Confession, Forgiveness, and New Life in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: The Blessing of Confession and Forgiveness

True happiness and fulfillment are found when we honestly confess our sins to God, allowing Him to lift the burden of guilt and restore us to a right relationship with Him. The pain of unconfessed sin can weigh heavily on our hearts, but God promises joy and freedom when we come to Him with open hearts, acknowledging our failures and seeking His forgiveness. This is not about our own righteousness, but about receiving the righteousness that comes from God through faith, as beautifully depicted in the act of baptism and the daily walk of faith. [46:56]

Psalm 32:1-2 (NIV)
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Reflection: Is there a specific sin or burden you have been carrying in silence? Take time today to bring it honestly before God in prayer, trusting Him to lift it from you and restore your joy.

Day 2: The Pain of Unconfessed Sin

Unconfessed sin brings a deep sense of unrest, affecting us mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, but God’s conviction is not meant to condemn us—it is an invitation to healing and restoration. When we ignore the Spirit’s prompting and remain silent, we allow guilt to fester like a splinter, distracting us from God’s purpose and robbing us of peace. The only way to find relief is to confess our sins, allowing God to remove the source of pain and begin His work of healing in our lives. [56:54]

Psalm 32:3-4 (NIV)
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

Reflection: Can you recall a time when unconfessed sin weighed on you? What steps can you take today to respond to the Spirit’s conviction and experience God’s healing?

Day 3: God’s Faithfulness to Forgive All Our Sins

No matter how great our failures, God is always ready to forgive when we come to Him in sincere confession, and He calls us to receive His forgiveness and move forward in faith. Even when we struggle to forgive ourselves or fear that our sins are too great, God’s promise remains: if we confess, He is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This forgiveness is not earned by our own efforts or suffering, but is a gift of grace through Christ, who lifts our sins and covers us with His righteousness. [01:00:40]

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

Reflection: Is there an area where you have doubted God’s willingness to forgive you? Ask God to help you accept His complete forgiveness and let go of lingering guilt today.

Day 4: Restoration After Failure—Peter’s Story

Even after our greatest failures, Jesus seeks to restore us, inviting us to reaffirm our love for Him and return to faithful service in His kingdom. Like Peter, who denied Jesus three times but was lovingly restored by the risen Christ, we are not defined by our worst moments. Jesus meets us in our brokenness, asks for our love, and calls us back to purpose and ministry, showing that nothing is beyond His power to redeem. [01:07:36]

John 21:15-17 (NIV)
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”
He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”

Reflection: Where have you experienced failure or denial in your walk with Christ? How might Jesus be inviting you today to reaffirm your love for Him and step back into His calling for you?

Day 5: Walking Forward in Newness of Life

Confession is not just about admitting our wrongs, but about embracing the new life God offers and choosing to walk forward in His ways, leaving behind patterns of sin and growing in faithfulness. As we dwell in God’s presence, we are protected, instructed, and surrounded by His love, empowered to live differently—not sinless, but striving to sin less as we follow Christ. This ongoing journey of confession, forgiveness, and transformation is the path to true blessing and fulfillment in God’s kingdom. [01:02:27]

Romans 6:4 (NIV)
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to leave behind an old pattern of sin and walk in the newness of life God has given you?

Sermon Summary

Today’s gathering was a celebration of new life, both in the waters of baptism and in the joyful service of our children. Russell’s baptism reminded us of the profound truth that in Christ, we are buried with Him and raised to walk in newness of life. This visible act of faith is a testimony to the transforming power of God’s grace, which is available to all who trust in Him. Our worship was further enriched by the children’s choir and the generous giving toward missions, especially through Operation Christmas Child and the Alma Hunt offering, reflecting our shared commitment to spreading the gospel both locally and globally.

The heart of our reflection centered on Psalm 32, a psalm of confession and restoration. David, a man after God’s own heart, knew both the pain of unconfessed sin and the joy of forgiveness. The psalm teaches that true happiness—blessedness—comes not from our own righteousness, but from God’s forgiveness. When we try to hide or cover our sins, we experience a deep, soul-wearing pain. But when we come honestly before God, acknowledging our failures, He is faithful to lift the burden of guilt and restore us to fellowship with Him.

