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Oscar Wilde once said "It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution." While I believe that there is a benefit to having another to talk to concerning our guilt, it really is the act of humbling ourselves and making confession that truly brings about change in the life of a believer.

Jesus Christ came because we were long separated from God by the sin in our hearts. His death brought reconciliation, but it is not a free gift in the sense that it takes no action on our part. We have to be willing to accept that gift by having faith that Christ's sacrifice was enough. But that isn't the end. The renewing power of the Holy Spirit moves our hearts to change. As Max Lucado said, "God loves you just the way you are...but He refuses to leave you there. He wants you to have a heart like Jesus, to be like Him." To grow in holiness and righteousness is to seek to throw off the shackles of sin and find ways to cultivate a greater relationship of love with our Maker.

As humans, we shy away from admitting our mistakes and finding fault in ourselves. How could we ever confess our sins to a God who we cannot see physically manifested when we cannot even share our faults and talk about our weaknesses with a fellow Christian, someone close to us that we may even see daily?

James 5:16 tells us that by confessing and praying with one another, we may be healed. Through regular confession, we can find healing by not only giving our problems up to another soul, but also by finding confidence to share our guilt in prayer with our Lord and Savior. Another way I suggest really challenging yourself to find a higher level of commitment to holiness is by regular meetings with an accountability partner or team. By choosing, as a pair or group, to be completely honest and open with one another about your struggles and your past, you can find healing and renewal like you have never experienced before. Accountability teams can also provide the support necessary to help you break old habits, addictions or habitual sins that have held you back from a more joyful relationship with Christ.

We also confess our sins in order that we may offer ourselves more fully to God. Confession really is the first step to repentance. By admitting where we fall, we allow God to change us and renew us in areas we may not have let Him before. In Psalm 51 David makes it clear that God is not looking for material sacrifices. Instead, God is looking for us to make a sacrifice in our heart and choose Him over all else. Psalm 51:10 says "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart." God wants a heart that repents from the sins of the world, instead choosing to love Him as Lord and Savior.

1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Learn more about this author, Joshua Horn.
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