Confess Your Sins to One Another

This last week I was reminded of one of reasons that God made us for intentional authentic relationships. We need someplace to be honest with others and therefore ourselves.

James 5:16a says, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”

Confessing our sins to another person is not easy, but it is good for us. Often we are bound up in some sin that is wrecking our emotions and relationships, and we cannot find freedom anywhere but in confession and release of that sin.

When we keep our sin and our deepest life secret we are not forced to confront the darkest parts of ourselves. Sometimes we talk to God about it and confess it to Him, but because He seems removed, we don’t really get brutally honest with ourselves. We are physical creatures and when we have to talk to people about our thoughts and sins, they become more real to us. Therefore we take them more seriously, and we are more willing to truly repent. True repentance leads to true change. When we know we have to face someone it is harder to sin in the same way again, and it is also easier to know we are forgiven and release the guilt when someone else confirms it.

1 John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Walking in the light is a great place to be, and to live there we need to establish relationships where we are committed to being honest. Find safe, maturing Christians who really love you, and who will meet with you consistently. Make a commitment to honesty and confidentiality, and then challenge each other to be honest. God created us for such relationships, and when we have this kind of fellowship it will deepen our relationship with Him, with each other, and even the world. In fact, if you do not have such relationships then you cannot be maturing as a Christian the way you should. So you should this if for no other reason than to be obedient to the Lord, and you will find freedom and joy in the process.