Thursday, August 25, 2005
On Confession
The Gad(d)about tells a great story about confession in a congregation.
Most would argue that if you feel bad enough to want to kill yourself, the last thing you need to do is undergo a deep self-examination and tell others all about your faults.
But see, here's the thing -- that same examination produces an overwhelming understanding of precisely how much God loves you. The more you realize your innate unworthiness, the more you come to appreciate the true nature of God's love.
Confession is very much lost in the protestant evangelical church today, but it is vital to its function. How should we go about restoring confession to the prominent place it deserves?
That night one of the more prominent members of the church called the pastor. This man told the pastor he had scheduled to commit suicide that night, that he had been despondent for months, and had been thinking about death ever since. That act of contrition changed his heart, and the Holy Spirit renewed him. He said he has been dramatically changed and has a new desire to live to honor God.What a testament! Confession conquered suicide -- how totally opposite of how the world thinks today.
Most would argue that if you feel bad enough to want to kill yourself, the last thing you need to do is undergo a deep self-examination and tell others all about your faults.
But see, here's the thing -- that same examination produces an overwhelming understanding of precisely how much God loves you. The more you realize your innate unworthiness, the more you come to appreciate the true nature of God's love.
Confession is very much lost in the protestant evangelical church today, but it is vital to its function. How should we go about restoring confession to the prominent place it deserves?
