If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
- 1 John 1:9
- 1 John 1:9
The amazing thing about an Etch A Sketch is the way you can turn it upside down, give it a shake and all your mistakes disappear. I look at the way that God forgives our sin with even greater amazement. Although there may still be consequences for our actions, there is forgiveness and God will wash us whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7).
I have read somewhere that it isn’t really cool to talk about sin and confession in church anymore. I guess it is old fashioned and bad for self esteem. I suppose I can understand, after all, confession and dealing with sin can feel a bit like being turned upside down and shaken, so why go through it? I am reminded, however, that 1 John 1:8 tells us that “if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Even those of us who have come into a saving relationship with Jesus will sin, and although it will not affect our standing or position as children of God, it does affect our fellowship and communion with God. We can rationalize it, explain it or call it anything we want, but it is what it is and when we do not deal with it honestly, it simply remains. We can cover it up but in reality we just simply make a greater mess of things. Or, we can do what scripture tells us to do and be honest about it, confess it and allow God to deal with it in his great mercy. Yes, it might feel a bit like an Etch a Sketch being turned upside down and shaken but consider some of the benefits for our churches if we were to honestly consider sin, confession and repentance:
When we are honest about where we have failed, it will make us humble and the Church could use more humility.
When we are honest about how great a mess we have made, it will make us that much more thankful and grateful for what God does to clean it and the Church could use more gratitude and thanksgiving.
When we admit that we cannot deal with it ourselves it teaches us to depend on God and the Church could use more dependence.
When we allow God to address that which hinders our fellowship and communion with Him then we will see the power of God moving in and through our churches and the Church could use more of God’s power.
I have read somewhere that it isn’t really cool to talk about sin and confession in church anymore. I guess it is old fashioned and bad for self esteem. I suppose I can understand, after all, confession and dealing with sin can feel a bit like being turned upside down and shaken, so why go through it? I am reminded, however, that 1 John 1:8 tells us that “if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Even those of us who have come into a saving relationship with Jesus will sin, and although it will not affect our standing or position as children of God, it does affect our fellowship and communion with God. We can rationalize it, explain it or call it anything we want, but it is what it is and when we do not deal with it honestly, it simply remains. We can cover it up but in reality we just simply make a greater mess of things. Or, we can do what scripture tells us to do and be honest about it, confess it and allow God to deal with it in his great mercy. Yes, it might feel a bit like an Etch a Sketch being turned upside down and shaken but consider some of the benefits for our churches if we were to honestly consider sin, confession and repentance:
When we are honest about where we have failed, it will make us humble and the Church could use more humility.
When we are honest about how great a mess we have made, it will make us that much more thankful and grateful for what God does to clean it and the Church could use more gratitude and thanksgiving.
When we admit that we cannot deal with it ourselves it teaches us to depend on God and the Church could use more dependence.
When we allow God to address that which hinders our fellowship and communion with Him then we will see the power of God moving in and through our churches and the Church could use more of God’s power.
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