If a Christian is struggling with sickness, we don’t tell them to confess their sickness, but to confess healing. If a Christian is struggling with lack, we don’t tell them to confess their lack, but to confess abundance. Why, then, would we tell a Christian who has sinned to confess his sin? To be consistent, wouldn’t we tell them to confess their righteousness in Christ?

Answer: If “confess” means to “dwell upon, wallow in, hash and reshash,” then I would agree completely that we’ve got a problem. Unfortunately, for some, that’s what confession of sin has meant, especially those that don’t understand their right standing with God based on the grace of God.

However, if “confession” means “to acknowledge, to concede, or to admit”(along with “saying the same thing”)—which is what it means—then it makes perfect sense. A sick person usually acknowledges they’re sick before trust God for healing (Mark 2:17). A person dealing with lack usually acknowledges they have need of provision before making a concerted effort to receive provision. A Christian who has sinned, according to 1 John 1:9, acknowledges their fault as they receive forgiveness.

If we look at this domestically, if I offend or hurt my wife in some way, I don’t simply “confess my marriage.” Common courtesy and love requires that I say, “Honey, I’m sorry I hurt you.” All the while, I can realize that she is my wife, that I have a covenant with her, that we are life partners, etc.

Likewise, if I sin against God, I can acknowledge my error and turn from it, all the while acknowledging that God continues to love me, that I am His child, that I am in covenant with Him based on the blood of His Son.

Acts 19:18-20 says,
“…many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
Again, confession doesn’t mean wallowing in the problem or not being “righteousness conscious.” It simply means that you acknowledge that there’s a problem that needs to be turned from. There’s an old saying that, “You can’t fix a problem you don’t have.”

The Apostle Paul wrote the Corinthians a very sharp letter addressing an ongoing problem of sin in their lives, and when they repented, he said to them,
For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Cor. 7:8-10)
If a Christian sins, it is perfectly scriptural and logical to acknowledge it (confess it), turn from it, enjoy the forgiveness of God that was procured 2,00 years ago, and also receive empowerment from the grace of God that teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12). By the way, I’m all for confessing and celebrating our righteousness in Christ, and there are many Scriptures that support that as well.

Tony Cook