Background Scripture:
Psalm 32; 1 John 1:1-10
Focal Scripture Text:
Psalm 32:1-5; 1 John 1:8-10
Main Idea When we confess our sins to God, God forgives and frees us from our guilt.
Life Question How do I deal with the guilt I feel?
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What the Bible Says
Background
Psalm 32 was obviously written by someone who knew the devastating effects of not confessing one’s sin. Some traditions consider the psalm to have been written by David after his affair with Bathsheba and murder of her husband.
Hundreds of years later, John wrote a letter to confront the false teachers that questioned everything from the deity of Christ to the sinfulness of human beings. The false teachers’ belief that people could live a sinless life was the occasion for John to write one of the classic passages about forgiveness.
Forgiveness Is a Blessing (Psalm 32:1-2)
The term “blessed” in the Psalms can be translated how rewarding is the life of . . . or happy. These first two verses refer to the joy that can be known when one has experienced forgiveness.
Three different terms in these verses refer to sin, and three different terms refer to forgiveness.
More than likely, the psalmist was not referring to different kinds of sin and forgiveness. Rather he was utilising the parallel style of Hebrew poetry. In Hebrew poetry, one line would restate the meaning of the previous line by using different words.
The first word for sin is “transgressions” and refers to a willful disobedience to a divine command. It refers to deliberately rebelling against God. The second word, translated “sins,” refers to missing that which is aimed at. It is NOT an accidental miss, but rather, it is deliberate. The third word, also translated “sin” in the NIV (“iniquity” in NASB and NRSV), means crookedness or going astray. It can refer to the effects of sin.
A person who has no deceit in his or her spirit is a person who honestly realizes that sin is indeed sin. There is no attempt to excuse wrong behaviour.
These vivid word pictures help us understand the magnificent grace of God in carrying away, covering up, and releasing us from our sin. This is why a person is “blessed” when this happens. Being forgiven is cause for celebration.
What the Bible Says to Me
Is forgiveness something you take for granted? We are eager to seek God’s forgiveness, but how often do we rejoice over God’s grace and mercy? The next time you ask for forgiveness, offer thanks for that which you receive.Teenagers can be very hard on themselves because of their sin. Many times, a young believer feels anything but “blessed” when he or she must repent and seek forgiveness.
Silence Hurts (Psalm 32:3-5)
The next three verses could be interpreted in two different ways. Either the psalmist has not sought forgiveness and the result is a psychosomatic condition in which he thinks he is sick, or the psalmist has some physical illness that he believes is punishment for unconfessed sin.
32:3. When the psalmist “kept silent,” that is, refused to confess his sin, things began to deteriorate. The phrase should not be taken literally, since bones are the last part of the body to disintegrate. This is a picture of a person without hope, whether physically or spiritually. Today, we might say that things are falling apart. Indeed, refusing to talk to God about a particular sin can lead to all kinds of emotional unbalances. The lack of confession takes a toll on every part of our lives.
32:4. The poet experienced anguish around the clock. He felt that God was punishing him. As a result, he lost the stamina to continue life. The word for “sapped” literally means absence of moisture. Just as working in the summer heat leaves one feeling lethargic and without energy, so unconfessed sin leaves one with the spiritual blahs and no energy to enjoy life.
32:5. Such a state of despair and depression caused the author to realize what must be done.
He could no longer “cover up” his sin, or hide it from God. Of course, the sin was never really hidden. We have no sins that surprise God. Confession is not telling God what God does not already know. Rather, confession is simply agreeing with God that our actions are indeed sin. The phrase “guilt of my sin” may refer to the sickness that the author had experienced as a result of sin. Indeed, it may have been the “guilt” that caused the conditions mentioned in verses 3 and 4.
What the Bible Says to Me
How does unconfessed sin affect you? For some it can range from depression to a lack of joy. Many times, we try to treat the ailments with everything but acknowledgment of our sin. This verse should not be interpreted to mean that every physical, mental, or emotional problem is the result of unconfessed sin. However, we must acknowledge that our spiritual health does play a role in our physical and emotional well-being.Youth often try to “cover” their sins. They may be good at hiding their wrongs from teachers, parents, and even peers. This may lead some into thinking that they have successfully “pulled one over” on God as well. They need to understand that acknowledging their sin is for their sake rather than for God’s sake.
Confession Feels Good (1 John 1:8-10)
1:8. Evidently people in the first century AD had the same problem as people in the twenty- first century. They did not believe they were sinners. Perhaps this was one of the false teachings that John was writing to counteract. False teachers may have been teaching that Christ’s death on the cross abolished all sin, including our tendency to sin. Some in that day taught that the body and spirit were so separate that nothing one did in the flesh could affect the spirit. Therefore, while people might sin, it didn’t count in their spiritual life. Of course, such teachings were wrong. John said that those who believed such nonsense were fooling themselves. Teaching contrary to God’s word involves deception.