Confession is not merely a ritual, but a vital practice for anyone seeking to walk the path of righteousness. It is an act of honesty before God, refusing to play games or offer empty words. God desires truth in our innermost being, and when we confess sincerely, He does not count our sins against us. This is not only a personal experience but a communal one, as we sometimes must seek forgiveness from those we have wronged, even if human forgiveness is not always granted. Yet, God’s forgiveness is sure.

The story of Peter’s denial and restoration illustrates that no failure is beyond God’s grace. Like Peter, we may stumble, but through confession and reaffirmation of our love for Christ, we are restored and empowered to serve. The journey from pain to blessing involves acknowledging our sin, receiving God’s forgiveness, praying earnestly, and choosing to dwell in God’s presence, moving forward in faith. As we go out, we carry the good news that in Christ, confessed sin is forgiven, and new life is possible for all.

Key Takeaways

1. The Blessing of Honest Confession: True happiness and spiritual health are found not in hiding our sins, but in bringing them honestly before God. When we acknowledge our failures without pretense, God lifts the heavy burden of guilt and restores us to joyful fellowship with Him. This act of confession is not about self-condemnation, but about embracing the freedom and peace that only God’s forgiveness can provide. [45:07]
2. God’s Forgiveness Is Complete and Certain: While human forgiveness can be uncertain or incomplete, God’s forgiveness is always available to those who come to Him sincerely. No matter the depth or nature of our sin—even those we struggle to forgive ourselves for—God promises to lift them off and cover them through Christ’s sacrifice. Our righteousness is not earned, but credited to us by faith in Jesus. [48:45]
3. The Pain of Unconfessed Sin: Unconfessed sin is like a splinter in the soul, causing ongoing pain and distraction from God’s purposes. The Holy Spirit’s conviction is not meant to condemn, but to draw us back to God’s healing. Ignoring this conviction leads to spiritual stagnation, but confession brings release, restoration, and renewed purpose. [56:12]
4. Restoration Leads to Transformation: Confession is not a license to repeat old patterns, but an invitation to dwell in God’s presence and be transformed. As we receive forgiveness, we are called to move forward, learning from our failures and growing in faithfulness. The goal is not sinlessness, but a life increasingly marked by God’s grace and obedience. [62:27]
5. No Failure Is Beyond God’s Grace: The example of Peter shows that even our greatest failures can be redeemed. Through honest confession and reaffirmation of our love for Christ, we are restored and empowered to serve in new ways. God’s grace is greater than our sin, and He delights in welcoming us back onto the path of life. [67:20]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[10:15] - Russell’s Baptism
[18:40] - Opening and Participation
[19:33] - Mutual Accountability and Mission
[19:52] - Operation Christmas Child Update
[20:53] - Alma Hunt Offering Celebration
[32:56] - Children’s Choir and Announcements
[33:37] - Prayer for Needs and Healing
[39:36] - The Power and Challenge of Confession
[41:30] - Introduction to Psalm 32
[42:38] - David’s Life: Good and Bad
[45:07] - Reading and Reflection on Psalm 32
[48:45] - The Meaning of Forgiveness
[52:05] - Reformation Sunday and Martin Luther
[56:12] - The Pain of Unconfessed Sin
[58:49] - Four Steps from Pain to Blessing
[63:40] - Peter’s Denial and Restoration
[68:15] - Invitation and Closing Prayer
[70:11] - Final Blessing and Dismissal

Bible Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: The Blessing of Honest Confession
*(Based on the sermon on Psalm 32)*

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Bible Reading

Psalm 32 (ESV)
*Of David. A Maskil.*
1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

John 21:15-17 (ESV)
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

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Observation Questions

According to Psalm 32, what happens to David when he keeps silent about his sin? What physical and emotional effects does he describe? ([45:07])
In the sermon, what does the pastor say is the meaning of the Hebrew word “forgiven” in verse 1, and how does he connect it to his own experience? ([48:45])
How does God respond when David finally confesses his sin, according to verse 5 of Psalm 32? ([45:38])
In John 21, how many times does Jesus ask Peter if he loves Him, and why is this significant in light of Peter’s earlier actions? ([01:06:27])

