(A note on vocabulary: the word ‘confession’ has two different usages. On the one hand, to ‘confess’ is to admit that one has sinned. On the other hand, a ‘confession’ can also be a statement of belief.)
There are at least three settings for confession: an individual can confess sins directly to God in prayer; an individual can confess sins to another Christian; or a group of Christians can confess their sins together to God. This last setting is called ‘corporate confession.’
Because humans are imperfect, our relationship to God is imperfect. That means that each of these settings has its own drawbacks and advantages.
A confession given directly to God by an individual in prayer can foster intimacy with God, but it lacks an element of coaching in discipleship which a fellow Christian can give; it lacks a straightforward sense of accountability; it is easier to omit entirely.
A one-on-one confession to a fellow Christian can be meaningful, but requires an amount of courage, self-knowledge, and self-disclosure which few people have, especially if it is to be done on a regular and thorough basis.
A corporate confession offers encouragement because it is done with, and in the presence of, fellow believers, but it can be misunderstood, and it can become an empty ritual in which words are recited without thought or feeling.
Perhaps some mixture of all three is best.
Corporate confession requires some agreement as to wording: a liturgy. It can be useful and thought-provoking to compare texts. Here are some common examples:
- We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
- Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment.
- O almighty God, merciful Father, I, a poor miserable sinner, confess to you all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended you and justly deserved your punishment now and forever.
Corporate confession is necessarily general, whereas individual confession allows the person to state specific and concrete sins. In either case, emphasis should be placed both on the “sinful nature” (i.e., original sin) and on sins actively committed (including sins of omission).
Many liturgies include a plea for mercy after the confession. Having admitted that they’ve done something wrong, the people can only beg God for mercy. The word ‘beg’ is central here. One does not say to God, “Because I’ve been good enough to confess my sins, and because I’m sorry for them, please forgive me.” That would amount to a quid pro quo — amount to persuading God to forgive you because of your sincerity and repentance. The true plea for forgiveness is the acknowledgement that people desperately need God’s mercy, but can in no way influence, sway, or talk Him into giving it.
Most historians agree that Martin Luther’s last written words were: “We are all beggars. That’s the truth.” The phrasing points to the absolute powerlessness of the sinner before God. Like a beggar, the only thing people can do is ask.
Whatever form a confession may take, and whichever plea for mercy might follow it, the essential Gospel message is found in the absolution.
The announcement of forgiveness must be clear: the sinner suffering with a terrified conscience must be left with no doubt about God’s forgiveness. To encourage an individual or a group to confess, and then to fail to issue the clearest absolution, is a form of spiritual abuse.
The harm done by not clearly stating forgiveness is so grave that, in a very different setting — in a situation of what is called ‘mind control’ or ‘thought control’ — extracting confessions but withholding absolution is a favored technique by those who would deliberately damage the mental health and thought processes of their victims.
An absolution should identify God as the source of forgiveness, and point specifically to the death and resurrection of Jesus as the transmitter of that forgiveness in the form of atonement — the paying of the price. An absolution can point toward a joyful future in which the forgiven people serve God and delight in His Will.
The proper response to an absolution is a prayer of thanksgiving, or joyful praise music, or both.
