Embrace the gift of confession to behold the beauty of Christ
In our modern Christian worship services, one ancient spiritual discipline has been largely lost − the practice of corporate and private confession of sins. As James K.A. Smith laments, "What if an invitation to confess our sins is actually the answer to our seeking? What if we want to confess our sins and don't even realize it until given the opportunity? In that case, extending an invitation to confession would be the most 'sensitive' thing we could do, a gift to seeking souls."
The seeker-sensitive movement assumed non-Christians would be turned off by being confronted with their sinfulness through confession. But as Smith challenges, "Why in the world would sinners want to be confronted with their sin? I wonder if these artifacts of popular culture actually suggest that the opposite is true: deep down, we already know what's true about our faults and brokenness."
The practice of confession taps into that deep longing to be fully known and fully forgiven.
The early church fathers recognized the central role of self-knowledge and confession in the Christian life. Augustine wrote in Confessions, "How can you draw close to God when you are far from your own self? Grant, Lord, that I may know myself that I may know thee."
First know yourself, and then rejoice in knowing God
John Calvin similarly stated Christian wisdom "consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves."
Meister Eckhart declared, "No one can know God who does not first know himself."
This self-knowledge comes through ruthless honesty about our thoughts, desires and deeds before God and others. As Peter Scazzero summarizes, "Almost all problems in the spiritual life stem from a lack of self-knowledge."
Genuine self-awareness exposes our deep need for a Savior. It makes us humble and hungry for God's mercy, as we resonate with the tax collector who cried, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Luke 18:13)
The 4th-century theologian Gregory of Nyssa poetically describes this path of confession that leads to genuinely seeing God:
"If a man's heart has been purified from every creaturely and unruly affection, he will see the Image of the Divine Nature in his own beauty... If, therefore, you wash off by a good life the filth that has been stuck on your heart like plaster, the Divine beauty will again shine forth in you. For the Godhead is purity, freedom from passion, and separation from all evil. If, therefore, these things be in you, God is indeed in you."
Regular confession is the means by which we wash off the offensiveness of our hearts. It clears our spiritual vision to see the glory of Christ. As 1 John 1:9 promises, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Corporate and private confession are part of Christian worship
Through confession, we realign our story with God's greater Story of redemption. As Smith puts it, "You move through your day inhabiting a different Story, with the humility of confession ready on your lips, hungry for the mercy of God, longing to embody it for your neighbor."
Both corporate and private confession should be woven into the rhythm of Christian worship and discipleship. In corporate worship, having a prayer of confession allows the body of Christ to collectively own our universal condition as sinners in need of grace. As the Book of Common Prayer articulates:
"Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed ..."
After voicing our confession together, we then hear that sins are forgiven through Christ, and we are strengthened for renewed obedience by the Holy Spirit. As Smith describes it, "You never, ever, ever hear this prayer without immediately hearing the good news: Almighty God has mercy on you, forgives you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthens you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keeps you in eternal life."
In addition to corporate confession, private confession also is a means of grace. Having a daily discipline of self-examination, acknowledging sins before God, and receiving his forgiveness keeps our conscience clear and our relationship with God transparent and healthy. As Psalm 32:5 states, "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity...and you forgave the iniquity of my sin." (Psalm 32:5)
Confession may seem counterintuitive in our age of self-affirmation. But paradoxically, it is the path to truly knowing God and ourselves. It brings the humility, hunger and mercy we all deeply crave.
As pilgrims being transformed from “glory to glory” (2 Cor 3:18), may we embrace this gift of confession both corporately and privately. By doing so, we straighten the crookedness of our hearts and behold the beauty of Christ.
Joshua Cehulik is the worship pastor at Calvary Baptist Church and Chaplain at Ashland County Sheriff's Office
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Practice of confession taps into deep longing to be forgiven
