Confession: Speaking the Same Thing as God

Jan 25, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Aligning with God's Truth About Ourselves

The word "confess" in scripture carries a deeper meaning than simply admitting wrongdoing. It is about speaking the same thing as God, aligning our understanding with His truth about our condition. This means acknowledging our sinful nature, not as a list of individual failures, but as a fundamental state apart from God. When we truly confess, we agree with God about who we are in His eyes, recognizing our need for Him. This alignment is the foundation for experiencing His faithfulness and righteousness in our lives. [01:23:41]

1 John 1:9 (ESV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Reflection: In what specific area of your life have you been hesitant to acknowledge your true condition before God, and what might it look like to align your thoughts with His truth about it?

Day 2: The Power of Speaking God's Truth

Confession is not about dwelling on past mistakes but about actively declaring who God says you are. When the enemy tries to remind you of your failures, the powerful response is to confess Jesus as Lord. This act of speaking God's truth over your life transforms your thoughts, which in turn influences your feelings and behavior. By declaring your identity in Christ, you activate God's power and begin to live out the reality of His promises. [01:33:44]

Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is made right with God, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Reflection: When faced with discouraging thoughts or external criticism, what specific truth about your identity in Christ can you choose to confess out loud this week?

Day 3: Embracing Your True Identity in Christ

Your past, your behavior, your failures, and your struggles do not define you. What truly defines you is your confession of who God says you are. You are not your mistakes; you are God's masterpiece, fearfully and wonderfully made, a child of God, and more than a conqueror. Embracing this truth through confession is a powerful act that shifts your perspective and empowers you to live a life aligned with His purpose. [01:37:22]

1 John 1:8 (ESV)
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt defined by your past actions or perceived shortcomings. How might confessing your identity in Christ, as described in scripture, offer a different perspective?

Day 4: The Foundation of a Disciplined Spiritual Life

Our relationship with Jesus is strengthened through a disciplined spiritual life. This discipline is not about perfection but about consistent engagement with God's word and practices. Confession, as a discipline, is about agreeing with God about our sinful nature, which is the root of our struggles. By understanding confession as an acknowledgment of our condition and an affirmation of God's power, we lay a solid foundation for spiritual growth and transformation. [01:11:06]

1 John 1:10 (ESV)
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Reflection: Considering the various disciplines of faith, which one do you find most challenging to practice consistently, and how might a clearer understanding of confession support your commitment to it?

Day 5: Living in Agreement with God's Promises

When you stand in agreement with God, your will, words, and faith align with His. This alignment unlocks His power in your life, leading to answered prayers, peace that surpasses understanding, and the authority to live as a citizen of His kingdom. Your confession of who God says you are is not about earning His favor but about activating the blessings He has already provided through Christ. [01:34:50]

Romans 10:11 (ESV)
For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Reflection: Think about a specific promise from God's word that you are currently holding onto. How can you actively confess and declare this promise this week to strengthen your faith and experience its reality?

Sermon Summary

Confession is recast as a disciplined, decisive alignment with God’s truth rather than a litany of sins. Drawing on Romans and 1 John, the text emphasizes that confessing in the New Testament sense (Greek homologeo) means “to speak the same thing” — to agree with God about who Christ is and who the believer is in Christ. Confession of sin, then, is primarily a candid acknowledgment of human brokenness and a one‑time, wholehearted turning from that condition, not an endless catalog of failures that feeds shame. Repentance is framed as a transformation of the mind: thought governs feeling, feeling governs action, and so changing thought through confession and Scripture changes life.

The message distinguishes two audiences John and Paul addressed: John confronted those claiming sinless perfection and called them back to honest admission of human sinfulness; Paul urged believers to confess Jesus as Lord with the mouth and believe in the heart, thereby activating salvation and the authority of heaven. The power of confession is described as practical and habitual: speaking God’s declarations about identity — “child of God,” “forgiven,” “more than a conqueror” — renews the mind, reshapes behavior, and silences the accuser who insists on dragging up the past.

