Confession
Submitted by theshovelContemporary teachings, doctrines and rituals about confession, especially related to 1 John 1:9, have caused much fear and confusion within the Christian community. Instead of living in the joy and freedom of Christ, believers find themselves caught in cycles of self-examination and judgment. While confession may at one time have brought relief through of the knowledge of the forgiveness of sins, along with a cleansed conscience, the never-ending cycle of examination, repentance and confession slowly imparts an entirely different message to those caught in its grip: fear, guilt, shame, insecurity, self-hatred, and so on. The initial sense of relief and forgiveness becomes replaced with a growing obsession with sins and how to overcome specific patterns of sin. A very critical concern among many believers comes from the fact that some of these sin patterns started up in the midst of doing all the right Christian things. How did the joy of salvation, fellowship with God, and love for Jesus ever get twisted into a life that revolves around sin?
You can find the Confession menu page here
Jim Minker :)
Comments
Spoonful
Wow! Absolutely EXCELLENT intro !! I am amazed how muched I haved ignored this topic in my everyday thoughts and yet it is STILL THERE lingering...I see a valid need for a refresher in my own life for this wonderful thought you shared on the love of Christ and His provision for us who are in Him. What timely wisdom-
Adam
endless confessions
When a christian does not know his union with Christ or what Christ has done for him, as him and in him, he is likely to go through life exhausted, trying to please God in his own strength. Christ's timeless invitation "come to me all you who labored and are heavy laden....and I will give you rest" is for him. Christ promised rest. Endless confession is anything but rest. The problem lies in lack of knowledge (hence faith) in the Gospel, the new covenant of love between God and Christ who represents us. It could be due to downright unbelief.
Tony
a tasty morsel indeed! :)
a tasty little treat that makes you want MORE, for sure! it is the perfect sweetness when realizing that the work of god in christ jesus, and thus in all who are found in him, has totally and completely removed the need to be ensnared in that desperate and futile trap of spinning and spinning and spinning in a cruel wheel of what you expressed so well: the "... never-ending cycle of examination, repentance and confession..." and how that dizzying spin "...slowly imparts an entirely different message to those caught in its grip: fear, guilt, shame, insecurity, self-hatred, and so on...".
i thank god for the relief in knowing the wheel has absolutely been removed in christ! :)
i very much enjoyed this spoonful, and thank you for the link to more on the subject/topic/issue of 'confession'. :)
hugs! :)
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