The Light of Truthfeatured

Confessing our sins is a vital part of our journey as disciples of Jesus Christ. It is part of a divine process that clears the dirty sin clutter from our hearts and enables our relationship with Almighty God.

Confession is not easy for me. Confessing not only the sins I have committed but also my sins of omission (the lost opportunities to shine Christ’s light on others) is time consuming and painful. Plus, since I commit a minimum of one sin every day, I need to confess daily.

I am learning that confession begins with recognizing my sins. It is way too easy for me to just ask God to forgive my sins without getting into specifics. After all, he knows all the details! This reeks of laziness and robs me of the opportunity to grow and develop as his disciple. I suspect that I am not the only one that is fond of this shortcut.

David knew a thing or two about confession. In Psalm 139: 23-24 he says, “Search me, God, and know my heart … See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” We need help in recognizing our sins. All too often, I view my sins through the filter of the world around me. That often leads to thoughts like, “Well, I not nearly as bad as…”

Confession must involve examining our thoughts and behaviors against God’s truth and we are not strong or wise enough to do that on our own. Even David (a man after God’s heart) had to have some help in recognizing his sin after the Bathsheba incident (2 Samuel 11). The prophet Nathan confronted David with his sin and David responded, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:3).

Most of us don’t have a prophet handy to help us recognize our sins, so God has given us not only his Word, but also the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promised us in John 16:13, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” With the help of the Holy Spirit we let the light of God’s truth shine on our thoughts and actions and we more easily recognize our sins.

So how do we let the Holy Spirit use God’s Word as a light to guide us into the truth and meaningful confession? Here are a couple of ideas to get you started. Note: this is not a comprehensive list!

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17) are a good place to start. Although I typically don’t have issues with some of the commandments like murdering and stealing, I must pause and let the light of truth shine brightly on that first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” I don’t bow down to any idols, but I often choose to follow my path rather than his. I ask him to bless what I want, rather than submitting to his will for me. I like to pretend I am my own God. The light of truth leads me to recognition and confession. Then I need move on to the other commandments where sin may have taken hold – sigh!

Additionally, I have found that checking my behavior against the truths found in Ephesians 5 improves my recognition.  How do my thoughts and actions compare to the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22 and 23? To avoid minimalizing my sins, I need the help of the Holy Spirit to face the truth. When have I been selfish rather than loving? When have I been impatient instead of patient? When have I been heavy handed instead of gentle? This exercise requires an investment of my time, the light of God’s truth, and insight from my helper, the Holy Spirit.

Light from our sun not only helps us see, but also has a cleansing effect. The UV rays in sunlight kill the bacteria and viruses that are harmful to our bodies. When we examine our hearts in the light of God’s truth, we recognize the sins that are harmful to our souls. As we confess in the forgiving light of Jesus Christ (I like to think of it as “Sonlight”), he cleanses our dirty hearts of all those destructive sins. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

I hope the rays of Jesus’s light in this painting will remind us of the power and beauty of God’s truth. I left a few dark places where the light has not yet invaded. I know I still have pockets of darkness that need exposure to the light. Once, we give him access into those dark areas, more of his light shines through us into to a dark and hurting world. Jesus spoke clearly about these truths:

• “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46).
• In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Let’s all resolve each day to recognize and confess our sins so his “Sonlight” can shine brightly in us and through us. Amen!

P.S. Repentance is essential to confession and is woven through the process. We’ll talk about that next time!