How does confession or denial reflect my confession of faith?
Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation - Lesson 4 - Confess to the Other Person, Question 18, p. 60
In Lesson 3, we explored how denying our sins equates to denying our need for Christ. By not depending on Christ and His forgiveness, we end up justifying ourselves. When we confess our sins, we place our trust in God’s forgiveness and thereby affirm our faith in Christ. As 1 John 1:9 states, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
The Greek word for “confess” (ὁμολογῶμεν – homologōmen) means “to say the same thing.” When we acknowledge our sins, we align our words with God’s — admitting our sinfulness and recognizing that we deserve nothing but His wrath and punishment (Romans 6:23a). Paul also uses this term “confess” in Romans 10:9-10.
In confessing our faith through the Apostles’ Creed, we proclaim that God created, redeemed, and sanctifies us. By admitting our sins, we demonstrate our belief in Christ and affirm that we need a Savior, trusting in His promise of forgiveness. This act of confession is a testament to our faith in the forgiveness of sins as stated in the Creed.
However, when we fail to confess our sins or attempt to justify ourselves, we are essentially placing our trust and faith in our righteousness, not in Christ. This self-reliance signifies a departure from the true profession of faith. Instead of acknowledging our need for Christ’s redemptive work, we depend on ourselves for justification, which undermines our proclamation of faith.
Let us remember, for those times when we have self-justified, that we have this promise of Romans 5:8-9 as it beautifully proclaims the forgiveness we receive through Christ: "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God."
This blog series is adapted from Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation. You can experience this teaching in several ways:
Bible study format through Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation OR Go and Be Reconciled: What Does This Mean?
Downloadable and reproducible version of Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation
Seminar format for either Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation or Go and Be Reconciled: What Does This Mean?
Webinar format for Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation or Go and Be Reconciled: What Does This Mean?
FREE Recorded webinar format for Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation
FREE Online course: Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation Self Study
Comments