We all sin. That simple truth is taught throughout the Bible. John said that those who reject this truth are merely deceiving themselves. If a person could be sinless, then Jesus Christ would not have had to die on the cross. At the heart of the gospel is this truth of how much people need the grace of God, a need we have because of our sin. John’s well-known remarks about confession in verse 9 must be understood in the context of verse 8.
1:9. To confess our sin means to agree with God that our action or thought is indeed wrong. Confession is an acknowledgement that we see sin the same way God sees it. Confession is a necessity to an ongoing relationship with God. Confession provides freedom. When we confess, God will forgive us. God does so because of God’s faithfulness and justice. God’s faithfulness means that God is dependable, trustworthy, and will keep his promise to forgive. We do not confess hoping that God might hear and might choose to forgive. Rather we have the assurance that God will forgive. This verse is a promise that believers refer to time after time again. God’s justice requires that our sin be paid for with a death. This is why Jesus Christ had to die in our place.
In addition to forgiveness, we experience purification. The word translated “purifies” speaks
not only of cleansing but also of restoration. When we confess, God forgives and restores us
to fellowship. This truth reminds us of how dirty sin can leave us and of how clean we need
to be around God.
1:10. For those who would argue the simple truth of verse 9, John once again repeated the important truth that all have sinned. His assertion is stronger the second time. He now said that people who deny that they sin not only are deceiving themselves but are also calling God a “liar.” The false teachings about people not sinning did not come from God’s word, and thus those who believe such things do not have God’s word in their lives. People cannot be forgiven if they do not realize this basic truth, that they need forgiveness.
What the Bible Says to Me
Are there activities, thoughts, motivations, or desires in your life that you try to justify as not being sin? Many times, people who teach Sunday School, attend church regularly, and do not engage in self-destructive habits tend to compare their lives to other people and come out looking pretty good. It’s tempting to think, I don’t have any sin in my life. These verses were not written to pagans who partied every week, but rather to believers in the church. Have you fully realized the amount of sin in your life? Do you regularly practice confession to God?
You may have youth in your next Bible study session who have not acknowledged their sin before God for the very first time. They may still view sin as what the other person has a problem with, not themselves. Other youth will already be believers, but they may not recognize their need for confession of sin. They see their sin as a pattern they cannot break and their guilt as something they must learn to live with. They need to understand how confession leads to forgiveness and cleansing.
Imagine a chalkboard. Think of a particular sin in your life and write it on the chalkboard. Ask God to forgive you of that sin. Imagine God’s hand
erasing that sin with a big eraser :)
Is confession a part of your daily prayer life?
Every time you wash your face or hands this week, utter a prayer of confession, asking God to forgive you of a specific sin. At the end of each day, record the number of times you remember asking for forgiveness that particular day.
1:10. For those who would argue the simple truth of verse 9, John once again repeated the important truth that all have sinned. His assertion is stronger the second time. He now said that people who deny that they sin not only are deceiving themselves but are also calling God a “liar.” The false teachings about people not sinning did not come from God’s word, and thus those who believe such things do not have God’s word in their lives. People cannot be forgiven if they do not realize this basic truth, that they need forgiveness.
What the Bible Says to Me
Are there activities, thoughts, motivations, or desires in your life that you try to justify as not being sin? Many times, people who teach Sunday School, attend church regularly, and do not engage in self-destructive habits tend to compare their lives to other people and come out looking pretty good. It’s tempting to think, I don’t have any sin in my life. These verses were not written to pagans who partied every week, but rather to believers in the church. Have you fully realized the amount of sin in your life? Do you regularly practice confession to God?
You may have youth in your next Bible study session who have not acknowledged their sin before God for the very first time. They may still view sin as what the other person has a problem with, not themselves. Other youth will already be believers, but they may not recognize their need for confession of sin. They see their sin as a pattern they cannot break and their guilt as something they must learn to live with. They need to understand how confession leads to forgiveness and cleansing.
Quiet Time:
Imagine a chalkboard. Think of a particular sin in your life and write it on the chalkboard. Ask God to forgive you of that sin. Imagine God’s hand
erasing that sin with a big eraser :) Is confession a part of your daily prayer life?
Every time you wash your face or hands this week, utter a prayer of confession, asking God to forgive you of a specific sin. At the end of each day, record the number of times you remember asking for forgiveness that particular day.
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