I’ve
found this quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer to be challenging but true:
“[We] must ask ourselves whether we have
not often been deceiving ourselves with our confession of sin to God, whether
we have not rather been confessing our sins to ourselves and also granting
ourselves absolution. And is not the reason perhaps for our countless relapses
and the feebleness of our Christian obedience to be found precisely in the fact
that we are living on self-forgiveness and not a real forgiveness?
Self-forgiveness can never lead to a breach with sin; this can be accomplished
only by the judging and pardoning Word of God itself… Our brother breaks the
cycle of self-deception. A man who confesses his sins in the presence of a
brother knows that he is no longer alone with himself he experiences the
presence of God in the reality of the other person. As long as I am by myself
in the confession of my sins everything remains in the dark, but in the
presence of a brother the sin has to be brought into the light” (Life Together, 115-116).
It’s
easy to remain in sin if it stays in the dark. Even if you’re truly confessing
to God, the secrecy and shame often remain behind. But when you confess before
a brother or sister in Christ, they can remind you of the truths of God’s Word—of
forgiveness, fellowship, and freedom.
“But
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. If we say 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” (1 John 1:7-9 ESV). Note that forgiveness isn’t just
between us and God, but it is an essential part of having fellowship with one
another! Fellowship is hindered by secrecy, sin, and the illusion of
superiority.
The
comment is often made that the Greek word for sin can be translated as “missing the mark.” But using that as a
definition of sin can be misleading. That gives the impression that you didn’t
quite hit the bulls-eye, but came close, and if you just try a little harder
you’ll be okay. The fact is that in our own strength we can’t even come close
to the target. It’s more like trying to shoot an arrow to the North Star. It
doesn’t matter how hard you try, it just ain’t happening! That being the case,
why are we so reluctant to confess to one another? We’re all in the same boat,
so why can’t we admit it?
“Therefore,
confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be
healed…” (James 5:16a). It’s also commonly noted that confess means to “say with or agree with.” Yes, we have to agree
with God that sin is sin. However, this verse from James leads me to think that
we also need to say it with one another— “I’m a sinner.” “You too? I thought I
was the only one!” We need to truly hear from one another so we can encourage
one another and remind each other of who we are in Christ.
I
was just listening to a talk by Amy Simpson
on mental illness, and some of her comments can also be applied to sin: “We
need to start by humbly acknowledging our own problems… I know that everyone
in this room is flawed… The only people who are truly effective in ministering
to others are those who are aware of this in themselves… If we set the example of
acknowledging the reality that we are imperfect people and that our own families
are imperfect, we help create a culture of authenticity that benefits all of us.”
We can minister to others by being open and honest.
“But
now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the
fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life” (Romans 6:22).
Secrecy is its own slave-master, but it is slavery that can be broken if we so
choose.
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand
firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).
