Balancing Confession with Self-Forgiveness and Compassion
Confession of sin is a fundamental aspect of Christian life, involving an acknowledgment of wrongdoing before God and, at times, before others [4]. This act is not merely an admission but is often accompanied by deep remorse, a resolution to forsake sin, and a plea for forgiveness [6, 7]. The Bible indicates that God requires confession (Leviticus 5:5; Hosea 5:15) and responds to it with regard and promises of pardon (Job 33:27-28; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9) [3].
Confession should be full and unreserved (Psalm 32:5; 51:3) and ideally accompanied by submission to punishment, prayer for forgiveness, self-abasement, godly sorrow, forsaking sin, and restitution where appropriate [3]. For instance, the psalmist's confession of past and present sins is met with mercy based on God's benevolence [7]. A prompt confession is often followed by prompt forgiveness [11]. The consciousness of sin can make suffering more acute, and suffering, when rightly received, can lead to confession [12].
Alongside confession, Christian teaching emphasizes self-forgiveness and compassion, particularly in light of God's forgiveness. The New Testament calls believers to "bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13 BSB) [1]. This instruction highlights that the experience of God's forgiving grace in Christ should naturally lead to forgiving fellow believers [5]. This includes forbearing to seek revenge for affronts and forgiving trespasses committed against oneself [10].
The concept of reconciliation, which is a change from enmity to friendship, is mutual [2]. While reconciliation with God involves a change in the sinner's character, laying aside enmity and yielding confidence and love to God (Colossians 1:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:20), the divine initiative in forgiveness is paramount [2]. God's method is to awaken compassion in humans towards one another by His own demonstration of compassion towards them [8]. This divine act of justification, where God is both just and the justifier of those who believe in Jesus, resolves the paradox of punishing sin while pardoning the guilty through Christ's propitiation [9].
Therefore, the balance between confession and self-forgiveness/compassion is rooted in the understanding that God's forgiveness precedes and enables human forgiveness. Experiencing God's mercy motivates believers to extend mercy to others, including themselves, in a way that aligns with divine justice and grace [8, 9].
Sources
- Colossians “Colossians 3:13 (BSB) — Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Reconcilation — A change from enmity to friendship. It is mutual, i.e., it is a change wrought in both parties who have been at enmity. (1.) In Col. 1:21, 22, the word there used refers to a change wrought in the personal character of the sinner who ceases to be an enemy to God by wicked works, and yields up to him his full confidence and love. In 2 Cor. 5:20 the apostle beseeches the Corinthians to be "reconciled to God", i.e., to lay aside their enmity. (2.) Rom. 5:10 refers not to any change in our disposition toward God, but to God himself, as the party reconcile”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Confession of Sin — God requires -- Le 5:5; Ho 5:15. God regards -- Job 33:27,28; Da 9:20-23. Exhortation to -- Jos 7:19; Jer 3:13; Jas 5:16. Promises to -- Le 26:40-42; Pr 28:13. Should be accompanied with Submission to punishment. -- Le 26:41; Ne 9:33; Ezr 9:13. Prayer for forgiveness. -- 2Sa 24:10; Ps 25:11; 51:1; Jer 14:7-9,20. Self-abasement. -- Isa 64:5,6; Jer 3:25. Godly sorrow. -- Ps 38:18; La 1:20. Forsaking sin. -- Pr 28:13. Restitution. -- Nu 5:6,7. Should be full and unreserved -- Ps 32:5; 51:3; 106:6. Followed by pardon -- Ps 32:5; 1Jo 1:9. Illustrated -”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Confession — (1) An open profession of faith (Luke 12:8). (2.) An acknowledment of sins to God (Lev. 16:21; Ezra 9:5-15; Dan. 9:3-12), and to a neighbour whom we have wronged (James 5:16; Matt. 18:15).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:32: 4:32 Forgiving fellow believers is a natural and good response to experiencing God’s forgiving grace in Christ (cp. Col 3:12-13; 1 Jn 4:19).”
- Ezra (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ezra 10:11: Make confession - Acknowledge your sins before God, with deep compunction of heart, and the fullest resolution to forsake them.”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 25:6: Confessing past and present sins, he pleads for mercy, not on palliations of sin, but on God's well-known benevolence.”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 5:7: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy--Beautiful is the connection between this and the preceding beatitude. The one has a natural tendency to beget the other. As for the words, they seem directly fetched from Psa 18:25, "With the merciful Thou wilt show Thyself merciful." Not that our mercifulness comes absolutely first. On the contrary, our Lord Himself expressly teaches us that God's method is to awaken in us compassion towards our fellow men by His own exercise of it, in so stupendous a way and measure, towards ourselves. In the par”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 3:26: To declare . . . at this time--now for the first time, under the Gospel. his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus--Glorious paradox! "Just in punishing," and "merciful in pardoning," men can understand; but "just in justifying the guilty," startles them. But the propitiation through faith in Christ's blood resolves the paradox and harmonizes the discordant elements. For in that "God hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin," justice has full satisfaction; and in that "we are made the righteousne”
- Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 3:13: Forbearing one another,.... Not only bearing one another's burdens, and with one another's weaknesses, but forbearing to render evil for evil, or railing for railing, or to seek revenge for affronts given, in whatsoever way, whether by words or deeds: and forgiving one another; all trespasses and offences, so far as committed against themselves, and praying to God to forgive them, as committed against him: if any man have a quarrel against any; let him be who he will, high or low, rich or poor, of whatsoever age, state, or condition, and let his quarrel or com”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 32:5: A prompt fulfilment of the purposed confession is followed by a prompt forgiveness.”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 38:18: Consciousness of sin makes suffering pungent, and suffering, rightly received, leads to confession.”