When Jesus came into this world, He brought the good news of the Kingdom of God. However, because sin has distorted our minds and souls, what is supposed to be the good news is often seen as the unachievable and unbearable alternatives. Truth of the matter is that the good news of the Kingdom of God is the best choice.
We often think we must be perfect or check all the boxes before we can even think of presenting before God, which used to be me most of the time, and I still struggle with this from time to time. Truth is God already knew about our sins even before we were born. If that’s the case, it’s pointless to hide from Him. When we sin, God knows we would feel ashamed, guilty, unworthy, rejected, prideful, hopeless, helpless, etc. He already knows everything about us, including our mistakes. That’s why God gave us His only Son Jesus as the exit door by asking us to confess our sin(s) to Him and receive His forgiveness. Yet, it is so hard for us to confess our sins to Him, which means to admit what we’ve done and ask for His forgiveness.
So, what can make God resist us when we sin?
The Bible says in James 4: 6 “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Something about being humble before God makes Him melt if you will, and one of the best examples we have in the Bible is David. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed in battle. However, the way David approached God in prayer for his wrongdoings found in Psalms 51, made him find favor before God because what he truly deserved was death.
We don’t need anyone to tell us when we sin, just like we know when we are angry, bitter, envious, fearful, etc. Therefore, normalizing sin can make God resist us. We normalize sin when we don’t even attempt to make things right, so we become careless. Also, it is when we find excuses (often by using a lie to cover up another lie) and refuse to take accountability for our actions. God is not asking us to grab a microphone and shout each time we sin; however, God would much rather deal with us on a personal level than allow our sins to turn into public announcements. Besides, let’s not forget that Jesus is also our personal Savior. Therefore, God wants us to confess our sins to ourselves, which requires we call the sin (s) by its name(s) and confess our sin(s) before Him in the most honest way possible, meaning to call it what it is.
God is our Father
In Isaiah 1:18, God says “Come now, let us settle the matter says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they are red as Crimson they shall be like wool.” The way God approaches us when we mess up or when we get stuck due to our own disobedience, gives us no reasons to deny that He is indeed a good Father. For example, when a child is disobedient or breaks his parent’s furniture, the parent is not seeking for the child to replace the piece of furniture. However, the parent is after one thing and one thing only. He/she wants the child to admit that he broke the furniture. He/she doesn’t want the child to blame it on his sister/brother, hide the broken pieces of furniture or act as if nothing happened. The parent is looking for honesty, not perfection. And this is exactly what God is looking for in us when we sin. And friends, this simple act before God is enough to take our relationship with Him to an entirely new level.
General confession versus Specific confession
It is important to briefly touch on the difference between a general confession versus a specific one. A specific confession is when we call the sin for what it is instead of putting it under a big umbrella because we find it easier to just sweep it under the rug.
For example, if someone is an addict, he doesn’t need to camouflage the issue before God but sincerely admit his problem, his struggles to quit, and the need for God’s help until he receives his breakthrough. This simple yet powerful step determines whether he will settle in his condition or refuse to settle until his breakthrough comes. Also, we must keep in mind that there is a huge difference when saying, for example: “Father, forgive me for my wrongdoings in class or at work today” compared to saying “Father, forgive me for stealing my classmates/coworker’s money today for ‘xyz’ reasons. I know this is a sin and you don’t want me to live this way, please help me change my ways.” At this point, God can even soften the heart of those who were wronged to accept apologies and even begin to see the person who wronged them differently. Like the story of Jacob and Esau in the Bible, Jacob had no idea that God had changed Esau’s heart towards him while God was also wrestling with his heart. God is more than willing to do His part if we are willing to do our part.
God is not asking you and me to cease to exist when we sin, although that’s supposed to be the price to pay “For the wages of sin is death” according to Romans 6:23. However, God in His mercy, gave us Jesus as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. Jesus is the way of escape for our sins. Because of what Jesus did, all we have to do when we sin is to call upon Him. We need to confess our sins before Him with a sincere heart, ask for His forgiveness and receive it because He already paid the price.
God bless you!
SCRIPTURES
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13
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