Confession is Necessary

When there is no confession there is no change.

Christ commanded us to confess our sins to be forgiven. Removing the element of confession by forgiving before confession, stunts the growth of the one who has sinned.

We cannot grow more holy or deeper into our walk with Christ unless we can humble ourselves and confess our sin.

When someone confesses to us, then we must forgive as Christ told us to do. Then with confession and forgiveness there is a reconciled relationship. Both actions must be present for there to be change.

Many people have destroyed relationships never to be restored because they will not humble themselves and confess and the offended party will not humble themselves and wait for the proper response before forgiving.

Rarely I hear of someone not forgiving someone who confesses. Most believers are quick to forgive when someone has humbled themselves enough to admit their sin.

However, there are many who say they have forgiven before there is repentance, leaving the one who sinned remaining in their pride, unwilling to ever be humbled enough to confess, these people grow more and more hardened because of pride.

If we love, we require what God does, that is confession for further humbling and changed behavior. People don't change their behavior when they cannot see or refuse to see, that their stubborn heart is destructive to themselves and others.

James 4:9-10 "…9 Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you."

James 5:16 "16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail. "

Those who forgive before repentance are in disobedience and likely thwarting the growth process for not only the one who sinned, but also their own.

Are our own feelings, desiring for things to be over more important than God's solutions? We ought to be willing to endure the waiting for someone to be broken over their sin, that is the faith that is required, that we might be patient in waiting on God to work in someone's life.

So many people remove the obstacles and troubles in the lives of others, that causes them to stagnate and even regress in their spiritual growth.

Let's do things God's way, holding out for the best even if it hurts a little. As long as our culture holds "feelings" in higher regard than truth, we will see hearts growing harder and sin increasing.

Forget the psychology you were taught all your life by church and school. Look deeply and prayerfully into God's Word to embrace God's ways while rejecting man's way.