A young woman once told me she didn't believe we have to confess our sins to one another, we can just be nice next time. This is a classic response of a person who is incapable of repenting. Everyone who loves God is convicted of the smallest sin of rudeness and wants to confess it to the one they treated disrespectfully so that the relationship is not permanently damaged.
This young woman dishonored her mother and never ever apologized or confessed it as sin. To this day she acts as though she was justified in her rancor toward her mother. There is no forgiveness for those who will not confess.
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Here is what God says about confession of sin.
James 5:16
"16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
This woman who wanted to justify never having to admit her flaws defied the command in the Bible in favor of human wisdom.
These kinds of people justify their sinful attitudes by making up stories in their minds about what they wish to believe about a person so they can feel to count themselves "righteous judge" over the affairs of others. Their goal is to appear superior to everyone around them so when the jealousy in their heart overtakes them they act it out as if their concoctions of the mind are true.
Judges 17:6
"In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes."
Those who have a pretense of "religion" on the outside but are ravenous wolves on the inside will exact revenge on anyone who will shine the light on their evil heart.
Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
Matthew 23:23-25 "…23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence."
These hypocrites judge others about small insignificant matters while justifying their own divisive heart that seeks to elevate themselves by demeaning and diminishing others even when their targets are living for Christ. These hypocrites accuse their targets of the very thing the hypocrites are doing but the targets are not.
Isaiah 9:16
"For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up."
Matthew 15:14
"Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
There is no reasoning with people like this. One day a young woman approached me declaring that she was going to have a fight with me. Notice she didn't say; "I am concerned about our relationship could we have a discussion?
When someone comes to you loaded for bear to fight to win you know they are not open to learning how to resolve a conflict. They are there to intimidate and mock not to understand the other person or discover a misunderstanding to reconcile. They just want to fight to win over and will never place themselves in the shoes of another to love and appreciate the other person.
If someone loves you they will approach you with delicate humility to ask if you are alright, or if there is anything they can do to help. Coming to fight is what narcissists do to feel a sense of power over someone else. Loving godly people come to reconcile and to understand the one they love.
1 Corinthians 13:3-5
…3 If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs."
Love shows no favoritism but delights in loving everyone.
Romans 2:10-11 "…10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Greek. 11 For God does not show favoritism."
Acts 10:34
"Then Peter began to speak: "I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,"
James 2:8-10 "8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
A rebellious heart approaches to fight and shows favoritism to those they wish to impress, but a humble and loving heart approaches to understand and does not hold one person above another person. .
