Our motivations behind what we do are extremely important. They can either help us along in our Christian walk, or hold us back and trip us up. The act of confessing is an area that many of us may be confused about. As believers, there will always be times in which we need to confess; however, we never need to confess in order to

receive God’s forgiveness for our sins.

It’s vital to rightly divide His Word on this so that we’ll understand why believers confess. The Bible says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. However, this was written to unbelievers; God calls believers “my little children” and says that if they sin, they have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

There was a need to confess to receive forgiveness of sins before Jesus’ death and resurrection. However, His finished works changed everything. If we’ve been born again, we are now already forgiven. We can be kind and forgive one another, even as God for Christ’s sake forgave us. If we quarrel against someone, even as Christ forgave us, we also forgive them.

To confess is to declare or acknowledge something. As Christians, there are plenty of things we can, and should, declare that line up with the Word of God. We’ve been delivered; let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from the enemy’s hand. Communicating our faith becomes effectual by acknowledging every good thing in us in Christ Jesus.

There’s nothing wrong with confessing to God, if we confess correctly. Instead of confessing to ask Him to forgive us, we can acknowledge the mistakes we made and thank Him for forgiving us before we were even born. In Christ we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. This knowledge allows us to enjoy our relationship with Him.

Prayer:

God, everyone who has confessed Jesus Christ as their own personal Lord and Savior has already received the forgiveness that has been made available to them. This releases us from having to confess our sins, first, to be forgiven. We’re grateful for this. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

• 1 John 1:9
• 1 John 2:1
• Ephesians 4:32
• Colossians 3:13
• Psalm 107:2
• Philemon 1:6
• Ephesians 1:7