Confession

A Word of Truth #180  

“Confession is good for the soul.” Though God did not say those words, they are true when “confession” is understood in the way that God describes it.

A God pleasing confession of sins acknowledges with sorrow all of our sins, including those we don’t even know we have done (cf. Psalm 19:12). We confess our sins to God. It is He against whom we have sinned. Our confession of sorrow and repentance belongs to Him. At times we may also wish to confess our sins to a fellow Christian to receive assurance and encouragement for a particular sin, but such person-to-person confession is not required by God.

A second part of confession is that once the sins are acknowledged by a sinner who puts his trust in Jesus for forgiveness, he should also receive and believe the pronouncement of God that his sins are forgiven. “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 2:9).

What is the Sacrament of the Altar?

A Word of Truth #181  

Jesus is a good teacher and counselor. As a teacher He knows that we learn best by using all of our senses. As a counselor, He knows that there will be times in our lives when we need extra assurance of His presence and blessing. For these reasons, among others, Jesus gave us His supper. Jesus instructed His disciples to take bread and eat it and to take wine and drink it. He said that those partaking of the bread and wine also receive in a miraculous way His true body and blood as a special assurance of their forgiveness and of His presence in their lives. Our Savior wants us to know that we are loved and forgiven. Our Savior wants us to walk with confidence, knowing that He is with us. We hear these truths in His Word. We taste and see these truths in His supper.

—PDN