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Interpretation Questions

Why does David describe unconfessed sin as causing his “bones to waste away”? What does this suggest about the impact of hidden sin on a person’s life? ([55:33])
The pastor says, “God does not count our sin against us if it is honestly confessed.” What does it mean to confess honestly, and how is this different from just saying sorry? ([50:11])
The sermon mentions that sometimes we may not receive forgiveness from people we have wronged, but God’s forgiveness is always available. How should this truth affect the way we approach confession and relationships? ([44:27])
After Peter’s denial, Jesus gives him a chance to reaffirm his love three times. What does this teach about restoration after failure? ([01:07:20])

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Application Questions

The pastor compared unconfessed sin to a splinter that distracts and causes pain until it is removed. Is there a “splinter” in your life right now—something you are hiding or avoiding confessing? What is keeping you from bringing it to God? ([58:15])
David says, “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven.” Have you ever experienced the relief and joy of confessing something to God or another person? What changed for you afterward? ([45:07])
The sermon emphasized that confession is not about self-condemnation, but about embracing God’s forgiveness and freedom. How can you remind yourself of this truth when you are tempted to feel shame or guilt? ([45:07])
Sometimes, as the pastor shared, we have to seek forgiveness from people we have hurt, even if they don’t forgive us. Is there someone you need to approach for forgiveness? What would it look like to take a step toward that this week? ([44:27])
The story of Peter shows that no failure is beyond God’s grace. Is there a past failure that still haunts you or makes you feel unworthy to serve God? How might God want to restore and use you, just as He did with Peter? ([01:07:20])
The pastor said, “We’re not sinless as Christians, but hopefully, we sin less.” What is one area of your life where you want to see growth in obedience? What practical step can you take this week to move forward? ([01:02:27])
The sermon closed with the encouragement to “go out and share the good news that in Christ, confessed sin is forgiven, and new life is possible for all.” Who in your life needs to hear this message, and how can you share it with them in a real and loving way? ([01:10:11])

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Sermon Clips

Confession is an important part of that walk on the path of God's righteousness day by day, because we take inadvertent steps. It's easy to get off the path. There are many temptations in life and in the world that cause us to make a misstep, but before we get too far from the path, we need to realize our mistake and confess it to the Lord and make our way back to his path. [00:46:59]

Righteousness is not being sinless, but righteousness, our righteousness, is in being forgiven. And that's what we do. That ultimate forgiveness that we have through Christ Jesus, who died for our sins and rose that we might have life, even as we depict it in baptism today, buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life. As we confess our sins, we are forgiven and our sins are covered. [00:47:58]

God lifts off not just for the earth, not just a rocket from this earth, but he lifts off our sins. And my, what a heavy weight that is to us, mentally, emotionally, physically sometimes, and spiritually for certain. God lifts that off of us as we come to him in confession. [00:49:04]

God does not count our sin against us if it is honestly confessed. Now, we can't play games with God and just tell him what he wants to hear. You know, we learned how to do that as kids sometimes. You know, we tell mom or dad what they want to hear so we can move on and maybe get out of some of the consequences of sin. But God knows our minds and our hearts, truly knows it. And so when we come to confess sin to God, we have to be honest. We have to lay it on the table. We have to, we have to acknowledge and own our sin. And as we come in honest confession, we can be assured that God will not count it against us. [00:50:04]

We must not cover up our mistakes, but we must own them and open them to the Lord in Christ. In confession to those whom we've wronged and ask for forgiveness. That is how we walk and stay on the path of righteousness. That is how we're blessed and happy in life through confession. [00:51:59]

The Catholic Church had it wrong, that it's not the money we pay or the lashes that we bear on our own backs that cover our sins, but our sins are covered by faith in Christ Jesus, who is our righteousness. What an insight that is for us as we think about it on this Reformation Sunday. [00:55:02]

