As We Seek Forgiveness
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
I John 1:8-9
In the last meditation, I shared the Christian belief that the answer for the “sin of the world,” in the words of John the Baptist, was Christ Jesus. He is that Lamb that takes away the sin. As the Apostle Paul writes, “The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…”[1] I will come back to this shortly.
While it is true that Jesus forgives sin (and all sin), most of us still have to deal with our own particular offenses. In short, it is one thing to feel sorry about our actions, but it is another thing to say, “I’m sorry.” Since the beginning of creation, part of the pathway toward embracing the full gift of God’s forgiveness is summed up in one word: confession.
Confession is that act of letting go of the spiritual, physical, emotional and mental sickness that often accompanies our sinful actions. I still remember, years ago, when a friend of mine became deeply mired in a pattern of deceitful and sinful behavior. For no apparent reason, both of her hands began to swell. Her physician ran tests with no firm results or explanation. It finally occurred to my friend that she had been carrying the burden of her sin for too long. As she began to let go of her sin through confession, the swelling disappeared almost as mysteriously as it had appeared.
Part of our engagement with the Lord’s Prayer that God would “forgive us our debts as we forgive” is actually praying to receive God’s forgiveness. It is difficult for the light that forgiveness brings to find its way in if we have not opened ourselves to let the darkness out. That light is called confession and it happens in all kinds of ways. In many Jewish synagogues and Protestant denominations, congregations corporately confess as part of their regular worship. The Roman tradition requires not only corporate expression but private confession as well. For many Christians — perhaps most — the simple act of getting on our knees at the end of the day and unpacking our heart is a powerful example of confession. Whatever the route, why not take it now?
Another Step…
Call to mind a sin or sins that you have carried too long. Can you use the prayer below to let go of that sin through God’s gift of confession?
Prayer
Jesus said, There is joy among the angels of God
Over one sinner who repents.
Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden
And I will give you rest.
God has promised forgiveness to all who truly repent,
Turn to Christ in faith, and are themselves forgiving.
In silence we call to mind our sins.
Observe silence.
Merciful God,
we have sinned
in what we have thought and said,
in the wrong we have done
and in the good we have not done.
We have sinned in ignorance:
We have sinned in weakness:
We have sinned through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry.
We repent and turn to you.
Forgive us, for our Saviour Christ’s sake,
And renew our lives to the glory of your name. Amen.
He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa (1989) from a New Zealand Prayer Book[2]
[1] 1 Timothy 1:15.
[2] Counsell 503.
