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Publication of the
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Introduction:
1 John 3:4, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of
the law.” anomia, Greek 458, Strong’s anomia, an-om-ee'-ah;
from Greek 459 (anomos); illegality, i.e. violation
of law or (genitive) wickedness :- iniquity, × transgress (-ion of)
the law, unrighteousness. The scriptures repeatedly emphasize two acts of
volition in connection with sin: 1. That man must
repent. God calls upon all that transgress His law to repent (Acts
I. Confessing can be collateral with and corroborative of one’s
repentance.
A.
Collateral or “accompanying” in the sense that confessing sins without
repentance avails nothing. “Corroborative” in the sense that
the words come from a heart that has truly repented. The very
willingness to confess that one has been bad can be part of that “difference”
in behavior that repentance makes and that others see.
1.
To illustrate turn to Acts
2.
Whether this was a public or private confession is disputed. Some appeal to the
confessions made to John the Baptist as an example that this was public, Matt.
3:6.
3.
“And disclosing their practices” (nasv). These took
another step to break away from their former sin. They disclosed in detail,
fully, their practices. They did this to “show” others the deceit and fraud,
and to spread the knowledge abroad so others would not be beguiled. Their
desire to do this in detail, fully, shows their repentance. Many who had the
books that taught how to do these sinful things brought them and burned them.
They had books then just like today.
4.
What did these actions show? To answer that let’s look at the definition of “confessing“: »Strong’s Help exomologeo,
Greek 1843, Strong’s exomologeo, ex-om-ol-og-eh'-o;
from Greek 1537 (ek) and Greek 3670 (homologeo); to acknowledge or (by implication of assent)
agree fully :- confess, profess, promise. a. Let me tell you
young people something you should never do. I mean never do this! When someone does
confess don’t say, “Ah, that’s Ok.” As if all the BAD they
did doesn’t matter. The thing that makes this worthwhile is that the
person does understand that it is not OK. We might consider this point again
before we’re through.
A.
Compare the words in James
1.
By the way there are not many passages in the New Testament where you find the
words confess, confession, and confessing in the sense we are studying. This is
not be confused with what it means to confess Christ as the Son of God.
2.
In Matt. 3:6, James 5:16 the word “confess”:
»Strong’s
Help exomologeo, Greek 1843, Strong’s exomologeo, ex-om-ol-og-eh'-o; from Greek 1537 (ek)
and Greek 3670 (homologeo); to acknowledge or
(by implication of assent) agree fully :- confess,
profess, promise.
a.
This would apply to situations where someone says that I’m doing something
wrong and I’m asked,“Did you
do that?” If I did then I should confess, i.e. acknowledge that I did. If I
confess I won’t say I did “part” of it if I did it “all.” And I’ll stick with
the “I” in order that “I” might clear what “I” have
done without trying to blame someone else.
3.
In I John 1:9 the word “confess”: »NASB Dictionary Help homologeo, Greek 3670, NASB homologeo; from homologos
(of one mind); to speak the same, to agree : a. Homo is from the base “homou
(hom-oo’) which means “at the same place or time” --
“together.” Logeo is from Logos which means
“something said.”
What
it means is “to be of one mind; to speak the same; to agree.”
B.
The Substance of Confession is I agree with what God
knows.
1. Fundamentally, I know that God knows; when I
confess I simply “agree” with what He knows I’ve done that is sinful. Before
one repents and confesses they tend to push the fact that God knows to the back
of their mind somewhere, until the truth and full realization of the damage
they have and are doing brings it out. 2. Prodigal, Lk.
15:17-19, 21. Notice that one who has repented has no problem confessing
(saying) their sin.
III. Some Situations Concerning Confessing Sin:
A.
Sometimes forced upon one by another:
1.
Judah, Gen. 38:24-26.
2.
Sometimes when you just think you got by with it, up it pops!
B.
Often without repentance:
1.
Saul, I Sam. 24:16-17; But there were tears.
C.
Sometimes produced upon awareness of the same in others:
1.
David, 2 Sam. 12:1-13.
2.
Shows us how callous David had become to his own sins. The only way he could
cover up his first sin was to sin again. Confess your sin before you place it in the back of
your mind and continue to repeat it and add to it.
D.
Due to investigation, Achan. Joshua 7:18-20.
IV. Some Truths:
A.
“I” am told to do this, I John 1:9.
1.
What motive? The motive should be in order that I might have forgiveness. 2. A
Condition that must be met ~ “IF”.
B.
When I tell others about MY sins:
1.
I describe them “generally” in public prayer: Luke 11:4. (There’s a sense of
propriety here.)
2.
I acknowledge that such scriptures as Rom.
3.
When am I specific? As in Acts when acknowledging I did it.
V. When Others Tell Me About Their Sin:
A. Don’t say what? “Well, that’s Ok!” No, it’s
not Ok. The person is admitting to the bad that they have done, and the evil
influence it has had upon their lives and often others as well. Let sin be what
it is! Acknowledge with them the sinfulness of their transgressions. Agree with
the destructive nature of what they have done.
B.
Forgive based upon repentance, Lk. 17:3.
Conclusion:
Let’s do what God tells us to do and confess our sins. When we are aware of sin
in another christian’s life,
then don’t be afraid to tell them that you expect to hear them say that they
have repented of that sin. And that you expect to see that repentance in the
life they live.