Tag Archives: Confession

Cover Ups

July 1, 2014

Comments Off on Cover Ups

 

Hiding from God didn't work for Adam and it doesn't work for us.

Hiding from God didn’t work for Adam and it doesn’t work for us.

How much time needs to pass before an unforgiven sin no longer counts against us? Is that even possible? The Proverbs writer answers for us:

If you hide your sins, you will not succeed.
If you confess and reject them, you will receive mercy – Proverbs 28:13 NCV

Sins can’t be hidden and they don’t expire when we just ignore them. What are the ways we hide and “forget” our sins?

  • We deny them
  • We extenuate them
  • We diminish them
  • We dissemble them
  • We blame others for them

Sometimes we get good enough to quit thinking about them at all. Look at what David wrote when he was hiding from a sin:

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah. – Psalms 32:3-4

People by nature “groan” when they are in the wrong – when they need to be forgiven. This is for our own good!

because …

people are by nature sinful.

God hears the repentant Christian’s call for forgiveness. (1 John 1:9) He wants us to lean on him, not hide from him. However, hiding our sin leaves us in a dangerous state (1 John 1:10)

Continue reading...

The Good Confession

September 17, 2013

Comments Off on The Good Confession

Paul called the confession of Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God “the good confession.” (1 Timothy 6:12-13) I can’t think of any better reason to call it that than the promise Jesus makes in Luke 12:8-9. If it goes anything like Christ’s response to Peter when he confessed that Jesus was the Christ, (Matthew 16:17-18) then it truly is a wonderful event.

Other reasons we call it “the good confession” include:

  • It is part of God’s plan of salvation (Romans 10:9-10)
  • Jesus was condemned for making it (John 19:7, Mark 14:62)
  • God made it (Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5)
  • All will make it eventually (Philippians 2:11)
  • Christ confesses those who make it (Matthew 10:32)

Making the good confession – actually saying that Jesus is the Son of God in front of others, opens your heart to the desire to obey God’s commandments. It is how we are able to be truly obedient to God’s plan

 Daily Bible reading for September 17

Psalm 47
2 Samuel 7
Ezekiel 7
Luke 11:37-12:12

Continue reading...

The Good Confession

May 30, 2013

Comments Off on The Good Confession

Paul mentions the “good confession” twice in two verses (1 Timothy 6:12-13.) We usually refer to moment one confesses that he believes Christ is the Son of God when he is preparing for baptism as the “good confession.”

Why call it the good confession?

  • Christ made it under oath to Pilate, (Mark 14:62) then he died for making it.
  • God made it at Christ’s baptism (Matthew 3:17)
  • God made it at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:5)
  • God made it before the Greeks (John 12:28)
  • Everyone will eventually make it (Philippians 2:11)
  • It is vital to the plan of salvation (Romans 10:10)
  • Christ will confess those that make it to God (Matthew 10:32)
  • Even angels (Luke 2:11) and demons (Mark 5:7) have made it

The good confession is the sum total of the Christian doctrine. Everything in the Bible depends on Christ being the Son of God so believing and confessing his name are the first steps to salvation.

Bonus

Here are some more who made the good confession:

  • Nathaniel (John 1:49)
  • Peter (Matthew 16:16)
  • Timothy (1 Timothy 6:12)
  • Nicodemus (John 3:2)
  • Thomas (John 20:28)
  • Judas who betrayed him (Matthew 27:4)
  • the judge who tried him (Matthew 27:24)
  • Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27:19)
  • The centurion in charge of his execution (Matthew 27:54)
  • The greater thief on the cross Luke 23:42).

Daily Bible reading for May 30

Psalm 149
Numbers 35-36
Joel 2:28-3:21
1 Timothy 6:3-21

Continue reading...