God’s Created Order

God designed humankind for his glory and blesses those who wisely live according to his ways

As sinners, we reject God’s design and live foolishly, incurring God’s judgment and sin’s destruction

As sinners, our foolish rejection of God’s design leads others into judgment and destruction

Our sin negatively affects our relationship with God and with others, and it can become a pattern

God gives us the practices of confession and repentance to break the patterns of sin and restore our relationships with God and others

Confession

Confession is saying the same about your sin as God says about it, both to God and to others

Humbly own your sin and its results; first to God your Creator, then to those you affected

Confession is to be a regular part of our relationship with God and with others

When we confess to God we are healed – Ps 32; James 5:13-18

When we confess to those we’ve wronged bring them joy – Phil 1:25-28

When we confess to others we bring glory to God – 1 John 1:5-10

While confessing, do not excuse your sin, be specific, ask for forgiveness, then change (see below)

If someone confesses sin to you, you must respond as God responds to sin

Do not disregard someone’s sin by disregarding their confession

Teach and model the gospel love and forgiveness toward them – Luke 17:3-4

Repentance

Repentance is the turning away from sin and the returning to trust and obedience to God

Humbly reject your sinful pattern and live faithfully under God’s design

Confession must be followed by a whole being return to God 

Turn your heart’s reliance (desires, motivations, and values) from sin back to God

Turn your mind’s reliance (thoughts, plans, and considerations) from sin back to God

Turn your behavior’s reliance (actions, speech, and routines) from sin back to God

Repentance may include a drastic change to your belongings, habits, and environments

Repentance helps build up your spiritual defense against your particular sin patterns

If someone has repented of a certain sin, you must guide and encourage them as God does

Do not disregard “dips” back into sin, these are just the start of returning to previous patterns

Be a constant source of biblical wisdom and Godly grace

Confession, Repentance, and the Gospel

Confession and repentance are to be a normal, joyous part of the Christian life

For sin is an offense to God and he will not honor those willingly giving into patterns of sin

God, through Christ’s righteousness, has already deemed the believer uncondemned by their sin

Confession and repentance are the successful avenues of returning to righteousness in God

The believer has a confidence in Christ that their sin will never remove them from God’s family

 

For further study: Sande’s Peacemaking, Braun’s Unpacking Forgiveness