When sin is confessed, it brings light to a situation that had been kept in the dark. In the dark the devil and our sin nature can work to confuse, disorient, and disguise. In that darkness secrets become septic. Silence becomes safety. People become isolated and disillusioned.
In the light there is freedom. There is no longer anything to hide. People are invited in to see what has happened and in Christ these believers can speak truth where the devil had been telling lies. God can start a fresh work. A sinner can be set free. Confession becomes the heart of a fresh start.
People must be allowed to confess their sin and be set free. James 5:16 "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."
When a person reveals their sin, their siblings in Christ should bring light to that person's life. They must bring truth in love. In speaking the truth of what sin is and what it does enables a person to enter into reality. Telling them the truth of the Gospel - that we are far more sinful than we know are far more loved than we could ever imagine - enables a person to experience grace.
Those that hear the confession should not only bring light, but should allow light to come into their lives. We are all being deceived to some degree. 1 Corinthians 10:12 "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!" When we see others' sin, it needs to open our eyes to the reality of our own sin. We should let the light shine into our own lives. When we let the light of life come in and do it's work, we experience a renewed sense of God's grace and power. The light allows us to see ourselves as we truly are and see God as He is and find the healing hope and power of forgiveness in Christ.
The easy thing to do is to make excuses and dismiss our own secret sin. The smart thing to do is deal with it. James 1:23-25 "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does." Let the power of the light in the truth of God's Word bring a change in your life. Experience the freedom and joy that God's love and grace brings.
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