It Makes No Sense Whatsoever to Confess Sins

If the threat of punishment looms around every corner, ready to execute after every morally wrong move or motive, then it makes no sense whatsoever to confess sins. If eternal damnation lurks to condemn us perfectly for our culpable imperfections, then it makes all the sense in the world to hide, blame, and defend ourselves.

We should be tireless in our efforts to divert the critical eye away from our shortcomings, while drawing the celebratory attention of others toward our accomplishments. We should be openly critical of others, and overly zealous to proclaim our achievements to the world.

This is human survival.

Death that feels like emptiness, being rejected and unaccepted by other significant beings. Death that feels like hopelessness, having someone else in control of our destiny after we have squandered it away. And death that feels like darkness, having no good, comforting, or safe authority to speak over and direct us.

The threat of this death keeps us bound. The bible uses words like "dominion" and "slavery" to describe that which controls our lives. Diversion is our feeble attempt to delay the death we know we deserve. Because we know it is rightly approaching, anxiety and fear become close [unwanted] relatives.

If we are found guilty, then we are dead. And so we become enslaved to the sins stated above - lying, blame-shifting, and hiding.

But what if the looming condemnation were to be judicially lifted? What if the death deserved was rightly diverted? What if the cup of God's just wrath was poured out completely upon another, upon someone else? What if our death stung another? What if his life saved sinners like you and me?

Then it would make all the sense in the world to confess and not defend. It would make sense to live honestly without hiding. It would be reasonable to take the blame rather than cast it. It would be natural to draw attention to the strengths of others.

Imagine the marriages! Imagine the relational glory!

Suddenly, our old way of doing things becomes wholly unreasonable. If someone were to confront and expose our sins, we should no longer feel the need to defend and divert. The fear of death has been removed. Life has been promised to repentant sinners.

So we admit our guilt. We show our hand. We expose our faults (saving others the stressful trouble!). And we humbly proclaim that we are the freed men and women of Christ - our substitute. We trust him so much that we are fearless to open our lives up in vulnerability to others. We trust him enough to confess, repent, and believe. We love him enough to love others.

We cling to him so tightly that our confessional actions make no sense whatsoever to a watching world.

How to Make World Changing Resolutions

I recently wrote an article entitled How to Make World Changing Resolutions. You can read the article in full on the Reformed African American Network (RAAN) website. In the article, I address the reasons why our resolutions don't last, the faulty nature of our resolutions, and things we can do to ensure they last and make a difference in the world. I hope you enjoy! Happy New Year!