If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
as
far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from
us.
Psalm 103:12
Most
of us do not give a thought to confessing our sins, as in each individual sin
or type of sin. If we do ask God
to forgive us, we usually do it in an off-handed way such as, Forgive me for
my sins, Lord. Amen. Perhaps
we ought to give it a little more thought. What does confess mean? It means to agree with God about what he says about
sin. Confessing should mean that
we really look into our hearts for attitudes and actions that are contrary to
scripture. What does the Bible
say?
Sometimes
we break sin down into categories, big and small: It's just a little white lie. Nobody was hurt. Its not gossip! I am just making conversation. Nobody saw me do it, so no
one got hurt. Why does my neighbor have such a big house? I deserve it as much as he does.
Then,
there are the BIG sins: I don't commit adultery. I would never steal anyone's pension funds! I have never
killed anyone! I would never
sexually abuse a child! I have never had an abortion. God would never forgive
me if I did anything like that. Guess what? Sin is sin in God's sight. Sin is anything that gets between
us and God. It might even be,
heaven forbid, loving my spouse or child more than loving God!
So
our first step is confessing, agreeing with God about what is sin in our lives
then being sincerely sorry about it; following that up with a change in thought
or behavior. You are not really
sorry if you continue doing the same old thing after confessing.
I have always loved
the snow. After a snow I want to be the first one out in the morning before
anyone walks on it, or drives on it or messes it up in any way. I want to enjoy
it in its blinding newness before anyone makes snowmen or goes sledding in it.
I love the perfection of the snow's total cleanliness. That is what God can do with any sin or
any kind of life. Let him wash
away your sins. Then they will be
remembered no more by him and in his sight you will be "whiter than
snow." He gives us a new beginning.
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7b).
Pat Eppler
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