Confess Sins To One Another 
(Fourth in a series of one-anothering articles) 

by R. Cody Smith                           

In the New Testament there are at least twenty-two examples of what we might expect to see when the church (The Body of Christ) gets together. We call these, the “one-anothering” verses. 

"Therefore confess your sins to each other,
and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” 
James 5:16 NIV  

       Think real hard, when was the last time you heard a sermon about confessing your sins to another person? It seems that for the most part, we as Christians have been ignoring this particular verse (to our own detriment) for quite some time, perhaps this is a can of worms that many church leaders would rather leave unopened. Certainly on the surface it might seem that this kind of confession could become very messy, but just the same, should we continue to ignore simply because there is risk involved?

If true forgiveness of our sins comes from God,
why would he ask us to confess our sins to one another?

       Like many, my days are mostly consumed by immediate needs—the crush of life— and often, vital parts of my discipleship seem to get only occasional attention. Perhaps God, being fully aware of my weakness for distraction, and a propensity for denial, thinks it might help me to stay a little more focused on reality by being transparent with a few trusted others, by confessing to them, the truth about who I really am. 

       When practiced with regularity, this discipline helps us to focus our attention on something that we would otherwise prefer to avoid—our own sin. What’s more, once the cat is out of the bag it becomes increasingly more difficult to continue in the same derelict behavior—our secret is out—and some other human beings have become personally involved in our struggle.  

       Of course, The Roman Catholic Church has a long tradition of ritualized anonymous confession; a religious answer to God’s mandate, a virtually painless way to become exonerated, even without true repentance. Unfortunately the reformation largely threw out the baby with the bath water leaving the protestant church with no tradition at all for the confession of sins.

What we need today is a new church culture of moral and spiritual authenticity.

BENEFITS OF MUTUAL CONFESSION: 

       Jesus had little time for the hypocrites of his day, but an abundance of grace for those who recognized their own sinfulness. He said, “I came for the sick.” Well, we’re all sick but some of us have succumbed to pride, and religious self-righteousness, and are not able to admit it. True humility is being in agreement with reality (the way God sees me), and God extends grace to the humble.  

       Hypocrisy also destroys our witness. The World is always watching us closely to see if our lives match up to our words. I’m going to confess to you right here, that mine often does not. Personally I believe people respect honesty a whole lot more than any illusion of perfection I might try to project. On the other hand, when I am fully aware of my actual state—my own need for grace—there comes upon me a mantle of humility that invites intimacy, and speaks clearly of a loving God who longs to forgive.  

I like the bumper sticker seen several years ago.
 NOT PERFECT, JUST FORGIVEN.
What a relief it is, to be free from affected perfection. 

       Perhaps this also explains why the most recently forgiven converts are often the most effective evangelists.  They are still vividly aware of their need for grace, readily admit their weaknesses, know they are still in process, and have yet to adopt a pious mask. 

       Confession shines the light of truth on our brokenness and invites others to join us in our struggle. By becoming accountable to others the crisis of change is upon me; Now that I am known, I obviously can’t go on forever confessing he same sins to the same people, my own pride begins to work on my behalf. 

       The kind of relationships that grow out of authenticity will help propel me beyond my own abilities of self-discipline. As Wayne Jacobsen clearly observes, “Relationships are not based on illusions; they are built on the real struggles of life.”  

HOW TO CONFESS:

       In the beginning everyone won’t be comfortable with confession, we may have to start with more superficial sins while building confidence in one another, but for those who persevere the joy and freedom of authenticity will follow, and confessing will become almost a pleasure. 

       The appropriate response to self-revelation through confession is not quoting a verse or platitude. Simply be a good listener, say thank you for the trust shown, offer to pray if you feel led, and pray only according to God’s wisdom.  

       While the popularity of Christian small groups is on the rise everywhere, there is also a resurgence of interest in what is known as accountability groups. These same sex meetings of just two-three people are patterned after the “band” meetings of early Methodism. The key distinction of these weekly gatherings is the member’s mutual commitment to the open confession of sin in their lives according to James 5:16. 

       Add to that, weekly reading assignments of as many as thirty Bible chapters, and praying intentionally for the lost, these one-hour micro meetings are packed with the potential to actually transform lives.  Could it be that what John Wesley started centuries ago as the “method” of early Methodism is finding a niche today in Postmodern Christianity? 

       Church leaders and members alike are beginning to realize that the need for discipleship is not being met by existing church programs, and are discovering that IRON TRULY CAN SHARPEN IRON. With no need for: training, books, administration, or finances, these groups are the essence of simplicity. In fact all the information needed to start an accountability group can be found in a simple three-fold brochure called Band Of Brothers, available here as a free PDF view or download.

       This could be the rediscovery of the best discipleship un-program ever conceived, where an intimate band can learn to sojourn together on the roadway of life.

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