Confession: The Path to Spiritual Freedom and Grace

When we are willing to confess our sins to another person, there is a breakthrough to an experience of forgiveness. There's something about having somebody else look you in the eye and hear about the things that you have done and being able to receive them and tell you you are loved, then you are forgiven. [00:02:53]

We're a mess. We all know bottom line is my life's a mess apart from God. My life's a mess. I have done things that if it was up on the screen and everybody could see it would horrify me, and so have you. So no one feel smug. We're all in that situation, and it's precisely in our mess that we meet God. [00:03:25]

In the Bible, you look at Paul, you look at Moses, you look at... your mess is your message. I met him there, and he helped me. He picked me up. My strength is made perfect in weakness, and that's part of the power of step five. So I want you to just begin to think about taking that step in your life. [00:04:44]

When I shared my fifth step admission with Amy, I expected her to run. I expected her to tell me I needed more help than she or even God could give and I ought to find a professional therapist and an exorcist for all my issues. Not that either would have been unwarranted, but Amy did not run. [00:06:24]

Amy showed me the most compassion and mercy another human can be shown. She loved me deeply for what I tenderly and cautiously revealed to her. She responded with an enthusiastic "me too" to each of the deepest humiliations I've suffered. She hugged me as I cried. She bought me coffee and eggs and truly really loved me. [00:06:59]

Confess your sins to each other. This is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's great book. In confession, he writes, there takes place a breakthrough to community. Sin wants to be alone with people. The more deeply people become entangled in sin, the more unholy is their loneliness. Sin wants to remain alone; it shuns the light. [00:07:50]

In confession, the light of the Gospel breaks into the darkness and the closed isolation of the heart. Sin must be brought into the light. What is unspoken is said openly. All that is secret and hidden comes to the light. It is a hard struggle until the sin crosses one's lips in confession, but God breaks down the gates. [00:08:48]

Confession in the presence of another believer is the most profound kind of humiliation. Are you looking forward to it yet? It hurts. It makes one feel small. Bonhoeffer knew about this. It deals a terrible blow to the pride to stand there before another Christian as a sinner, as that almost unbearable disgrace. [00:09:15]

By confessing actual sins, the old self dies a painful, humiliating death before the eyes of another Christian. Because this humiliation is so difficult, we keep thinking we can avoid confessing to each other. But in confession, we break through to genuine community in the cross of Jesus Christ. [00:09:30]

Remember, your mess is your message, not your strengths, not your gifts, not your resume. Your mess is the place where God will meet you, and great freedom and liberation will come if and when you find the right person and you're willing to be open with them. The mess is your message. [00:10:13]

We are a community that's dedicated to growing spiritually in Christ one day at a time, and a big part of that is prayer. So there's a team of us that meet each weekday, Monday through Friday, to pray for Become New and for viewers just like yourself. So if you have a prayer request, you can send it to us. [00:11:10]

Thanks for joining us. We'll catch you next time. [00:11:32]