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The Purpose of Confessing Our Sins to Others

The Purpose of Confessing Our Sins to Others

The Bible says,

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (James 5:14–16 NIV84).

The Bible advises us to confess our sins to one another—but why? What does this mean? Is this talking about making one’s personal sins public? Is it talking about ritual confession with a church-authorized priest in a confessional booth?

And what is going on that James has connected confessing sins with healing from sickness?

My understanding is that James is guiding believers to apply the methods of God that bring healing to one’s heart and mind, and such healing also has a very positive impact on our physical health. James is not talking about a legal confession, a confession to a church official for some ceremonial absolution, nor is he talking about making personal sins public. He’s talking about confessing to another human being for the purpose of healing one’s heart and mind from the fear and shame that sin brings.

One of the impacts of sin, of transgressing the laws God has built into the operations of reality, of going against love, is that sin causes a change inside the sinner—they experience guilt, fear, and shame.

Guilt, fear, and shame activate the brain’s stress circuitry and trigger the body’s immune system, which increases various inflammatory factors; if not resolved, it contributes to various health problems, such as insulin resistance, obesity, adult-onset diabetes, vascular disease, depression, dementia, and other health problems.

Unresolved guilt, shame, and fear also interfere with sleep, which disrupts the immune system, circadian rhythms, the brain’s ability to clear waste products of metabolism, the body’s ability to reduce the stress cycle—all of which increase health problems.

Additionally, chronic guilt and shame undermine healthy relationships. People with chronic guilt and shame feel insecure, worrying about people finding out about whatever it is they are feeling guilt and shame about. They will be guarded, learn to wear social “masks,” pretending to be what they believe others want, and always keep certain boundaries up to prevent true intimacy for fear of rejection if people knew the cause of their guilt and shame. All of this worsens both mental and physical health.

God’s plan of salvation is the plan of healing, of restoration, of re-creation, of removal of the sin and its damaging effects from the lives of people and restoring them to health, to wholeness, to holiness, to righteousness—and this requires not a legal pardon for bad deeds but the removal of sin, the purging of fear, selfishness, guilt, shame, and all unhealthy motives from the hearts and minds of people.

God promises that if we turn to Him,

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws (Ezekiel 36:26, 27 NIV84).

God isn’t seeking to give us legal pardon; He is seeking to give us a new life, a healed life, a pure heart, a right spirit, a recreated and healed mind, motivated with a new spirit of love and trust.

One of the means God has ordained for the removal of fear and shame after one has repented and been reconciled to Him is the confession of one’s sins to another mature, Christian human being. The purpose of this is to purge the fear and shame, the doubt as to whether others could still love them, still care for them, still accept them, still allow them to be part of the community, still allow them to serve and be useful in God’s cause.

As soon as Adam and Eve sinned, they became afraid, ran, and hid because they were naked. They felt exposed. They were afraid of rejection, embarrassment, and humiliation, and they tried to cover their shame with their own fig-leaf garments. They tried to make themselves look good—their “mask” to cover up their guilt and shame.

This is what sin does to people; it damages the image of God within, corrupts the spirit of love with fear and selfishness, guilt and shame, which, if not removed, is corrosive, leading to isolation, which further inflames fear with subsequent worsening of one’s physical health.

Sinners who have repented and received God’s love and forgiveness also need to experience real-life acceptance, connection, reconciliation, love, and being valued by people who know of their sins. So that they can know their sin has not invalidated their life, permanently ruined them, and made them worthless. It is when the repentant person experiences from another human that they are genuinely loved and accepted despite another person knowing their most shameful sins that the shame and fear that cause isolation and distrust are removed.

One of the places this is most effectively practiced and demonstrated is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings. When an alcoholic goes to an AA meeting, they introduce themselves, saying, “Hello, I’m Bob, and I’m an alcoholic.” They confess their addiction, and the group responds with, “Welcome, Bob.”

This process demonstrates the healing element of what James is advising. The alcoholic knows they are struggling, knows they have a problem, knows they have let themselves, God, family, and friends down. They have tried repeatedly on their own to stop, but they have repeatedly failed and feel discouraged, helpless, and ashamed, fearing rejection, condemnation, and even punishment. They fear no one could love them if they knew about their sins; their dignity is damaged; they fear to look others in the eye, and, thus, at the AA meeting, they confess their addiction and experience that they are accepted despite everyone knowing of their weakness.

But simultaneously with their acceptance as a human who is valued and loved, the AA group identifies the addiction as destructive, harmful, and something to be overcome so that the addict can be healed and set free. The alcoholic is accepted; the addiction is not. Likewise, Christians are to always love and accept the sinner who is repentant but struggling while we reject the sin and seek to apply God’s methods in achieving victory. Part of this healing action is the loving acceptance of a repentant sinner.

