We are told to confess our sins to God and to one another. Why? What good does it do to admit wrongs? Plenty!

6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin, but the righteous sing/shout for joy and are glad.

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16

“Confession is good for the soul.” In what way? There’s something concrete about saying things out loud. In fact, it’s why we are not to just spout out whatever comes into our minds. We are to filter those thoughts, taking them captive to Christ Jesus. “Discretion is the better part of valor.” Also, knowing that we will have to give an account to someone is a pretty big deterrent. We COULD lie, but the Holy Spirit inside us turns on some pretty hot conviction if we do that; besides, then we would have to confess THAT sin, as well, plus live with whatever consequences it causes.

When confessing to God, understand that we’re not telling Him anything that He doesn’t already know. We are simply agreeing with Him that what we did was sin. We have missed the mark of righteousness, holiness, and perfection. Now, when you read “perfection,” did you snort? Think about it: If we truly lived by the Spirit, walking closely with the LORD, believing everything He told us, and doing exactly what He said how He said to do it exactly when He told us to do it, then we would be perfect (whole, well-rounded, complete, mature), too. Christ was. We, also, have that possibility. In fact, it’s what Christ is teaching us day by day. In the meantime, how does God see us?

²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

⁴ Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4

²⁴ To him who is able to keep you from stumbling/falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault [blameless] and with great joy—Jude 1:24

¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:10-11

So, to sum up, God sees us as righteous, holy and faultless, upright (not stumbling), blameless and joyful, with no condemnation. I like that, NO CONDEMNATION! Want to read it? Here it is:

Therefore, NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2

Wow! When we confess to God, it’s really for US to see where we went wrong and to allow Him to fix us. Remember that sin destroys us, but He wants to give us life, abundant life [John 10:10]. All we have to do is come to Him and He will give it–pressed down, shaken together, running over [Luke 6:38-the principle is actually in giving, but when we give Him our hearts and lives, He gives us His heart, and life more abundantly]! So, let’s start confessing and receive His heart and His life!!!

Abba, You’re the only Person I know that makes confessing “fun.” I give You the bad, ugly, distasteful things in my life and You give me love, joy, peace, and then bless me with all kinds of blessings. I know that as long as I am honest with You and work at being like You that I am “bless-able,” and I don’t have to dread Your discipline. But when You do have to discipline me, I thank You for disciplining me because it lets me know You love me (Hebrews 12:5-8). I love You. Amen.