Anytime we approach our sin problem, people feel like we're being dour and unhappy, forsaking the joy that we have in Christ. Why dwell on our sin, they reason, if we're already forgiven?
That's precisely the reason.
We confess our sin in order to recognize just how far we are from the ideal of Jesus Himself. We see our brokenness. We acknowledge that we've fallen short; missed the mark. We recognize our personal sin, and we also recognize the broader sin of the body of Christ at large. We state it boldly, out loud, guilty, yet not ashamed.
Why? Because we've already been forgiven.
We come before God as we truly are, not in the hope that we will be forgiven, but in the confidence that we already have been forgiven. Every other religion calls us to acknowlege our sin in shame and supplication, with the hope of forgiveness. Prior to a relationship with Jesus, we frantically hide our sin, fading into the background, hoping to be missed. As Christians, however, we are able to confess our sin boldly with freedom--not because we're proud of our failures, but because we're assured of our cleansing before the Father.
Ourr approach to God has fully moved from the transcendant to the personal. The Invitation acknowledges that we are part of a larger story that is being written within many times and in many places. The Proclamation ties our story to the ancient and ultimate Story, tethering us back to the foundation of Truth. The Invocation is an acceptance the grace that we are offered in Jesus. And it is based on the reality of grace that the Confession is able to be a joyful exercise.
The Confession means that we are no longer pretending to be something we're not. We're completely real and honest before God, unwilling to pretend that we are someone who is more worthy of His acceptance. We speak out loud the depth of our un-worth, and we do it with confidence and joy. Why?
Because we know that He's already offered us grace in Christ.
1 comment:
Hallelujah what a Savior!
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