“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matthew 3:8 NIV)
I wonder, how’s fruit production these days? What is growing in the limbs of our lives? Can we taste the essential contribution of contrition?
Daily confession is a practice that many protestants have abandoned. Their reason is understandable. Catholics link confession with penance; in short a priest hears one’s sins aloud and assigns an act that brings absolution; most typically a series of prayers. Many post-catholics hold to scripture: only God can grant absolution of sins. A priest cannot offer absolution. God alone offers absolution. A minister is merely a human representative of His Kingdom, here to encourage, correct and edify the believer as they learn to walk in right relationship with a holy God. Unfortunately, the rejection of public confession can result in the rejection of systematic confession altogether.
It concerns me that we’ve thrown the baby out with the bathwater. Confession: a thorough heart search followed by repentance of any discovered sin, is still an important discipline in the life of the believer. Confession is commanded in scripture.
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10 NIV)
It’s how we deal with sin at it’s root, before it grows strong and infirms our whole frame with it’s blight. Earnest contrition – the acknowledgement our sin and intentional turning from it – accomplishes something profound in our inner man. What’s more, confession to one another can instigate accountability and create a much-needed spiritual support system.
“Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 NIV)
Repentance cleans the slate and confession to another holds us accountable. Righteousness has opportunity to take root again.
I’ve recently added written confession to my daily devotional routine. I believe, over time I’ll be able to identify and root out my more subtle sin tendencies: jealousy, people pleasing, fear, anxiety, covetous. Perhaps you’ll consider joining me in this ancient task of identifying personal sin and working with the Spirit to eliminate it from your frame? It is far less painful in daily doses, when the sin is still small and surmountable. Unconfessed sin left to it’s own devices can swallow up our lives in a hurry.
“The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
(Matthew 3:10 NIV)
Lord, give us the courage to look within and hunt down the attitudes, thoughts and actions that are offensive to You. Aid us in this effort with the searchlight of Your Spirit. Help us confess, to You and others, strengthen us in our wrestle with holiness. We long to produce good fruit, fruit that honors the Kingdom and reflects Your image back into this world. Amen.