Confession of Faith

We have covered the topics of faith and repentance in the last few units. If you recall from Unit 3:2, there are five requirements to be saved. Believing the gospel in faith was the first requirement, repentance was the second, and now we will discuss confession.

Confession isn’t a complicated concept. At its core, it means admitting something. The first thing we need to understand is what we are confessing. There are several aspects, but it all begins with Jesus, as everything does.

What to Confess: Jesus

If you truly believe that Jesus is God, who came in the flesh and died on the cross to grant forgiveness of sins, you should confess that. You should also confess that Jesus is now Lord over your life.

What to Confess: Your Sins

Even as far back as Adam and Eve, God required a confession of sin. You should be familiar with the story: Adam and Eve sinned and hid from God. But God came and asked, “Adam, where are you?”

God didn’t ask because He needed to know their location—He already knew. He asked to prompt Adam to reflect on his actions and come to his senses.

This question led Adam to think about where he was spiritually. He was trying to hide from the God who sees everything. Imagine how foolish he must have felt at that moment.

Notice that the Bible doesn’t say God found them; it says they came to Him. God was giving them a chance to confess instead of directly calling them out.

There is no hiding from God—no sin escapes His knowledge. When God knocks on your heart’s door, He already knows what you’ve done and still wants you.

Guilt is one of Satan’s favorite tools. You might think, “I’ve done too much for God to forgive me,” but God already knows and is still reaching out to you. If you’re feeling drawn to seek forgiveness, it’s because He is working in your heart.

If God weren’t drawing you, you wouldn’t care. That tug on your heart is evidence of His love. So confess your sins to Jesus, and confess that He is Lord and Savior. Believe in His promise to forgive you!

You don’t need to list every sin individually. Confession is less about cataloging wrongs and more about admitting your overall disobedience to God’s law.

James 2:10 reminds us that breaking one law means breaking them all. A simple, heartfelt prayer like, “Lord God, I have sinned but trust You to forgive me,” is enough.

Who to Confess Sins To: God

We must confess our sins to God Himself. If you’re wondering whether to confess to Jesus or the Father, understanding the Trinity clarifies that they are one.

Our confession of sin and need for forgiveness must be made before God.

Who to Confess Sins To: Not Men

Sadly, some believe we must confess our sins to men in order to receive forgiveness. The Catholic religion (which is not a Christian religion) is a prominent offender in this area.

Some misunderstand this passage. They think Jesus was demonstrating that men could justify other men, but that isn’t what happened at all. The Pharisees were correct: only God can forgive sins.

In Psalm 51, David confessed his sins after taking another man’s wife and having him killed. Yet, he declared that he had sinned against God and God alone. This highlights that all sin is ultimately against God because He owns everything and everyone.

When we harm another person, we harm someone who belongs to God. Therefore, only God can grant forgiveness, as every sin is against Him.

When Jesus said, “Thy sins be forgiven thee” in Luke 5, it was an open declaration to the Pharisees that He was God. A man could say those words without power or authority, appearing blasphemous or delusional. But Jesus proved His authority by healing the man, showing He could back His words with action. This was undeniable evidence that God Himself had come to them.

Understanding John 20:23

This verse has been misunderstood and misused for centuries, particularly in the Catholic religion. If only God can forgive sins, why did Jesus tell the disciples they could remit or retain sins?

It does not mean we should go to men to confess our sins for forgiveness. Such an interpretation contradicts Scripture. The Bible clearly states there is only one mediator between God and man: Jesus Christ.

Let’s revisit John 20:23 with proper context:

Jesus first breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” This shows that it was not the disciples themselves forgiving sins, but God working through them. The Holy Spirit is God, and forgiveness comes from Him alone.

The disciples’ role was to proclaim what the Holy Spirit had done. This mirrors the Old Testament priests, who offered sacrifices and declared the people’s sins forgiven. The priest didn’t provide forgiveness but announced what God had done.

If someone says, “Your sins are forgiven,” it does not compel God to act. That person might claim to speak for God when they do not. However, the disciples could confidently declare, “Thy sins are forgiven,” because they were empowered by God to proclaim His truth.

Proclaiming Forgiveness Through the Gospel

Jesus told the disciples to preach the gospel, which would lead people to forgiveness. Their role was to proclaim that forgiveness comes through faith in Christ.

The wording in John 20:23 is significant:

The phrase “they are forgiven” (apheōntai) in Greek indicates an action already completed with lasting results.

The phrase “they are retained” (kekratēntai) in Greek refers to a state resulting from a past action continuing into the present.

Jesus wasn’t saying people will be forgiven or not in the future. He was saying that forgiveness had already been made available through the gospel, and the disciples were to declare this truth.

Breaking It Down

• The disciples shared the gospel, giving people the opportunity to be forgiven.
• If people believed, they received forgiveness. If not, their sins remained.
• The disciples played a role in proclaiming forgiveness but never had the power to forgive sins themselves.

This passage doesn’t suggest men can offer absolution. It emphasizes that forgiveness comes from God alone. The disciples merely declared what God had already done through Christ.

Don’t let these verses cause you to stumble into thinking men can forgive sins. The disciples proclaimed the truth of the gospel, and people’s forgiveness depended on their response to God—not on the disciples’ authority. God alone forgives sins, and we must confess directly to Him.

Confess Jesus Before Men

Our confession should be public. We must not deny Jesus before others. This isn’t because publicly declaring your faith will save you—salvation is already secure, whether in public or private. But you cannot claim to love Jesus while being ashamed to proclaim Him.

Many may fear for their lives when called to confess Jesus publicly. Let me clarify: I’m not suggesting you should recklessly declare your faith to someone known for persecuting Christians. God gave us wisdom for a reason. There is a critical difference between fear and shame.

Fear is a God-given instinct that helps us avoid unnecessary danger. The Bible even says that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

Shame, on the other hand, stems from a reluctance to admit the truth because you wish it weren’t true.

If you fear for your life, use wisdom. However, when confronted and asked if you are a Christian, ask yourself: do you wish it weren’t true at that moment? If so, that is shame.

Now consider this scenario: you are standing before an executioner and asked if you believe in Jesus. What will you do?

If you deny Jesus because you wish, in that moment, you didn’t believe, then you are ashamed.

But if you still rejoice in knowing Jesus despite your fear, then you are not ashamed—you simply need wisdom.

You might consider lying to preserve your life. However, ask yourself this: do you fear men more than you fear God?

Wisdom requires courage in such situations. It demands that you fear God more than man. Be willing to lay down your life, trusting that God can raise it again.

How to Confess Sins: Prayer

One of the most direct ways to confess is through prayer—speaking to God with your lips. If you are unable to speak aloud, confess with your inner voice. God hears even our silent thoughts.

Genesis 24:45 and 1 Samuel 1:12-17 remind us that God listens to the prayers of the heart as much as those spoken aloud.

Communication can take many forms: speech, sign language, writing, and so on. But there is another powerful form of confession: action.

You’ve likely heard the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” What good is it to confess Jesus with your lips but deny Him with your actions? A verbal confession is only as meaningful as the life that backs it up. Let your actions continually confess that Jesus is your Lord.

Next Steps: Baptism

First, we believe. Then, we repent and confess. The next requirement is baptism. There are multiple forms of baptism, one of which is a public confession of faith. However, there is another type of baptism as well.

We will explore the differences in the next units.

Unit 3:6 – Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation OR

Return To Christianity 101 Unit 3 – Repentance and Salvation