Today’s Daily Light
Con’t…summary thoughts from our study….The Search For Significance, by R. McGee
Learning to Listen … The Work of the Spirit ‘Inside Us’ …. Conviction of sin is to lead us to confession ‘so that’ we can experience the forgiveness that is ours in Christ Jesus.
1 John 1:5-10..the Apostle John wrote this to all who are believers in Christ Jesus:
“This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.”
Confession means ‘to agree with.’ Confession is not dragging from our memory all the sins we’ve committed and telling them to God. Confession is agreeing with God concerning the specific sin we are convicted of. We agree with God in three ways:
- Agreement – I sinned when I _______________ The lie I was believing was ______________________
- Claiming forgiveness – I am forgiven through Christ’s death on the cross.
- Repentance: I am deeply loved, completely forgiven, fully pleasing, totally accept, and complete in Christ. I now choose to act in a way that honors Him, which means I will __________________________
Our confession does not make us forgiven. We have forgiveness because Christ died to pay for our sins. Confession is a means for us to experience our forgiveness, not a means for us to obtain it. Confession should be done with an attitude of repentance, which involves turning away from sin and turning to God. Repentance is not a matter of feeling sorry just because we got caught. True confession causes us to reject sin because it grieves the Lord. Confession enables us to experience our forgiveness and enjoy our fellowship with God.
Following is an example of proper confession of sin:
Dear Father,
The Holy Spirit has pointed out to me that I sinned when I (name specific thoughts and actions). I was believing the lie (name specific false belief) when I sinned. Thank You that I am completely forgiven and that You choose not to remember my sin. I reaffirm that You have declared me to be deeply loved, completely forgiven, fully pleasing, totally accepted, and a new creature – complete in Christ. Amen
