Confessions
I have a confession to make. Actually I have two and they fit under the two different categories of confessions in the Bible:
a confession of sin
and
a confession of faith
I love that a confession can be either of those things and they go so well together. A confession is essentially a profession or acknowledgement of something. Confessing is the act of making this profession or acknowledgement. It is saying something. Something that really matters. So when we confess our sin, we are admitting to it, acknowledging that what we said, thought, or did was against God's right ways. When we confess our faith, we are stating what we believe about God.
Two famous verses that go along with the two types of confessions are:
"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 KJV - the way I first memorized it)
"if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Rom. 10:9 ESV)
So what are my confessions?
Well, the first is a confession that I worry about many things, things that range from trivial to tremendously important, even though I know God's commands:
"do not be anxious" (Phil. 4:6)
"do not worry" (Matthew 6:25-34)
I definitely relate to Martha in Luke 10:38-42. (I think if my adult children were reading this they would concur.)
And what is the other confession?
The second confession is what frees me from my sin of worry and from all my other sins.
I confess that I believe Jesus is Lord and Saviour. I believe the Gospel. I believe God's Word is true:
-"God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5:21).
- Once I was alienated from God and was enemies in my mind with Him because of my evil behaviour. But now He has reconciled me by Christ's physical body through death to present me holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation. (Colossians 1:21-22 with change of pronouns)
I confess that I am cleansed and pardoned because of Jesus.
Writing this... this amazingly wonderful Good News... prompts me to admit that I have another confession to make:
I am so grateful for God's forgiveness and mercy. I delight in His grace towards me. Day after day I have seen Him graciously provide for me in the situations I am stressed about. I have seen answers to prayers or been given the grace to endure when the answers aren't what I hoped for. I am humbled that He hears my cries of distress and meets me. God has been very good to me. God is very good.
This is my confession on Tuesday, July 4, 2017.
peace and grace,
Tracy
a confession of sin
and
a confession of faith
I love that a confession can be either of those things and they go so well together. A confession is essentially a profession or acknowledgement of something. Confessing is the act of making this profession or acknowledgement. It is saying something. Something that really matters. So when we confess our sin, we are admitting to it, acknowledging that what we said, thought, or did was against God's right ways. When we confess our faith, we are stating what we believe about God.
Two famous verses that go along with the two types of confessions are:
"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 KJV - the way I first memorized it)
"if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Rom. 10:9 ESV)
So what are my confessions?
Well, the first is a confession that I worry about many things, things that range from trivial to tremendously important, even though I know God's commands:
"do not be anxious" (Phil. 4:6)
"do not worry" (Matthew 6:25-34)
I definitely relate to Martha in Luke 10:38-42. (I think if my adult children were reading this they would concur.)
And what is the other confession?
The second confession is what frees me from my sin of worry and from all my other sins.
I confess that I believe Jesus is Lord and Saviour. I believe the Gospel. I believe God's Word is true:
-"God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5:21).
- Once I was alienated from God and was enemies in my mind with Him because of my evil behaviour. But now He has reconciled me by Christ's physical body through death to present me holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation. (Colossians 1:21-22 with change of pronouns)
I confess that I am cleansed and pardoned because of Jesus.
Writing this... this amazingly wonderful Good News... prompts me to admit that I have another confession to make:
I am so grateful for God's forgiveness and mercy. I delight in His grace towards me. Day after day I have seen Him graciously provide for me in the situations I am stressed about. I have seen answers to prayers or been given the grace to endure when the answers aren't what I hoped for. I am humbled that He hears my cries of distress and meets me. God has been very good to me. God is very good.
This is my confession on Tuesday, July 4, 2017.
peace and grace,
Tracy
Comments
Post a Comment