Confessing Sexual Sin

As promised from Sunday’s sermon on Proverbs 5:1-23, 6:20-35, and 7:1-27, the following series of posts will focus on course correction for the struggle with sexual sin. Proverbs 28:13 reveals both the danger of unconfessed sin and the blessing of mercy. “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”

Confession never comes before conviction. God, as a loving Father, convicts his children in order to change them. This is a stressful, sometimes embarrassing, always painful process of sanctification. AND it is always GOOD! If you’re regularly convicted of sin, especially moral heart-issues, this gives evidence of your genuine faith. Hebrews 12:7, “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?”

Conviction leads nowhere without confidence in God. When confidence in God is related to conviction of sin, it becomes like a bathroom faucet. Turn the left knob for hot water, and turn the right knob for cold. Both are useful under different circumstances, but normally it’s a balanced mixture of both that cleans your hands. Our confidence in God works exactly the same way. Both the heat of his correction and the light of his grace cleanses our soul. When we sin and refuse his correct, we’re assured of his discipline and judgment. But if we sin and confess, we’re equally assured of his grace, forgiveness and healing. Which part of confidence in God motivates you to confess? Do you confess because you HAVE to, or do you confess because you GET to? Both work, but his goodness is more enjoyable than his judgment. “Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead  you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4)

Conviction built on confidence leads us to confession. Only confession focused on the Forgiver rather than the forgiven will merit the refreshing joy of being cleansed. Sexual sin is a persistent foe. Long after the offense, the accuser continues to enslave the forgiven with the penalty of their sin (Rev. 12:10). True confession involves more than admitting one’s guilt. It includes believing in the continuing power of the Gospel – that we cannot establish our own righteousness, but receive a righteousness that is from God by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross (Rom. 10:3). You can be forgiven and freed to live a new life (different from your past) ONLY because of the cross of Jesus Christ. Wear it around you neck, or hang it from your rearview mirror, or stick it to the refrigerator door. Joyful forgiveness demands that we see the cross every day.