The Confession of Sins

1
The Confession of Sins

• Psalms 321-5

2
CONFESS

• homologeo lit., to speak the same thing, to
  assent, accord, agree with
• To declare or admit
• Faith in Christ (Matt. 1032)
• Praise to God (Heb. 1315)
• Devoted life to Christ (Heb. 414)
• Personal sins (1 Jno. 19)

3
Corrupt Men have Corrupted Bible Teaching on
Confession of Sins
James 516
4
Sins must be confessed to God in order to be
forgiven (1 Jno. 19)

• David, 2 Sam. 1213 Psa. 325
• Those who came for Johns baptism, Matthew 36
• Prodigal son, Luke 1517-21
• Simon, Acts 822-24
• The Ephesians, Acts 1918-19

5
Goals of Confessing Sins

• Gods mercy and forgiveness, Psa. 511-4
• Forgiveness of those we have sinned against (2
  Cor. 26-7)
• Restoration of fellowship with God and with
  brethren (Matt. 524)

6
Confess Sins to

• God, 1 Jno. 19 Psa. 513-4
• Against God, Psa. 323-5
• Seeking mercy, Acts 824

7
Confess Sins to

• One sinned against
• To reconcile, Lk. 1518-19
• To heal the wounds caused by sin, Jas. 516
  (Matt. 1815 523-24)

8
Confess Sins to

• Those who know of it, Jas. 516 2 Co. 25-8
• Not public confession of private sins
• Not private confession of public sins
• To the extent the sin is known, ones confession
  of the sin should also be made known (Jas. 516)
• Private sinprivately confessed, Matt. 1815
• Public sinpublicly confessed, Lk. 1517-18 Acts
  822-24 (Gal. 214 1 Tim. 520)

9
Things Needed to Confess Sin

• Godly sorrow, Lk. 1813 Psa. 3817-18
• Acknowledgement of sin, Psa. 325
• Forsaking the sin, Prov. 2813-14
• Joined with repentance, Matt. 32, 6, 7
• Faith in Gods promise to forgive us when we
  confess, 1 Jno. 19

10
What Keeps Us from Publicly Confessing Our Sins?

• Pride / Embarrassment, Prov. 1618 Jas. 46-10
• No harm, no foul
• Im doing whats right now, so what does it
  matter? Jas. 417

11
Guideposts for the Public Confession of Sins

• As public as our sin is known, Ezra 9 101-3
• As specific as is the knowledge of our sin,
  Luke 310-14

12
Why Publicly Confess Sins?

• To obtain the prayers of the righteous (Jas.
  516 cf. Acts 824)
• To reclaim a righteous influence, 2 Cor. 711
  (1 Pet. 211-12 Matt. 514)

13
The Confession of Sins

• Without it we will not have Gods mercy
• Confession of sin is to God and then to men to
  the degree our sin is known
• Declaration that we admit and abandon our
  sinturn to God
• God will be merciful!

1 John 19 James 516