Confession of sin is
the act of honestly acknowledging
one’s sin to God.
It means agreeing with God
about the true nature of our sin
rather than hiding, denying, or excusing it.
Confession is an essential part of
both the initial turning to Christ
and the ongoing Christian life.
The core idea of confession is to “say the same thing” as God about our sin — to admit that what He calls sin is indeed sin. In the New Testament, the key verse is:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
Confession is not a work that earns forgiveness. Rather, it is the means by which we receive and experience the forgiveness that God freely offers through the finished work of Christ.
Both the Old and New Testaments emphasize the importance of confession:
Confession involves both the vertical dimension (to God) and, when appropriate, the horizontal dimension (to those we have wronged).
For the believer, confession of sin is not a one-time event but a continuing practice:
True confession is specific rather than vague, honest rather than defensive, and accompanied by a desire to forsake the sin.
Confession of sin is a gracious provision from God. He does not demand that we clean ourselves up before coming to Him; instead, He invites us to bring our sin into the light so that He can forgive and cleanse us. Regular, honest confession is a vital means of maintaining close fellowship with God and experiencing the freedom that comes from walking in the truth.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.