When the repentant sinner experiences the acceptance, love, and appreciation from people despite them knowing about their sins, there is a relief from fear and shame. Their stress circuitry calms, the inflammatory cascade turns off, sleep improves, and physical health improves. The individual can move forward without the “mask,” living an authentic life, making real connections, in which they are known. All of this has a healing impact on our entire being.

This full healing confession is specifically prescribed for addicts in the fourth and fifth steps of AA’s 12 steps, which read:

Step 4: Make a Searching and Fearless Moral Inventory of Yourself

Step 5: Admit to God, Yourself, and Another Human Being the Exact Nature of Your Wrongs

These steps apply the healing principle that James has instructed. In order to heal from sin, we must stop running from the truth that we are broken and admit to God, ourselves, and at least one other human being the truth about ourselves, our struggles, our weaknesses, and our sins. When we do, we experience forgiveness from God, a new heart from God, re-creation from God, love from God, and a new animating motivation from God. And when we confess to at least one other human being and they live in harmony with Jesus and respond as Jesus would, then we experience acceptance. And it is in experiencing this human acceptance that the fear and shame are removed. The removal of fear and shame from one’s heart and mind is a requirement for healing.

If you are struggling with chronic fear, guilt, and shame, I would encourage you to do a searching moral inventory and then go to God, confess all to Him, and ask Him for a new heart and right spirit, experience His presence in your inner being, His love, peace, grace, mercy, acceptance. And then find at least one mature Christian and have this conversation, explaining your longing for God’s healing in your life, and confess your sins to that person so that you can experience that you are loved as a child of God and that your past sins have not excluded you from God’s love, grace, or fellowship in His family.

If you would like to explore the power of prayer and the purpose of the oil in James’ recommendation above, check out our blog Anointing Oil: Real Remedy or Superstitious Ceremony?

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Testimony 40

I was brought up in a different faith and have been petrified my whole life of God. I believed that I would burn in hell for eternity. When I was 12 I started pursuing the things of this world, but for the next 45 years the Spirit was always calling me, as I knew there was a God through nature. I could see the vast sea of stars in the universe and knew there was something bigger out there. Five years ago, through a Revelation seminar, I was blessed to learn about God’s character and government.

Then I found Come and Reason Ministries and have come under some extreme pressure when I speak about the ministry. One time a member sent me an internet article titled “Whats wrong with Tim Jennings?” I asked her what she thought of it and she said “I don’t know, I didn’t read it.”

I have always wanted to find out for myself the truth about God, so I stayed with the Design Law construct and have been liberated to understand the big picture. Once we consider Design Law, all other Bible stories and prophecies seem to fit perfectly. It is truly beautiful to see people grasping how God operates this Universe of Love and the liberation it has provided in their lives. It blows my mind to see how consistent Design law is with what our founders believed. I hear statements like “This makes so much sense.”

Tom W., Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA

 

Testimony 11

I would love to have a copy of “Healing the Mind” DVDs to have in my therapy office. I enjoy having clients check out materials to enhance their therapy experience. I have sat under Dr. Jennings’ teaching at an American Association of Christian Counselors convention and respect his work greatly.

K.B., LA, USA

 

Testimony 65

I have been tuning into your weekly study classes for a while now and wanted express my appreciation for the teachings that ha been a huge blessing in opening up the true message of the word. Viewing scripture under an imposed law theory always, without fail, raised more questions, concerns, and conflicting scripture interpretations that were discouraging at the very least. Looking at scripture through the design law lens has brought more truth to light for me personally and an understanding of our Heavenly Father that places Him “above all others,” where I am now more than thrilled to witness and serve Him.  I “stumbled” across this ministry a year or so ago and would only watch a few minutes at a time. But the more I listened and the longer I paid attention, the more my spiritual eyes were opened to the ever present truths of scripture. The comprehension of the great controversy and it’s origin by the lies perpetrated and perpetuated throughout the Bible on the attack of God’s character and government is truly priceless. Keep up the Good Work! Your servanthood is desperately needed in such a time as this!

Jeff D., Reading, MA, USA

 

Testimony 64

I’ve been reading the bible and walking with Jesus since I was around 16. I’m 42 now. I’ve mostly been alone in my walk although I went to several churches in different denominations. For the past 3 years God has been showing me His character of agape. It’s been a blessing and changed how I view God and my walk with Jesus. About a year ago I came across the power of love and the principles of design law. These teachings changed how I read scripture and have been such a beautiful blessing. I’m very excited and grateful for these truths. We share these truths of agape, design law and the reality of the principles of the two trees in the garden of Eden with people on Facebook and YouTube. People all over are learning to trust God and His agape design law which makes life possible. Thank you for everything you shared with me. May God continue to bless your ministry and lives.

Bradley M., Hinsdale, NY, USA

 

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA

 

Testimony 63

I’ve been very blessed by “The God Shaped Brain” and this ministry, through video and podcast, over the last few years. It’s truly opened up my eyes more to the truth about God and the importance of that truth in the present world. The message is so inviting, freeing and enlightening and MORE people need to know about it. I believe it is the last message that can truly, not only prepare a people for salvation and translation, but vindicate the character of God.