Guilty conscience can sometimes be the worst thing. It can bring physical pain, emotional pain, spiritual pain, mental pain, and anguish. And this word that David uses here in Hebrew literally means that my bones grow old. And I'm beginning to learn something about that at age 65. I worked kind of hard putting my lawn to bed yesterday, hopefully mowed it for the last time. And I'm going to sleep. And my bones hurt last night. I had to get the heating pad out. You know, when we do things that are wrong, it brings a pain to us. And sometimes it brings pain to others. And the only way to deal with that pain is to confess it, confess it to God, and allow him to lift it off. [00:55:33]

The problem is not God's conviction of our conscience. That's the role of the Holy Spirit, is to convict us of our unrighteousness, of our sinfulness. The problem is our silence in the face of what the Spirit is speaking to our hearts. Because our silence says we're okay with sin. We don't need any help. If we don't call on the Lord, if we don't confess our sin, we're turning our back on the hope and the happiness that God has for us through the confession of sin. [00:56:38]

The conviction of the Holy Spirit is not a word of commendation to us, a condemning of us, but it is a word of forgiveness. Remember John 3, 16 and 17. God sent his son into the world that those who believe in him might be saved. He sent God to condemn the world, but through him the world might be saved. God's word to us of conviction is not one to condemn us, but it's one to call us to confession so that we can be back on the right path with him. [00:57:12]

Sometimes we have that splinter of sin in our soul, and we let it lay there and fester, and the pain grows, and it distracts us from what it is the Lord would have us do, and all of our attention is on that pain and about trying to cover it up or make sure nobody finds out about it, but the best thing that we can do is to confess it, to get it out before the Lord and allow his healing to begin. [00:58:26]

Whatever our sin is, it can be dealt with through confession. And by the way, verse 5 is the last place that we find any mention of sin in this psalm. From this point on, it's all about the restoration and the healing that God brings when we confess our sin. So we confess our sin. We own it. We acknowledge it before God, we receive his forgiveness. [01:00:12]

Sometimes we have a hard time forgiving ourselves. As we've confessed it to God, as we've gone and tried to make it right with others, sometimes we have a hard time forgiving ourselves. But we must receive the forgiveness of God, and we must pray to God. Therefore, let the faithful pray to you while you may be found. Friends, we've got to confess our sins before it's too late. [01:01:08]

We don't just sin and confess it and then go do that sin again and confess it. You know, that sequence of life, that's not what David is saying here. He's saying that once we've confessed that sin, we dwell in the Lord, and we're open to his instruction so that we can move forward in new and better ways. Leave that sin life behind. We're not sinless as Christians, but hopefully, we're not sinless as Christians. So we're not sinless as Christians, but hopefully, we sin less, right? That's our goal on the walk of faith. [01:02:38]

Friends, there's nothing that we've done that God can't forgive. If we will come to him and confess our sins, he's faithful to forgive us all our unrighteousness, to help us. He's faithful to help us back onto the path of righteousness. And as we dwell in him, we continue to walk forward to his glory. [01:07:48]

Baptism and blessing of our children singing for us and hearing about the possibility of confessed sin being forgiven through our Lord Jesus Christ is all good news today, and we go out today to share that, this week, to share that good news with others. [01:10:13]

We do thank you today for your great love for us, that you love us in spite of ourselves, Lord. In spite of our sinful and wayward ways, you're ready to forgive and to help us, to welcome us back into your kingdom and on that path of life with you. [01:10:53]

We give you the thanks for the power of confession and of the forgiveness that we have in Christ Jesus. We thank you for Russell today, for his acted-out commission to follow you, his confession to follow you each day of life, walking in that newness of life. And so we just give you praise and thanks for our worship today. Send us out with the good news to others. [01:11:11]

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Confession, Forgiveness, and New Life in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: The Blessing of Confession and Forgiveness

Day 2: The Pain of Unconfessed Sin

Day 3: God’s Faithfulness to Forgive All Our Sins

Day 4: Restoration After Failure—Peter’s Story

Day 5: Walking Forward in Newness of Life

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Confession, Forgiveness, and New Life in Christ

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