1 John 1:8-9
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us…. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
It seems that the last thing we are willing to do is to admit that we are wrong. The first thing we do, is to deny that we are wrong. Then, when we finally cannot deny any longer that we are wrong, we start the blame game.
We blame other people. We blame the circumstances. Or we will say, "I was caught in a weak moment." We do anything to keep from assuming full responsibility.
We must remember that none of us are perfect. We may have been born innocent, but we were not born perfect. Our parents were not perfect. The pastor is not perfect. Your church is not perfect. Someone has said, "If you ever find a perfect church, don't join it because you will ruin it." If someone should ask us, "do you think you are perfect? Our response would be no, yet we act like we are perfect. And, actions speak louder than words.
The sooner we acknowledge that we are not perfect, the easier it will be to admit we are wrong. The confession of faith, is simply saying about ourselves what God says about us. But most of the time, we only confess the good things that God says about us. The conviction of the Holy Spirit, not only approves us when we do right, but He also reproves us when we do wrong.
The confession of faith, confesses that we are saved from sin, but when we do sin, it is also a confession of faith that admits that we are wrong.
If God said something is sin, I must agree with Him and admit that I have sinned. Sin and wrong are not defined by the culture of the day. The definition of sin does not change every time the culture changes. The cultural trends, social fads, personal desires and emotions do not change the Bible definition of sin. We must line up with God's definition of sin. If God says we have sinned, then we must agree with Him and confess and admit it.
When we bow at the feet of the culture's definition of sin, we will justify abortion, sexual perversions, homosexuality and many socially accepted sins. But we as Christians, who have escaped this world's cultural corruption, will choose to be honest with ourselves and with humility we will admit and confess our sins, and assume full responsibility for our sins,
People do not assume responsibility for their sin, because they do not believe that sin is such a horrible thing. But Proverbs 14:9 says “Fools make a mock at sin…” In other words, we are told that we should not look lightly upon sin. Sin must be understood in the light of its corruptive and destructive power. Sin is as evil as the devil is. When the devil was a holy angel in heaven, he committed the first sin, and therefore he is the author of sin. 1 John 3:8 tells us that “He that commits sin is of the devil…” Sin is to be taken as serious as we take the devil. The devil glamorizes sin and makes it attractive and desirable. Drugs and alcohol paint a glamourous picture in the beginning as people use them for fun times, but there is another picture that is not shown, and it is when the drugs and alcohol take control and start using you when you become the helpless addicted victim. The fun times become ruin times. They destroy your body, mind, family and all the good times in this life. There is nothing good about sin and we must never look upon it lightly and make excuse for it. We must assume full responsibility for our sin. We are told in 1Peter 5:8 tot “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith…” Resisting sin is resisting the devil. When we live in sin, we are living with the devil. If we don’t deal with sin and the devil, then we will make a deal with the devil.
Another reason why people do not assume responsibility for their sin is because they believe it is easier to ask forgiveness than it is to resist sin. This attitude is a foolish assumption that sin is not that big of a deal. It is a light-hearted view of sin to be nothing more than stumping one’s toe, or accidently bumping in to someone in a crowd, to whom we say excuse me and keep moving. Some Christians view sin as just a mistake and nothing more. We must not minimize sin to be an insignificant act that would justify taking a flippant attitude toward it. We confess our sins with repentance because sin is a serious thing.
Sin is serious because Ephesians 4:30 teaches us that sin grieves the Holy Spirit. And if it grieves the Holy Spirit, sin should also grieve us to the point, that we confess and repent in the spirit of 2 Corinthians 7:10 which tells us that “godly sorrow works or leads to repentance…” The (ABPE) translation renders this verse “For grief that is for God's sake produces a remorse of the soul which does not reverse itself and restores to life…”
When we confess our sins, it must not be light-hearted, but a heart filled with remorse toward God. Then we rejoice that God is faithful to forgive us for our sin and cleanse us from our sin.
THE QUESTION we need to ask ourselves is…
Do I have a “light hearted” attitude toward sin? Do I pray the prayer of Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”?