Monday, May 08, 2006
The Blessing Of Confession
Last Friday, Reformation Theology looked at the value of corporate confession in traditional liturgical worship. I have to confess that this spoke made my heart sing hallelujah's!
The post also offers a number of the liturgical and responsive prayers the author likes - so do I might I add.
I have attended services without such confession and I find it a hollow experience. You see, despite my salvation, I remain a sinner - I canot bring myself to worship the Almighty until I have "cleared the decks" of all that junk that stands between Him and me. To declare His majesty, without first setting myself right with Him seems insincere somehow.
I think this is also true for ourselves as a body. Think about your typical week at church - how much sin do you participate in and see around the place. You see as congregations we mess up too, and as congregation we need to "clear the decks" with God and with each other.
Update: Mark Daniels chimes in.
Related Tags: confession, corporate confession, grace, worship
Many churches have put aside the corporate confession in favor of only music but the church has historically made the corporate confession central to worship. For most it makes the time of worship more authentic and joyful for it strikes a blow against self-righteousness and humbles us before God as we say what we know to be true of ourselves. It reminds us that we are not better than others and that it is only grace (an alien righteousness) which makes us what we are. God remembers, in the covenant in Christ's blood, not to treat us as our sins deserve. In it we pray for personal sin, for the sins of our local church, our local community, our nation and world.As John Hendryx goes on to point out, such corporate confession should be followed by the pulpit declared "Assurance of Forgiveness" - What great joy that pronouncement can bring!
But Corporate confession of sin would bring only despair were it not for our knowledge of God?s faithfulness to His covenant promise, His forgiveness and mercy.
The post also offers a number of the liturgical and responsive prayers the author likes - so do I might I add.
I have attended services without such confession and I find it a hollow experience. You see, despite my salvation, I remain a sinner - I canot bring myself to worship the Almighty until I have "cleared the decks" of all that junk that stands between Him and me. To declare His majesty, without first setting myself right with Him seems insincere somehow.
I think this is also true for ourselves as a body. Think about your typical week at church - how much sin do you participate in and see around the place. You see as congregations we mess up too, and as congregation we need to "clear the decks" with God and with each other.
Update: Mark Daniels chimes in.
Related Tags: confession, corporate confession, grace, worship
