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Sincere Confession Essential, March 12
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
.
The apostle says, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another,
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that ye may be healed.”
James 5:16
. Confess your sins to God, who only can
forgive them, and your faults to one another. If you have given offense to your
friend or neighbor, you are to acknowledge your wrong, and it is his duty freely to
forgive you. Then you are to seek the forgiveness of God, because the brother you
have wounded is the property of God, and in injuring him you have sinned against
his Creator.... True confession is always of a specific character, and acknowledges
particular sins. They may be of such a nature as to be brought before God only;
they may be wrongs that should be confessed to individuals who have suffered
injury through them; or they may be of a public character, and should then be
as publicly confessed. But all confession should be definite and to the point,
acknowledging the very sins of which you are guilty.
Many, many confessions should never be spoken in the hearing of mortals; for
the result is that which the limited judgment of finite beings does not anticipate....
God will be better glorified if we confess the secret, inbred corruption of the heart
to Jesus alone than if we open its recesses to finite, erring man, who cannot judge
righteously unless his heart is constantly imbued with the Spirit of God.... Do not
pour into human ears the story which God alone should hear.
The confession that is the outpouring of the inmost soul finds its way to the
God of infinite pity.
Your sins may be as mountains before you; but if you humble your heart,
and confess your sins, trusting in the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, He
will forgive, and will cleanse you from all unrighteousness.... Desire the fullness
of the grace of Christ. Let your heart be filled with an intense longing for His
righteousness.
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