<\/p>\n
\u201cFor I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me\u201d (Psalm 51:3).<\/p>\n
THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR SINS IS PAINFUL, BUT IT IS POWERFUL. If we\u2019re willing to look honestly at our sins against God, the door can be opened to confession, repentance, and salvation.<\/p>\n
The problem at the root of sin is always pride. It is pride that moves us to sin in the first place (we refuse to submit humbly to a will higher than our own), but having sinned, it is also pride that prevents us from acknowledging what we\u2019ve done. Rather than confess our sins and seek God\u2019s forgiveness, we suppress the truth with all manner of evasions, defenses, and rationalizations.<\/p>\n
But if the gospel is about redemption from our sins, we must acknowledge our need for redemption. The first prerequisite to the gospel, therefore, is humility \u2014 the willingness to bow before the painful truth about ourselves. We must lay down not only our rebellion but the excuses we have been offering for our rebellion.<\/p>\n
We usually think of the confession of sin in two directions: confession to God and confession to others. But I suggest that there is a confession that must precede both of these, and it may be the hardest confession of all. We must admit the truth to ourselves.<\/em> Only when we ourselves face the facts will we be ready to acknowledge those facts to God and to those we\u2019ve sinned against.<\/p>\n But let\u2019s go a little deeper. The honest acknowledgement of sin requires more than a generic \u201cI have sinned.\u201d We must be willing to confess our actual sins and call them by their right names. In our human relationships, we wouldn\u2019t feel an apology was sufficient if someone said no more than, \u201cI haven\u2019t treated you as I should.\u201d An honest apology requires stating specifically the error that was committed. But again, the real difficulty lies in making that acknowledgement to ourselves. We won\u2019t seek the forgiveness of God (or the forgiveness of others) if we haven\u2019t fully digested the truth about our guilt and laid aside our excuses.<\/p>\n Personally, I know of no part of the plan of salvation that is any harder than this. It is gut-wrenching. But look at the doors that are opened. Humbled, we are ready to come to the foot of Jesus\u2019 cross and say, \u201cWhat must I do to be saved?\u201d (Acts 16:30).<\/p>\n \u201cThe knowledge of sin is the beginning of salvation\u201d (Epicurus).<\/p>\n Gary Henry \u2013 WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com<\/p>\n