Psalm 66:18. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Sin builds a wall between us and God. It blocks the channel through which His blessings flow. This is why we must confess our sins as soon as we fall, so that we may be cleansed from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Honest confession restores our relationship with our Father.
True confession is not merely about feeling guilty, remorseful, or ashamed. It begins with the acknowledgment that all our problems, shortcomings, and sinful nature originated from the fall—when Adam broke the covenant with God. In confession, we expose what the devil has done, binding all people under the law of sin and death.
In our confession, we agree with the Word of God that we have become lovers of ourselves, caught in self-centeredness, self-reliance (Genesis 3), and the pursuit of worldly pleasures (Genesis 6) and success (Genesis 11). We begin to see how the devil has trapped us in frames shaped by worldly powers (Acts 13), economy (Acts 16), and culture (Acts 19). We recognize the influence of his snares, continually tempting us to live as slaves to sin.
We place ourselves before our Father, struggling inwardly, torn between the law of God and the law of sin, just as Paul described in his letter to the Roman believers (Romans 7:14–23). So we echo his confession: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). But this cry is not the end—it leads us straight to the cross, where we also declare with Paul: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25).
The true confession of sin ultimately leads us to Jesus. He is our True King, who destroyed the power of the evil one and broke the chains of death. When we confess, we are declaring our freedom from Satan. He is our True Priest, who bore every curse and removed every disaster brought through sin. We come to Him, who has authority to forgive sin, and declare His and our victory over sin and death. And He is our True Prophet, who opened a new and living way to God so that we may live in peace with Him.
At the cross, the faithful and just God already forgave all our sins—past, present, and future—when Jesus, declared, “It is finished.” So when we confess, we do so not to earn forgiveness, but to step into the reality of what has already been accomplished. Through the Holy Spirit, God purifies us from all unrighteousness and renews our minds so that we can think on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—whatever is excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).
The Holy Spirit reminds us that we are God’s beloved children, and that nothing can separate us from His love in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37–39). Confession, then, is not a time of defeat but a time of restoration, reassurance, and renewal. It is one of the greatest privileges of being a child of God.
We must recognize that one of the most powerful sources of sin is our speech. James writes, “Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Otherwise, you will be condemned. Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise” (James 5:12–13).
Our speech controls the direction of our lives and can either build up or destroy. That is why we must overcome the power of words rooted in unbelief, legalism, and failure. Instead, we are called to speak words filled with the gospel, faith, and victory. Whatever you store in your heart will eventually come out in your words. If you store up the gospel in your heart, you will walk in the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
In all you do, experience the power of God, that is, the gospel (Romans 1:16). And the gospel is Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:1-4). The Holy Spirit, who lives in you, will produce fruit in your life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).
As others see the good that flows from your heart and life, they will witness the light of the gospel and give praise to your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Your words are powerful. They can encourage and build up or harm and tear down. So let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with truth, so that you will know how to respond to everyone (Colossians 4:6). Speak faith, hope, and love. Ask God to fill your mind with the mind of Christ.
Prayer. Father, I thank You for Your unconditional forgiveness because of what Jesus has done on the cross. Help me to live under Your grace and proclaim the gospel of Your forgiveness to those still struggling under the power of sin. In Jesus’ name, Amen.