involving others gets a bit scary. Yet scripture makes it clear in James 5 that confessing to one another is directly connected to receiving God’s healing. If we are to live in full obedience to the Lord, we must get past our discomfort and give place to this important practice. When we discover and practice some practical ways to do this, the Body of Christ will be released into a new level of freedom and joy.