Michael V., Yonkers, NY, USA

 

Testimony 58

I have been watching your videos in The Power of Love seminar and I must say these have liberated me and have improved my relationship with the Lord. I am no longer terrified of him as I was before following your teachings.

Thando N., South Africa

 

Testimony 66

I am incredibly grateful for the transformative impact you’ve had on my life, and words cannot fully express my appreciation. Over the years, I have been an avid listener and follower of C&R and extend my heartfelt thanks for creating the C&R mobile app. It has allowed me to immerse myself in your lessons repeatedly, enabling me to grasp the profound significance about the Character of God, Design Law, the protocols for life, the reasons behind the current chaos, and Christ’s mission to restore everything. They have deeply touched me. Having studied with various churches, I came away with the perception that God is no different from the deities of ancient Greek or Roman mythology—demanding sacrifices and taking pleasure in bloodshed. Thanks to your transformative teachings, I have experienced a profound awakening to the true nature of God and the immense power of His love. It is truly a remarkable and liberating sensation to finally grasp the truth and embrace the empowering nature of God’s laws. My self-perception has become brighter and more infused with love. My journey of growth continues on a daily basis.

Chris P., Lake Mary, FL, USA

 

Testimony 3

My husband is a pastor and I listen to your lesson almost every week. Thank you for helping me in my study life and to help me love the “real” God more.

C. F., NC, USA

 

Testimony 15

I have been sharing Come And Reason Ministries Bible study lessons with several folk. You have such a beautiful view of the plan of salvation. If we had this message preached when I was young, my generation would still all be in church.

H. R., New Zealand

Testimony 56

I cannot thank you enough for opening my understanding to the beautiful truth of God’s Law of Love and how it applies to everything. I have been a Christian for over forty years, but I feel like I am only now seeing with my eyes open. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

Tammy Cinzio, Australia

 

Testimony 17

The blessings of clarity and understanding you and your class inspire me to take from the word of God have impressed upon me so greatly the true, loving character of our Creator. I have found amazing freedom and joy through building a stronger, more intentional relationship with Him. What is new is that this is now a relationship built on love, reverence and respect rather than fear and obligation, and as such my eyes have been slammed OPEN as I am continually impressed by the manifestations of God’s true character in His provisions for fallen man.

T.E.H., Salt Lake City, UT, USA

 

Testimony 28

I have been following your Bible study class for about a year now. I must say I am impressed with how your ministry has grown. I took it upon myself to listen to all your lesson podcasts from the past and they have both enriched me physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I have learnt a lot from this class. I have also noticed how the class has grown in spiritual strength. One of the things that benefited me is that now I am not afraid of God. I use to be, but now it has melted away. The second thing is that you helped me to have a real life relationship with God. Now He is my friend that was always there and I love having him with me all the time. Thirdly, because of this class, it inspired me to take over and lead a class. I have called it “Let Us Reason Together,” adapting your inquisitive style and creating a class of free thinkers.

T. Banda, Malawi, Africa

 

Testimony 49

I came into the church at 21, but that is as far as it went. I was so confused about what love is. I couldn’t find it in the bible, because I am not a person that can read between the lines. I have no logic. I have read many, many books; trying to figure out the crux of the matter. They were helpful, but something was still missing. I have become very frustrated to the point of crying out to God, “Where can I go?”  I needed some basics.

I found two books, written by Timothy Jennings, MD, to be very helpful. God showed me that I had lived my whole life in fear. I didn’t even see it. Now, I do. God is so good.  I discovered the “The Remedy”  Dr. Jennings new book, “The God-Shaped Heart!” Oh, I was so excited, I purchased them right away.

I can get rid of most of my books, because “The Remedy” brings the Love of God out so clearly, even I can’t miss it. Now, I want to sit and read my Bible. Wow, what a revelation! It is just simply Awesome! I am so grateful to Jehovah Almighty for hearing my prayer for more understanding! I am so encouraged!

Jackie S.

 

Testimony 70

I have been watching you for many years and have learned to love God with all my heart. I was raised by a loving Christian mother that had been lied to about who God really was, so our religious upbringing was hell fire and damnation. As soon as I was old enough and moved out, I not only left the church, I ran as fast as I could to get away from it. Sad to say, it wasn’t until the past couple of years that I learned and understand who my Father really is and how much He loves me. I understand God’s Design Laws (which make sense) and when I’m teaching my church Bible study class, I’m able to really put to use the things I’ve been learning and Holy Spirit is leading. Thank you for introducing me to my Father of true, pure love. Everyday with Him is new and exciting. One thing that breaks my heart is that I didn’t know Him sooner. God Bless you and your ministry!

Judy Phelps, Reno, NV, USA