Sabbath Thought - Confess Your Faults

To be a Christian is to be about the business of changing and overcoming our natural human nature to become like God.  We know this intellectually, but - well, we tolerate sin in our life because it easier than changing.  There is a verse in the book of James that we don't talk about much - I think because it is uncomfortable.  "Therefore, openly acknowledge your sins to one another, and pray for each other, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, (James 5:16, CJB)."  Other translations say "confess your faults" or "trespasses."  Confess your faults to one another.  What does this mean?

We can be very uncomfortable talking about a deep sin that we need to overcome.  There is a place for that, but what about simply acknowledging what others already know about us?  I am not talking about friendship, marriage, or church attendance ending actions here.  One of the great values of not forsaking regular church attendance (Hebrews 10:25) is that we can have conversations to help one another.  These conversations can involve encouragement, simply listening, giving advice or even correction.  Yes, sometimes we need to hear that we are wrong.  It can be hard for any of us to hear that we are getting too far away from the trunk of God's truth and are venturing out on a thin twig.

One of the primary reasons we are hesitant to share our weaknesses with someone else is that we become vulnerable - that is we know that humans are not good at preserving discretion (Proverbs 5:1-2).  To have a friend you can share something private with is to have a great treasure.  I believe this is what James was writing about when he wrote about covering a multitude of sins (James 5:20).  You and I cannot forgive sin - that is only for God since He is the One who provides the payment.  What you and I can do is protect a reputation and work with a fellow member so that once they change (overcome) that sin, it will be hidden in God's forgiveness.

As a pastor I counsel seeking baptism, and I have had some ask me in the course of that counseling if they need to tell me their sins, and I say, "No, please don't."  If there are things they need help with then I will become aware of it, but I don't want my primary thoughts of them to be all of their sins.  I want to see them as God sees them - forgiven and taking on the mind of Christ.  That is what I want others to see in me, and so we should all strive to love one another (love also means protecting reputations) as we want to be loved (Romans 13:9b).

We are only about eight weeks away from observing the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread for this coming year.  We picture coming out of sin in this festival and Holy Days, and if we are honest with ourselves we know we still have a lot of work to do.  How much easier would it be if we could help one another in that process?  If someone "confessed" a sin to us, would we help them or hurt them?  Scripture reminds us that we have a role to play in helping one another be saved by God - to love one another (John 13:34), pray for one another and be the type of Christian whose prayers for others will avail much (James 5:16).

While we are to work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12), we are also to help bear each other's burdens (Galatians 6:2).  We are to love one another as Christ loves us (John 15:12).  We are to serve one another (Galatians 5:13) - this is not just in physical ways (although that is important too!) but especially in spiritual ways.  Are we humble, caring, and loving enough to be the person someone else could "confess their fault" to so that we can help them more fully become the son or daughter of God He desires them to be?

I wish you a wonderfully meaningful Sabbath,

Dan Dowd

3 February, 2023