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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 41

I have been blessed by your ministry. I have experienced personally, and deeply resonate with, the God of love and the beautiful picture of God’s character that you present. I have seen your seminar series on YouTube, read ‘The Journal of the Watcher’ book, used your mobile app, and also listen/study the bible study lesson with you each week. I concur with many of the thoughts and perspectives that you share. I understand your conclusions on natural laws vs imposed law and the legal/penal substitution (incorrect diagnosis). This makes perfect sense to me.

Bless you for all you do.

Melissa L.

 

Testimony 9

I really enjoy with you the view of a gracious God. Thank you for sharing the work you are allowing the Lord to do in you.

L., Queensland, Australia

 

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 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 23

I would just like to add my voice to the many people who, I believe, must have contacted you to express their appreciation for the “Healing the Mind” DVDs. I’ve been listening to your Bible study class discussions for many years and I’ve been personally blessed by your research and teaching about the character of God.

L. G., Oakland, MI, 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 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 26

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.

 

Testimony 46

Over the past couple of years God has been expanding my view of Himself and His character. Along my approximately 40-year journey, I have often had questions, but was hesitant to voice these and step outside the traditionally accepted thinking, for fear of admitting that I may in fact be eternally lost. In the recesses of my thinking has been the thought – if one blindly accepts (which is widely regarded as “real faith”) and does not question, is this really ‘truth?’ I often find it challenging to grapple with very theological ‘speak,’ but Dr. Jennings has a real gift of explaining spiritual concepts with clear practical examples. The weekly discussions are growing my Christian experience and slowly changing my view of how to live as a child of God in today’s complex world. Finally the whole Old Testament sanctuary teaching moved in my mind from fantasy to reality!

Beverly S., South Africa

 

Testimony 69

After reading your book, ‘Could It Be This Simple,’ someone was explaining Christianity in a way that made sense to me for the first time in my life. One morning, I simply prayed “I’m sorry and I love you.” As soon as I silently said that, I could literally feel God’s presence and light flood down on me from above and fill me up with love and joy. I sat there crying my eyes out, because I was so overpowered with this feeling of love and joy. It was just so incredible. I hope that more people can read this book and get a blessing from it. It’s really amazing.

Rachael H.

Testimony 71

When I was 9 years old, I remember setting at our devotional table with a hunger and thirst for God that wanted more, deeper, BETTER. I can remember literally crying and pounding on the table, “I know these teachers didn’t mean to give us error. They taught what THEY had been TAUGHT, but didn’t ANYBODY READ THE BOOK?!?!?” It mattered to me then. It mattered to me as a teenager. It matters now as I teach bible classes. It didn’t have to be so hard as I watched so many give up and lay God’s great plan and gift of salvation aside as being “impossible.” Then, a friend sent me a link to Come And Reason’s website. I grew excited. YES! FINALLY! Then another friend told me to stay away, saying her son had just broken up with a girl because she was involved with Come And Reason and that “Tim Jennings preaches a false gospel.” But, AFTER many years of developing an authentic and, dare I say FUN relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit I see this message has been around a LONG time, since the apostle Paul, Ellen White, Graham Maxwell, Ray Foucher, and yourself (though I admit, you’ve made me back up, rewind and replay the clips, and get out my well-worn Bible on a few things.) I’m so thankful I have found LIGHT during these DARK days. I am not alone.

Vicki DiNitto

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 20

I just wanted to personally thank you for your teachings and insight into scripture. I came across your website via my cousin who suggested I look into “Healing the Mind” information. My youngest daughter has been struggling over the last couple of years and it all came to a head this spring. When I started listening to the “Healing the Mind” lectures my own life began to be transformed. I began sharing with all my daughters the concepts you laid out so clearly. I ordered your book and soaked it up. I just want to say “Thank You!” My walk with the Lord has been refreshed and renewed. Your obedience to the Lord is a blessing to so many.

R. K., Anderson, SC, USA

 

Testimony 19

I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 39

[This ministry is the] biggest blessing I have ever received! Your DVDs and lessons could not have come at a better time in my life. I have experienced in the past year many difficulties that, if it wasn’t for this wonderful view of God that I have discovered through this ministry, I would not have been able to respond in love and forgiveness. My heart is being transformed everyday by the Calvary-looking God you teach. Hallelujah!! I have tears in my eyes as I write, because my life has taken a complete turn from where I was heading.

I am from Central America. Most of my family is scattered in different parts of the world and all have the same view of God that I had growing up; a distant, exacting, and ready-to-punish-us-with-tragedy type of God. So, I have been translating lessons for my family and, to my surprise, they have also been sharing them with others! I can already see the difference. My brother has often said, “Thank you for sharing, I have never heard it this way!” My other family members are taking an amazing turn from a message of “repent or burn” towards a loving God, pleading to us that we won’t reject him because he loves us eternally.

Bless you for all you do.

Sofia S., Ashfield, MA, USA