We were talking with some friends who go to a fellowship where every so often members of the congregation will stand up in front of everyone and confess different sins during the meeting. While I think this can be a good thing at times, it seems that the majority of the sin confessing is men getting up confessing struggling with lust or pornography.
Do you guys (and gals) think that this is appropriate to be confessed in front of a mixed audience?
Confessing sin in the meeting
Confessing sin in the meeting
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:
Reason:
"How is it that Christians today will pay $20 to hear the latest Christian concert, but Jesus can't draw a crowd?"
- Jim Cymbala (Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire) on prayer meetings
- Jim Cymbala (Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire) on prayer meetings
No, IMO.
if a man insists on publically confessing this specific type of sin, i think he should do so to other men.
If i was a woman in the meeting, i would feel pretty skeevy if a man started confessing problems with lust and pornography. of course if children are present the problem worsens.
TK
if a man insists on publically confessing this specific type of sin, i think he should do so to other men.
If i was a woman in the meeting, i would feel pretty skeevy if a man started confessing problems with lust and pornography. of course if children are present the problem worsens.
TK
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:
Reason:
"Were not our hearts burning within us? (Lk 24:32)
I think a man or woman can go to a friend or a trusted person
and the two can agree in prayer for healing. I dont think
it is right for a man to stand up in church confessing problems
of a sexual nature. Infact, it would be better to stand and
have a testimony, scripture etc, and leave the confessing
privately.
and the two can agree in prayer for healing. I dont think
it is right for a man to stand up in church confessing problems
of a sexual nature. Infact, it would be better to stand and
have a testimony, scripture etc, and leave the confessing
privately.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:
Reason:
I believe it was Spurgeon who said that a person's repentance should be as notorious as was their sin. I would paraphrase and say that a person's confession should be as public as was their sin. Secret sins need only to be confessed to God; sins against individuals should be confessed to those individuals; and public sins should be publicly confessed.
Last edited by FAST WebCrawler [Crawler] on Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason:
Reason:
In Jesus,
Steve
Steve
What is a "valid" confession that results in forgi
Is it enough in all circumstances to confess your sins earnestly to the Lord and pray for forgiveness or do we need to confess our sins publicly in all or some circumstances. If you sin did not "directly" affect someone such as you said negative things behind someone's back or agreed with others that were gossiping or speaking ill of someone, would you need to confess that sin to the person or would taking it to the Lord and leaving it there be sufficient. Just thought I would see what all of you think.
I would say that I believe (at this point) that all sins are forgiven if we sincerely ask the Lord to forgive them and confess them unto him.
Dan
I would say that I believe (at this point) that all sins are forgiven if we sincerely ask the Lord to forgive them and confess them unto him.
Dan
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:
Reason:
confession
The situation Rae's describing does seem ill advised mainly because of the nature of the sins being confessed and the impact of that confession on the hearers. Though such confession could be an opportunity for the community to extend grace, in a mixed crowd such confessions will probably have an adverse effect.
However, I do think there is value in confessing your 'secret' sins to others in the right context.
James 5:13-16
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 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.
I don't see verse 15 as referring only to confessing sins to persons that we've sinned against. If anything, the context is about getting other Christians involved in your private troubles (self-induced or not)
There is great benefit in confessing any of our sins to those trustworthy enough to handle it. God alone is the source of our forgiveness, but as Christ's body, the Church, His most tangible presence in the world, we are privileged and called to be part of how God offers forgiveness to the saints. This is why he has granted us the gifts of exhortation and encouragement. If we just keep our "secret" sins between ourselves and God most of the time, we do not allow God to work through one of His preferred avenues.
I think it's a "preferred avenue" because when I confess myself to another Christian or Christians whom I trust, the benefit extends beyond just forgiveness for the particular sin. In confessing my sins to others, I offer one more opportunity for the Church to experience what it means to "love one another deeply, from the heart" (1 Peter 1:22). I also allow the other person to grow in grace. I let the other person know they aren't alone in their struggles. I give them opportunity to pray for me. I invite them to "check in" on me from time to time, knowing my weakness, helping to restore me (Gal. 6:1)
These are just a few of the benefits to confessing our sins (secret or public) to others. I could probably go on.... Just as Jesus prefers that we , his fallible people, take his message to a hurting world (even though He could do it much more directly), I think He calls us to be involved in His extension of forgiveness to each other.
