Repentance and Confession

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:6 (RSV)

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9 (NIV)

I felt my anger boiling up once again. Someone was recounting how his father had hurt him as a child. My friend showed me the scars, told me of horrifying events from childhood, scared for his life when he was barely old enough to understand what was happening. In those moments, I feel nothing but judgement and anger towards a parent who would scare or hurt a child. Jesus definitely had extremely harsh words for someone who would hurt or cause a child to stumble.

I realized a few moments later I was forgetting the gospel. Yes, what that man's father had done was terrible and he should receive consequences for it.  But scripture reminds us "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." I am in need of repenting and confessing just as much as anyone else. Sin has separated everyone from God and only through the sacrifice of Christ can we be redeemed to the Father. We as Christians don't always like talking about sin. How often the call to repentance has been abused. People have been told they have been in sin throughout history for not "getting the theology exactly right" or dancing or taking one drink of alcohol or simply being themselves. We as the Church, by focusing on things that don't matter, have often lost our power in proclaiming those things that are sin: abuse, murder, hatred, the hurt we cause others as well as the truth that ALL have sinned. I am not better than you as you are not more righteous than me. We also have so often forgotten the beautiful truth of the gospel: that ALL have sinned BUT also ALL have hope through Jesus Christ!

Who in your life have we by not proclaiming the gospel or not living it or through hatred in your heart, have we forgotten is not beyond the grace of God? I had to memorize the Westminster Shorter Catechism when I was younger. It beautifully says in questions 33 and 34:

Q33: What is Justification? Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein He pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputeth to us, and received by faith alone.

Q34: What is adoption? Adoption is an act of God's free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges, of the sons of God.

I am grateful that we are a confessional church (even when I don't feel like it!) and in confessing I am reminded each week I am no better than any other person but thanks be to Jesus Christ! It is SO difficult to forgive those who have hurt us or hurt others but how often we have done that, even in little ways. When we fail, we have a way to healing and hope and forgiveness that is available to all people everywhere! When we gather as the church, as broken people, may we remember that we are each no better or no worse than any sitting next to us in the pew for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God BUT "...we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful..." and "If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." -I John 1:9 (NRSVUE). Thanks be to God!

Brent Shaw