CONFESSION. Nehemiah 1:6b-7 There are two conditions important to maintaining fellowship with God and with those who walk in the light. One is that there is a standard of life and conduct to which we must conform. We must "walk in the light as He is in the light." The second is that when we sin, our confession of sin must be real, sincere, and specific. There is a false fellowship evident when one walks in darkness. We can say what we want, but the reality is seen when we do not live in the light of the truth. There is also a false holiness that people claim to have when they say they do not have a sinful nature. And there is also a false righteousness that denies that their conduct contains any sin at all.
The principle of sin still remains with us. "Sinless perfection" is self-deception when claimed by mortal men. The Gnostics claimed that the soul is freed from sinful flesh. To say that anyone has no natural tendency toward sin and is therefore incapable of sinning is a lie. Many people refuse to take sin seriously, so they deny that the standards of divine righteousness, as taught by the law of God, even apply to them. "If everyone does it, it's got to be okay." Both the root of sin (the sin principle) and the practice of particular sins (the fruit) break fellowship with God when we deny their existence or try to hide or ignore them as inconsequential. False fellowship, false holiness, and false righteousness are countered by facing the principle of sin, the particular sins we commit, and the personal sins we may think are hidden.
Confession of sins committed is the starting point for recovery, fellowship, and usefulness when we face the fact that something has to be made right. Any excuses for our sins, which create distance between God and us, and sometimes between His people and us, are abandoned when our hearts are open before God. Half-hearted repentance and little sorrow for sin mean nothing and do not allow the joy of knowing we are forgiven.
To deal with the sin problem we face daily, we need to understand what confession of sin truly means. This is not some formula devised by a church in which a person makes a confession to another and is declared forgiven by that person. Confession of sin points us to the only Person who can forgive sins and provide the cleansing we need. To rationalize the sin problem by saying, "I have sinned," is not a confession of sin. That is simply stating a fact. True confession means recognizing the sin problem for what it is and agreeing with God about the sinfulness of sin. I will repent of that sin in a specific way and in specific words, and forsake it. It is impossible for us to grasp how serious sin is because we cannot see it through God's eyes. However, our new nature will convict us and move us to act in order to regain the joy of true fellowship with God.
When confession and repentance are genuine, as in Nehemiah’s, “We have dealt corruptly against Thee… we have not obeyed the commands, decrees, and laws You gave,” the sense of distance caused by guilt is removed. True repentance, self-abasement, and godly sorrow become real. Turning from sin is when the reality of repentance is realized.
God, in His great mercy, draws near to one whose repentance is genuine, and He mercifully forgives and restores those who come to Him with a broken and contrite heart and who tremble at His words. It is then that one is ready and willing to obey the Lord. Fellowship is renewed, pardon is granted, and the healing of the soul and the wounds caused by sin begins to take place.
Justice has been served when we are accepted by God. Joy and fellowship are another matter. The barrier between our Father and His child is real until we allow God to act as a father toward us. He does not grudgingly grant forgiveness when sin is confessed, but delights to forgive so that unhindered fellowship can be restored. Not only does He forgive us in a faithful and just way, but He also "cleanses," purifies, and purges us from all unrighteousness.
The cause of hindered fellowship due to sinful actions must be removed and no longer tolerated. When we recognize our weakness, faults, and shortcomings, our heavenly Father draws us to Himself. He knows who we are and what we are. After all, He is our Father. Our greatest need is to face who we are and admit our need for Him and His strength to overcome sin.
When we lie to others, we fail the test of fellowship. When we lie to ourselves, we fail the test of nature. When we lie to God, we fail the test of actions. We lose the blessing of the word of God when we stop speaking the truth. When truth is not in us and is turned into lies, we lose fellowship with God's people and with God Himself. Prayer becomes empty, worship is dull, and one becomes critical in spirit. When sin is not confessed, we will actually lose a part of our character and reputation.
The light of God and His word expose sin. The indwelling Spirit of God awakens the conscience when we honestly face ourselves. If we think we fool others by saying we have not sinned, we only make ourselves appear more foolish. People who know us can see for themselves what we are like. Our fellowship and joy in the Lord can be real when we nurture our relationship with God through honest confession and forsaking sin. By agreeing with God about what sin is and what we have done, and by being open about it, we will recognize our tendency to sin and our need for God to keep us from sin. How thankful we are for His gracious forgiveness.