Confession of sin goes against the natural instinct of mankind. Our fallen nature resists the exposure of failure to God and others. Confession of sin is an act of humility, and it is through this action we worship the Lord, turning away from sin. When we confess our sins, we are acknowledging our wrongful thoughts, attitudes, and behavior to the Lord and others. By confessing our sin, we are glorifying the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ—the one who was tempted in every way but lived a completely holy life. We are acknowledging the sacrifice Christ made on the cross for our sin, on our behalf. And we are giving praise to God for the resurrection of Christ from the grave proving his Lordship over sin and death.

The spiritually alive man is transformed through confession of sin. This is one of the consistent ways the believer becomes more like Christ every day. As the Scripture says, “If we claim to be without 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 sin and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) May each of us experience the transformational grace of God today through confession.