Illustration from David’s Psalm 51 shows true confession as owning a sinful nature from birth, not rehearsing every misdeed. That approach aims to fix the root cause of recurring sin rather than merely punishing its fruits. The call to action is an imparted discipline: daily, vocal confession of biblical identity—alone in a mirror or aloud in worship—becomes a spiritual habit that reorients thinking, steadies response under provocation, and aligns prayer with God’s will. Finally, confession is both invitation and promise: when hearts align with truth and mouths declare Christ, forgiveness, cleansing, peace, and access to spiritual authority follow. The response is pastoral and practical — an altar invitation to confess identity, seek healing, and recommit to the disciplined life that produces spiritual growth.

Key Takeaways

1. Confession means speaking the same thing Confession (homologeo) requires agreement with God’s description of reality, not self‑embarrassment through cataloguing failures. This reorientation frees the conscience from repetitive shame and locates the problem in the human condition, which Christ addresses once and for all. By speaking God’s truth, the heart is positioned to receive forgiveness and cleansing without being trapped in self‑condemnation. [78:22]
2. Confess Jesus as Lord aloud Open verbal confession of Christ as Lord, paired with heart belief, is the decisive act that activates salvation and spiritual authority. Vocal confession aligns one’s public witness with interior faith, linking personal identity to the power of heaven. This practice reshapes prayer, unlocks God’s promises, and counters any narrative that seeks to define a person by past behavior. [92:30]
3. Repentance transforms thought and conduct Repentance is a change of mind that moves inward life outward: renewed thinking alters emotions and thus behavior. Habitual confession and Scripture meditation rewire cognitive patterns that produce recurring sin, making genuine change sustainable. The aim is not episodic guilt but a rooted turnaround that prevents repetition of sin. [81:14]
4. Claim your God‑given identity daily Regularly declaring biblical truths about identity renews the mind and inoculates against the devil’s accusations about the past. Speaking scriptural declarations (“I am forgiven,” “I am God’s child”) restructures perception and produces different responses in everyday trials. This simple daily discipline stabilizes faith and enables believers to live under God’s defining word rather than under former failures. [96:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[64:21] - Opening Prayer
[67:36] - Scripture Readings: Romans & 1 John
[70:37] - Series on Spiritual Disciplines
[76:31] - What Confession Really Means
[78:22] - Homologeo: “Speak the Same Thing”
[85:27] - David’s Example: Psalm 51
[92:30] - Romans: Confess Jesus Aloud
[96:31] - Daily Declarations of Identity
[106:37] - Altar Invitation and Response

Bible Study Guide

Here is a Bible study guide based on the sermon summary and transcript:

Bible Reading

Romans 10:9-11 (ESV)
> If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him shall not be put to shame.”

1 John 1:8-10 (ESV)
> 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. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Observation questions

The sermon highlights that the Greek word for confession, homologeo, means "to speak the same thing." [01:18:22] How does this definition change your initial understanding of what confession is?
The sermon contrasts the common understanding of confession as listing sins with the biblical meaning. [01:13:58] What specific examples are given in the sermon to illustrate this difference?
David's confession in Psalm 51 is presented as an example. [01:25:27] What did David confess, and what did he not confess according to the sermon?
The sermon distinguishes between John's audience and Paul's audience regarding confession. [01:30:06] What was the key difference in the groups they were addressing?

Interpretation questions

The sermon suggests that confession of sin, in the New Testament sense, is primarily a one-time acknowledgment of our sinful nature rather than a repetitive listing of misdeeds. [01:24:02] How does this understanding address the feeling of ongoing shame that can come from repeatedly confessing the same sins?
The sermon emphasizes that confessing Jesus as Lord with the mouth, along with believing in the heart, is the act that activates salvation and spiritual authority. [01:32:30] What does it mean to "confess Jesus as Lord" in a practical, everyday sense?
The sermon explains that repentance is a transformation of the mind, where changing thought patterns leads to changed feelings and actions. [01:21:14] How does the concept of homologeo (speaking the same thing) contribute to this transformation of thought?
The sermon states that confessing our God-given identity daily renews the mind and silences the accuser. [01:36:31] Why is it important to actively declare biblical truths about our identity, rather than just passively believing them?

