November 10th, 2026
Good morning!
You may have heard the phrase, “Confession is good for the soul." Believing that to be true I am going to start with a confession: I am a big fan of Charlie Brown. I especially enjoy the Charlie Brown movies I watched as a kid, that Angela and I watched with our kids and now watch with our grandkids. They still make me smile. I feel so much better with that off my chest!
The Apostle John knew something about the power of confession. In his first epistle, he wrote “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). Confession starts within us but then needs to be spoken by us.
The word John was inspired to use translated as “confess” is a compound word in the New Testament. It is made by joining two roots, homo meaning the same, and logeo meaning to speak. To confess, then, is to speak the same thing. In other words, confession is me speaking about my sin with the same language God already has. It is admitting what God already knew and has spoken and saying with God what he has already said.
We can often struggle with confession of sin as if we are going to speak something to God of which he is unaware. Remember: God is not surprised by our confessions of sin, and he is not caught off guard as if blindsided by our admissions. He already knows it and has already spoken about it. We are simply agreeing with God and speaking the same way he has.
John then shifts from our confession to the character of God. He reminded his audience - and us - of two things: God is faithful, and God is just. To say God is faithful is to say God is trustworthy. As the One who is the same “yesterday, today and forever” (Heb. 13:8), God always acts in full accordance with his Word. And God is just, that is God is altogether righteous. In his mercy, he is the one who is “just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Christ” (Rom. 3:26).
Then John moves from God’s character to God’s action. He will "forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Hobbs writes “to forgive means that God takes away our guilt; to cleanse means that he removes the pollution of our sin . . . sin mars our fellowship with God; his forgiveness and cleansing make this fellowship possible” (Hobbs). What a joy to know restoration with God is as close as my next confession. Hallelujah!
Yes, I am a fan of Charlie Brown. Whether it is the Halloween special (“I got a rock . . .”), the Thanksgiving special (where popcorn and toast highlight the meal) or the Christmas special (when Linus quotes Luke's birth narrative), I confess to enjoying them all. But that joy pales next to being able to confess, to say the same words about my sin as God already has, and receiving his forgiveness and experiencing his cleansing.
Confession is indeed good for the soul. It frees me from my shame and restores my relationship with God. What an awesome God we have!
Blessings,
Pastor David
You may have heard the phrase, “Confession is good for the soul." Believing that to be true I am going to start with a confession: I am a big fan of Charlie Brown. I especially enjoy the Charlie Brown movies I watched as a kid, that Angela and I watched with our kids and now watch with our grandkids. They still make me smile. I feel so much better with that off my chest!
The Apostle John knew something about the power of confession. In his first epistle, he wrote “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). Confession starts within us but then needs to be spoken by us.
The word John was inspired to use translated as “confess” is a compound word in the New Testament. It is made by joining two roots, homo meaning the same, and logeo meaning to speak. To confess, then, is to speak the same thing. In other words, confession is me speaking about my sin with the same language God already has. It is admitting what God already knew and has spoken and saying with God what he has already said.
We can often struggle with confession of sin as if we are going to speak something to God of which he is unaware. Remember: God is not surprised by our confessions of sin, and he is not caught off guard as if blindsided by our admissions. He already knows it and has already spoken about it. We are simply agreeing with God and speaking the same way he has.
John then shifts from our confession to the character of God. He reminded his audience - and us - of two things: God is faithful, and God is just. To say God is faithful is to say God is trustworthy. As the One who is the same “yesterday, today and forever” (Heb. 13:8), God always acts in full accordance with his Word. And God is just, that is God is altogether righteous. In his mercy, he is the one who is “just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Christ” (Rom. 3:26).
Then John moves from God’s character to God’s action. He will "forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Hobbs writes “to forgive means that God takes away our guilt; to cleanse means that he removes the pollution of our sin . . . sin mars our fellowship with God; his forgiveness and cleansing make this fellowship possible” (Hobbs). What a joy to know restoration with God is as close as my next confession. Hallelujah!
Yes, I am a fan of Charlie Brown. Whether it is the Halloween special (“I got a rock . . .”), the Thanksgiving special (where popcorn and toast highlight the meal) or the Christmas special (when Linus quotes Luke's birth narrative), I confess to enjoying them all. But that joy pales next to being able to confess, to say the same words about my sin as God already has, and receiving his forgiveness and experiencing his cleansing.
Confession is indeed good for the soul. It frees me from my shame and restores my relationship with God. What an awesome God we have!
Blessings,
Pastor David
Recent
Archive
2026
January
February
April
June
October
2025
October
No Comments