Could this all be dangerous? Yes, of course. Confession to others requires a lot of wisdom and discernment, a conducive church environment, perhaps. But just because it's dangerous I don't think we should just retreat to keeping our secret sins to ourselves and God.
From my perspective, confessing our sins to others one-on-one or in small groups should be a norm. Public confession in a mixed audience, well, that's a lot trickier. I think there is sometimes a place for it, depending on the variables (what's being confessed, the makeup of the audience, the size and intimacy of the group, the leading of the Holy Spirit, the motivation for the confession, etc..).
However, I do think there is value in confessing your 'secret' sins to others in the right context.
James 5:13-16
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 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.
I don't see verse 15 as referring only to confessing sins to persons that we've sinned against. If anything, the context is about getting other Christians involved in your private troubles (self-induced or not)
There is great benefit in confessing any of our sins to those trustworthy enough to handle it. God alone is the source of our forgiveness, but as Christ's body, the Church, His most tangible presence in the world, we are privileged and called to be part of how God offers forgiveness to the saints. This is why he has granted us the gifts of exhortation and encouragement. If we just keep our "secret" sins between ourselves and God most of the time, we do not allow God to work through one of His preferred avenues.
I think it's a "preferred avenue" because when I confess myself to another Christian or Christians whom I trust, the benefit extends beyond just forgiveness for the particular sin. In confessing my sins to others, I offer one more opportunity for the Church to experience what it means to "love one another deeply, from the heart" (1 Peter 1:22). I also allow the other person to grow in grace. I let the other person know they aren't alone in their struggles. I give them opportunity to pray for me. I invite them to "check in" on me from time to time, knowing my weakness, helping to restore me (Gal. 6:1)
These are just a few of the benefits to confessing our sins (secret or public) to others. I could probably go on.... Just as Jesus prefers that we , his fallible people, take his message to a hurting world (even though He could do it much more directly), I think He calls us to be involved in His extension of forgiveness to each other.
Could this all be dangerous? Yes, of course. Confession to others requires a lot of wisdom and discernment, a conducive church environment, perhaps. But just because it's dangerous I don't think we should just retreat to keeping our secret sins to ourselves and God.
From my perspective, confessing our sins to others one-on-one or in small groups should be a norm. Public confession in a mixed audience, well, that's a lot trickier. I think there is sometimes a place for it, depending on the variables (what's being confessed, the makeup of the audience, the size and intimacy of the group, the leading of the Holy Spirit, the motivation for the confession, etc..).
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:
Reason:
I'm sorry if that's been your experience Lazarus. I know it has been for many. I have seen how God can use honesty about sin between Christians to bring incredible healing in the right environment. I think that's part of what James was speaking about in his admonition that we "confess our sins to one another". I think we as Christians can choose to respond to sin in our own lives as the adversary, the accuser, would. But God can also use us to act on His behalf in the lives of others, speaking and living out His forgiveness to others.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:
Reason:
Indeed, it is not a bad thing to confess sin. It is just something to be done a little bit wisely... "in the right environment," as you put it, so that accountability and healing are the result instead of condemnation.anochria wrote:...I have seen how God can use honesty about sin between Christians to bring incredible healing in the right environment. I think that's part of what James was speaking about in his admonition that we "confess our sins to one another". I think we as Christians can choose to respond to sin in our own lives as the adversary, the accuser, would. But God can also use us to act on His behalf in the lives of others, speaking and living out His forgiveness to others.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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Reason:
True, true.
If the "right environment" for mutual confession is usually found in a small group or one-on-one, then, getting back to Rae's original question- is there ever a place for personal confession (of so-called "private" sin) in the large group meeting?
If the "right environment" for mutual confession is usually found in a small group or one-on-one, then, getting back to Rae's original question- is there ever a place for personal confession (of so-called "private" sin) in the large group meeting?
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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Reason: