The Christian’s Confession of Sin

by Harold Hancock

We live in an age in which time to forget rather than repentance and confession is the path of restoration sought by many Christians, and accepted by some churches. Many questions have been asked about the Christian’s confession of sin, especially the “public confession.”

The Bible teaches that a Christian ought always confess his faults to God, and sometimes to men. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). “Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed” (James 5:16). In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:21), the son returned confessing, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight.”

Sometimes the knowledge and effect of our sins travels much faster and further than news of our repentance and confession. I remember the story of a lady who traveled through a certain town dropping feathers as she went. She then returned trying to recover them. Many had been blown by the wind and were irretrievable. So it is with some of our sins. Our best efforts can not undo all the harm that has been done.

A good rule to follow when possible is that the confession be as broad as the knowledge of the sin. This would assure us of always confessing our sins to God, because He always knows of our sins. “And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). It would mean that sins that were public, or generally known, would be confessed publicly, or generally. I think we see this principle applied in the scriptures. In Matthew 18:15, we read, “And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.”

All responsibility toward men can be fulfilled by letting one person know of our repentance if our trespass is against one, and only one knows of it. However, in Galatians 2, we are told that Peter sinned before all; Paul rebuked him before all (Galatians 2:14). “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned. For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision … But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before (them) all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” (Galatians 2:11-14). Could Peter’s confession have been less than “before (them) all” to be effective? When a sin is carried before the church (Matthew 18:17), should not the church also be informed of the repentance?

Suppose that a teacher sees a student at his desk write 2 + 2 = 5. The teacher may inform the student of his mistake, and the student may correct it without anyone other than the teacher knowing of it. No harm will come. However, if the mistake is made at the board before all, then it must be corrected before all.

I am not sure all have grasped the importance of the confession. We must confess our sins to God to have forgiveness of them (I John 1:9). Without confession to God, there is no forgiveness. We confess our faults one to another that we may be healed (James 5:16). Again, to be healed is to be forgiven (cf. Matthew 13:15; Mark 4:12). This is God’s plan of restoration. We have no more right to change it than to change the command of baptism for the remission of sins. The confession also relieves one of the burden of sin. David felt the hand of God pressing on him while he kept silent about his sin. The burden was lifted when he acknowledged his sin and confessed his transgressions. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom Jehovah imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: My moisture was changed (as) with the drought of summer. (Selah) I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity did I not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. (Selah)” (Psalms 32:1-5).

A confession of sin lets all know where one stands. I like the story of the man with a peg leg who answered the invitation after a sermon on worldliness. He wanted all to know that he no longer danced just because he could not, but because he now felt it was wrong as well. All knew where he stood. What kind of a Christian are we if we are afraid to let all know where we stand? All of us sin (I John 1:8, 10). We need to make some kind of a confession. May we all make the ones we need to. It has long been said, “Confession is good for the soul.” Truly it is.

(Adapted: Truth Magazine XXIII: 4, p. 74, January 25, 1979)