We confess our sins when we come to faith in Christ as a normal experience of conviction. As Protestants we reject the notion of confessing our sins to a priest in a sacerdotal system, but the scripture teaches that we are to confess our sins to one another as a mutual duty. As we pray and confess sins to one another there is a great power resulting in the restoration of wandering sinners, saving souls and covering sins; we are drawn closer to one another as we are drawn closer to Christ. Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers a multitude of sins.
Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God in the name of Christ with confession of sin and with thanksgiving, and we are commanded to do this to one another. Whereas, confession is an act of mortification of the old nature; it is an act of purging the soul of the bitter remnants of sin. As we confess our failings, we are better equipped to overcome and resist temptation to sin. The prayer of the righteous man will avail much.
Confession must be done with wisdom, but some guidelines are available. Confess to a neighbor or brother to whom we have given offence. We are to confess to those with whom we have entered into sin together. If our conscience continues to accuse us after confessing our sin to the Lord we should then seek out goodly counsel from a trusted elder. When God's glory is at stake in the public view then we may need to confess publicly. The outcome of such confession is healing and wellness.
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Nathan Eshelman holds a Master of Divinity degree from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI, as well as a Doctor of Ministry degree from Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA. He serves as clerk of the Pacific Coast Presbytery (RPCNA),...
