46. What is meant by confession?
Confession is the agreement of the mind and heart with God’s conviction (1 John 1:9). The mind agrees with the sinfulness of the sin, and accepts the guilt of it (Ps 51:3-4). The heart agrees it has loved what God hates and hated what God loves, and sorrowfully revolts against such inordinate love (2 Cor 7:10), forsaking it for the cleansing blood of Christ and the truths of justification (Prov 28:13; Micah 7:8-9).
47. What will result from our refusing to confess?
When we refuse to confess, we experience leanness of soul and spiritual drought (Ps 106:15, 32:3-4), and harden our hearts to worshipping God (Ps 95:6-8), while losing boldness to approach God in communion (Heb 10:19-22).
48. Why is refusing to confess foolishness?
Refusing to confess is attempting to flee from the omnipresent One (Ps 139:1-16), hoping to cover our sins (Prov 28:13) by avoiding the Light (Jo 3:20) that lights every man (Jo 1:9) and hardening our hearts to the Almighty Spirit’s relentless conviction (Ps 139:7; Jo 16:8).
49. How will God respond to our refusals to confess?
God will lovingly chasten us, bringing to bear upon our souls the pain of withdrawn fellowship, evil consequences for sin, or purifying trials to purge us of our love of sin, and urge us toward confession and consecration (Heb 12:5-11).
50. What habits will encourage confession?
We should confess sin the moment we are aware of it, see no sin as too small to confess to Christ, refuse any reluctance to go to Christ, and be clothed with Christ’s obedience.
51. How will God receive our confession?
God receives it as the loving father ran to meet his prodigal son (Lk 15:20), for He is slow to anger and abundant in compassion (Ps 103:8-10), He delights to show mercy (Micah 7:18), and He is faithful and just to keep cleansing us because of our Advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous (1 John 1:9, 2:1-2).
About David de Bruyn
David de Bruyn pastors New Covenant Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a graduate of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minnesota and the University of South Africa (D.Th.). Since 1999, he has presented a weekly radio program that is heard throughout much of central South Africa. He also blogs at Churches Without Chests.
