HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 135
page A133
Why do we confess our sins to God?
• 2 SA MU E L 1 2 :1 3 | Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you.”
• 1 J O H N 1 :9 | If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us.
Confession precedes forgiveness. Confession indicates our desire to have our sins forgiven.
If we have no desire to have our sins forgiven, God will not forgive them.
• 2 SA MU E L 2 4 :1 0 -1 2 | “Please forgive my guilt, Lord, for doing this foolish thing.” The
next morning the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad. . . . “This is what the Lord
says. . . . Choose one of these punishments, and I will inflict it on you.”
While God always forgives when we confess, we will usually still have to live with the
consequences of our actions.
Does God truly forgive sin when we confess it to him?
• PSA L M 3 2 :5 | Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said
to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
• PR O VE R B S 2 8 :1 3 | People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and
turn from them, they will receive mercy. (See note on page 583.)
What if I don’t feel forgiven?
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With sin comes guilt. It’s part of the baggage that sin brings. Confession is the act of recognizing and admitting those sins to God, paving the way for God to work in you. Confession wipes
the slate clean so that you can be reconciled to God and have another chance to live for him.
on page 1015.)
When God forgives you, your record is wiped clean. He looks at you as if you’ve never sinned.
In addition to forgiveness, what are other benefits from confession?
• PSA L M 3 2 :5 | Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said
to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
God removes your guilt.
• PSA L M 5 1 :1 2 | Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
God restores your joy and willing obedience.
• J A ME S 5 :1 6 | Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be
healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful
results.
God transforms you from the inside out.
What does it really mean to be forgiven?
• C O L O SS I A NS 1 :2 1 -2 3 | You are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a
single fault. (See note on page 1079.)
• I SA I A H 1 :1 8 | “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.”
Forgiveness means that God looks at you as though you have never sinned. You are
blameless before him.
• A C T S 8 :2 2 -2 3 | “Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, for I can see that you are . . .
held captive by sin.”
Forgiveness frees you from slavery to sin.
• H E B R E W S 1 0 :2 2 | Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting
him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean,
and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
Forgiveness frees you from the guilt of sin.
• MAT T H E W 5 :4 4 | “Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”
Forgiveness paves the way for harmonious relationships, even with your enemies.
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• R O MA NS 3 :2 7 | Our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. (See note