Application questions

The sermon defines confession as "speaking the same thing" as God. [01:18:22] What are some specific biblical truths about your identity in Christ that you can begin to "speak the same thing" about daily?
The sermon encourages confessing Jesus as Lord aloud, not just in our hearts. [01:32:30] In what ways can you intentionally and verbally confess Jesus as Lord in your daily life, perhaps even in challenging situations?
Repentance is described as a change of mind that transforms our thoughts, feelings, and behavior. [01:21:14] What is one specific thought pattern that you recognize is influencing your feelings or actions negatively, and how can you begin to "repent" of that thought by aligning it with God's truth?
The sermon calls for a daily discipline of confessing our biblical identity. [01:36:31] How might you incorporate this practice into your daily routine, perhaps by speaking it aloud to yourself or writing it down?
The sermon suggests that confession of our sinful nature is a one-time acknowledgment that addresses the root cause of sin. [01:24:02] How can understanding this help you move away from a cycle of shame and towards a more complete freedom in Christ?
The sermon mentions that confessing our identity can help us respond differently under provocation. [01:48:03] Can you think of a recent situation where you were provoked, and how might confessing your identity in Christ have changed your response?
The sermon concludes with an invitation to confess our identity and recommit to a disciplined life. [01:46:37] What is one tangible step you can take this week to actively live out your God-given identity, rather than letting past failures define you?

Sermon Clips

55s

#ConfessAndReturn

“``confession. Somebody say confession. Confession, beloved, is our answer to the question that God asked Adam and Eve in the Garden Of Eden after they ate from the tree of knowledge. And the scripture records that when they ate that, they saw their own nakedness. In other words, they saw their own wretchedness and went and hid behind the bush. God who responded to this initial disobedience and self isolation sought them out, asking them and continues to ask us, where are you?”

37s

#GatherToWorship

“There is something special about when we come together as the body of Christ. We're not going to allow no storm to keep us from coming together in community and we are grateful. Thank you so much for everyone whom adjusted your schedule. If you had to to be here this morning, but this is worship and it's not secluded to one particular day where every day that we wake up. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, it's a day to give god the glory”

64s

#StudyTheWord

“The way we you I'm trying. The way we use words in this contemporary culture is not the same way they use words in biblical culture. Come on in the room. Come on. Bring your class. Classroom is in session. So when you are studying the word of God, you cannot import your popularized definition of a word into a biblical meaning and understanding. We cannot take a twenty first century definition and place it on a sacred text that's over 2,000 and walk away thinking that we are doing as the word commands. Are y'all with me? That's why Paul did not say to Timothy, read the word, but Paul said to Timothy, study the word.”

31s

#AlignWithGod

“Standing in agreement with God aligns your will, your words, your faith with God. And when you align, when you stand in agreement with God, your prayers are answered. When you stand in agreement with God, he gives you peace that passeth all understanding.”

52s

#BelieveAndConfess

“we find that the word confess, I'm finished, means to stand in agreement with God. That's why that's why that's why John told the nonbelievers that if you say that you are without sin, the word of God has no place in your heart, and you are saying God is a liar. I'm trying to help us. And that's why Paul then says, if we confess the Lord Jesus Christ in other words, if we stand in agreement with God, ah, and believe within our hearts, you will be saved.”

25s

#AcknowledgeSinNature

“That's why he says, if you say that you are without sin, you are turning God into a liar, and his word is not in. Because when we read the word of God, the word of God tells us, that our nature is sinful.”

