Confessions

Currently there is this Confession fad going on in Facebook under various organisations and institutions.  In them, you’ll find people confessing to their shenanigans, whether they have taken place in the past or in the present.  Many recount the memories of life in organisations or institutions they were or are from. Some admitting to certain sexual orientation or sexual exploits, their crushes, mischief and misdeeds; a reflection of the changing social mores in our present day society.  Do such confessions go about alleviating the guilty conscience of people?   Let’s see what the Bible has to say.

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."  Jas 5:16 (NASB)

In order to understand what this verse means since there is the word therefore, we have to look at the preceding verses which talk about the sick requesting the elders of the church to pray over him.  Although there may be anointing of oil in the name of the Lord, it is the prayer of faith that brings healing both to the body (seen in restoration) and/or soul (seen in forgiveness of sin).  Because of the efficacy of the prayer of faith to heal the soul as well, James next encourages believers to confess their sins to one another.  Not so much as to gossip about them but to lay them before the Lord in prayer.  Notice the word 'and' connects confess to one another with pray for one another. 

James also mentions that there must be no confession without the determination to be healed, to be rid of the sin.  Just as the listener needs to examine his motives, not to be an idle person with an itching ear, but to bring himself to the sole intention of praying for his friend, so the confessor must also examine his motives, for sin cannot be confessed in a spirit of exhibitionism, without any real abhorrence of it or longing to see it gone.  This is the kind of confession that believers ought to engage in and not simply declare to all and sundry without any attempt to repent of our sins. 

The Greek word for confess means “to speak the same as”.  In other words, when we confess our sins we use the same language God uses to describe them.  It is more than merely saying, “I’m sorry”. It is calling a spade a spade and not something else.  True confession involves sincere repentance, forsaking the sin and willingness to confess to others and make restitution.