The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon titled "Need to Confess?" You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.
Confession: Is there something you need to confess?
Why do people practice death bed confessions? Perhaps it is because people don't want to die feeling guilty. On the other hand, why do people want to live with guilt? Truth be told, there are numerous reasons people live with a heavy heart filled with guilt, but what are the consequences of living with guilt? Let's consider Psalm 32.
How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart. - Psalm 32:1-6
No one is exempt from messing up. David messed up. He messed up big and tried to cover it up.
3 Words for Disobedience
Transgression
Sin. Sin means "to miss the mark."
Inequity. Inequity means to twist and pervert.
When we disobey God, we commit a transgression. We sin. We rebel. If David could mess up, then so can you and so can I. Sin grows and spreads through secrecy. Once you confess your sin, you are on your way to freedom. No one is exempt.
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. - 1 John 1:8
The confession of bad works is the beginning of good works? No one had to teach us how to cover up sin. It's our default pattern. After Adam and Eve committed the first sin, the first thing they did was try to cover it up.
But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. - Numbers 32:23
When we have unconfessed sin in our lives, it will drain us. Sin is a heavy load to carry. Sin can affect us physically. Have you ever read "The Tale Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe? The weight of what he had done was too much for him.
Whatever we cover up will eventually be found out.
Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops. - Luke 12:1-3
David though he had gotten away with his sin, but he didn't. God always knows.
When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord. - 2 Samuel 11:27
David was confronted. When we cover our sin, God will uncover it. When we uncover it, God will cover it.
What if God is using COVID19 to get our attention?
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. - Proverbs 28:13
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. - Psalm 32:5
Confession sets us free.
But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:7-9
Confession brings freedom, but the consequences of our sin are not erased. Still, God doesn't turn His back on us. When we try to cover our sin, it is exhausting. We can't cover all of it up all the time. Walking in openness brings freedom. What do you need to confess?
Do you need a relationship with God? No matter what you have done, God can forgive it. What are the guidelines for confessing? Prayer
Confess to God.
Confess to the right person at the right time.
If you have committed a public sin, confess publicly. If you have committed a private sin, confess privately.
God makes no mistakes. His timing is perfect.
Our current COVID19 crisis is giving us a lot of time to be with God. This is a moment when He has our attention.
Bring your wounds to Jesus.
Use your scars for Jesus.
PIN ME!
Read all posts in my pastor's series on "Confession" here.
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