39s

#RepentAndChange

“Lord, y'all kept trying to set the people free. Nowhere in the Bible does it say constantly repeat your sins. Lord, come on. Come on. But the Bible says repent of your sins. Repent means to turn away, to change your mind, to transform your thoughts because your thoughts influences the way you feel, and your feelings influence your behavior. Whoo. Are y'all with me?”

37s

#SavedFromSinNature

“Some of you still looking at me funny. Jesus did not die for your individual sins. Oh, Chris. Jesus did not die for your cussing problem. Jesus did not die for your gluttony. Jesus did not die for your bad attitude. He died because your nature is sinful.”

50s

#ConfessMeansMore

“The word confess is found 34 times in the New Testament, and only four of those 34 times do we find sin connected with confess. 14 times the word confess is used to refer to Jesus or the gospel. If we confess Jesus before men and women, two times, it's used to acknowledge God, and seven times, it is used to state something or speak the same thing. Let me say that again. Confession is used seven times in the Bible to state something or to speak the same thing.”

28s

#SpeakTheSameThing

“Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Y'all missed it. Let me say it again. The text in first John chapter one verse nine uses the Greek word homologia. And it could read, if we homologia our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

38s

#NoCondemnation

“It will call it will begin to cause you to think that you won't make it as a Christian, that you have no value, but I come to serve the enemy. Notice the word of God tells us, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. So my brothers and sisters, confession of sin is not something that you do over and over again. The Bible says we are to repent of our sin. Yeah.”

31s

#ConfessYourCondition

“A true confession is recognizing if God is not in your life, you are lost, you are blind, and you are wretched. In other words, when we homologia, we are acknowledging the same thing. We are lining ourselves up in agreement with God about our sinful nature.”

32s

#ConfessNotJustSorry

“And the question is, what does the Bible mean when it says confess? Somebody asked me, what does it mean, pastor? We think that confessing means saying I'm sorry or listing all of the things that we did wrong. However, the word confess is used 34 times in the New Testament.”

31s

#ConfessionNotShame

“Ain't nobody gonna be mad, sister Penny, at this moment but the devil. But I come this morning on assignment to make the devil mad because the devil has confused us in thinking that confessing is listing all of your sins and shortcomings. We we must be careful not to fall in the trap of that because it will begin to cause you to think that you are worthless.”

36s

#ConfessStateNotActs

“Let me help some of you because some of you are still lost. Confession is confessing your condition and not confessing what you did wrong. Somebody say preach, pastor. My brothers and sisters, not confessing each and every sin. No. That's not what confession is. Confession is just a pure 100% acknowledgment of your sinful nature.”

42s

#ContextMattersBible

“This is where we make a lot of mistakes, beloved, in understanding what the word of God is actually saying. We have a major problem in our culture, and it has to do with the fact that we take contemporary use of words and its definition and apply it to biblical understanding and interpretation. And when you take how the current culture defines words and apply it to Bible, you misinterpret and misunderstand what God is really saying.”

27s

#OneTimeConfession

“I'm trying to set somebody free. It is a one time acknowledgment of our sinful state and our sinful nature. It is a one for all agreement with God. In other words, you're saying, Lord, I stand in agreement with you.”

38s

#WarningToFalseBelievers

“But you have to read who was John talking to. Oh my god. Who was John addressing when he wrote his letter? Well, I've done it for you. I found out that John was talking to a group of people who were not believers. John was talking to a group of people who were false believers. They claim to be believers, but they don't actually believe. They don't think that they are sinful.”

31s

#RejectDevilsTrap

37s

#JesusDiedForSinNature

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Confession: Speaking the Same Thing as God

Devotional

Day 1: Aligning with God's Truth About Ourselves

Day 2: The Power of Speaking God's Truth

Day 3: Embracing Your True Identity in Christ

Day 4: The Foundation of a Disciplined Spiritual Life

Day 5: Living in Agreement with God's Promises

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Confession: Speaking the Same Thing as God

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