Change involves a grinding halt when there’s a lack of repentance. James 4:6 tells us that “God opposes the proud however provides grace to the standard.” Whereas we can’t earn God’s grace, we will invite it by way of our humility, and within the following verses, James reveals us what this humility seems like: “Draw close to to God, and he’ll draw close to to you. Cleanse your arms, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your pleasure to gloom. Humble yourselves earlier than the Lord, and he’ll exalt you” (James 4:8-10). This can be a image of humble repentance.
Alternatively, we invite God’s opposition after we pridefully refuse to repent. When this occurs, change involves a standstill. For instance, if I’m counseling a father who struggles with anger towards his household, and he says, “I do know I shouldn’t get offended, however…” I assume that change will probably be a gradual course of. Though he admits he’s incorrect, the “however” reveals that deep down, he feels his sin is justified. Justified sin results in ongoing sin.
However how will we encourage somebody towards humble repentance? How will we assist them to acknowledge and hate their sin extra deeply? A method that has been impactful for me and people I counsel is confession.
Saying the Identical Factor as God
Usually, after we consider confession, we consider somebody merely admitting their sins to God. To construct on the earlier instance of the person who struggles with anger, he would possibly “confess” and say, “God, I’m sorry I obtained offended. I shouldn’t do this.” However confession extra actually means, “to say the identical factor.” The concept is that we’re saying the identical factor that God would say about our sin.
What would God really say about anger? Luckily, we don’t must guess as a result of Scripture tells us. Confession that results in deeper repentance is rooted in saying what God says about our sin, based on His Phrase.
Instance: Anger Confessions
Let’s come again to our instance of the person battling anger. If he stated, “Sorry God, I obtained offended,” we’d not be stunned if his repentance wasn’t important. The reason being that the objective of confession isn’t merely to supply a “Sunday Faculty reply” however an train that really helps us to meditate on and perceive our sin extra deeply and to thank God that Christ died for that sin. So, what if as a substitute, you had him undergo numerous passages in Scripture to have him construct confessions which might be rooted in what God says about anger?
Listed here are some examples:
- “In my anger, I’m sinning firstly towards you, God” (Ps. 51:4). Instantly, it turns into way more sobering. This isn’t nearly us and our households, however about us and God.
- “In my anger, I’m finishing up Devil’s agenda for my household” (Eph. 4:26-27). That is actually scary. If Devil have been to write down out an agenda for our households, he would put anger on it. Anger is a matter of finishing up Devil’s plan for our households.
- “In my anger, I’m committing homicide towards my kids in my coronary heart” (Matt. 5:21-26).
- “In my anger, I may even see short-term outcomes, however I’ll sooner or later reap a harvest of unrighteousness due to my sin” (Gal. 6:7). Our anger typically results in responses. For instance, our children would possibly reply to our anger with obedience. Nevertheless, although we’d get what we wish within the second, the Bible tells us that there will probably be tragic penalties if we proceed down the trail of unrepentance.
That is only a begin—one counselee got here up with 44 confessions on anger—however do you see how studying to “say the identical factor” as God does about our sin helps us to know and hate our sin extra, resulting in true repentance?
Instance: Anxiousness
To have a look at one other instance, nervousness is a sin we readily justify. But when justified sin is the pathway to ongoing sin, then we have to develop in repentance by way of confession. Listed here are some potential confessions rooted in Matthew 6:
- “In my stress, I’m telling God that He isn’t worthy of my belief” (Matt. 6:30).
- “In my stress, I’m calling God a liar as a result of He stated I shouldn’t have to emphasize” (Matt. 6:25).
- “In my stress, I’m worshiping another grasp as a substitute of God” (Matt. 6:24-25).
- “In my stress, I’m in search of first my kingdom” (Matt. 6:33).
- “In my stress, I’m questioning the data of God; He is aware of what I want” (Matt. 6:32).
- “In my stress, I’m valuing the creation an excessive amount of” (Matt. 6:25).
- “In my stress, I’m not being steward of my life, as a result of I’m losing my time” (Matt. 6:27).
After I assist a counselee work on writing their confessions, I encourage them to hope by way of them on daily basis to deepen their conviction, encourage repentance, and make them Christ in religion.
In abstract, we assist these we counsel towards deeper repentance by encouraging them to truly “say the identical factor” God does about their sin, by way of writing confessions rooted within the Phrase of God.
Questions for Reflection
- Think about somebody you’re counseling. How do you encourage them to develop in repentance?
- How are you going to reveal what “saying the identical factor” as God does about their sin seems like? Select a sin one in all your counselees is battling and write down some potential confessions for them to work by way of.
