Public Confession of Sin (Praying for rain! United prayer)

The question often arises, “What is appropriate to be confessed publicly?” If the body of Christ is aware of the sin, or if the individual has been a stumbling block to others by his/her actions or attitude, then public confession is always appropriate. Otherwise, private confession is encouraged. Ellen White’s vision about the General Conference meetings of 1902 helps clarify this and offers beneficial lessons for us today.  Remember, one of Satan’s biggest fears is that we will remove every roadblock between us and Christ. So let our prayer be “Nothing between my soul and the Savior, so that His blessed face may be seen; Nothing preventing the least of His favor: Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.”“What might have been” . . . can be!“One day at noon I was writing of the work that might have been done at the last General Conference if the men in positions of trust had followed the will and way of God. Those who have had great light have not walked in the light. The meeting was closed, and the break was not made. Men did not humble themselves before the Lord as they should have done, and the Holy Spirit was not imparted. “I had written thus far when I lost consciousness, and I seemed to be witnessing a scene in Battle Creek. We were assembled in the auditorium of the Tabernacle. Prayer was offered, a hymn was sung, and prayer was again offered. Most earnest supplication was made to God. The meeting was marked by the presence of the Holy Spirit. The work went deep, and some present were weeping aloud. “One arose from his bowed position and said that in the past he had not been in union with certain ones and had felt no love for them, but that now he saw himself as he was. With great solemnity he repeated the message to the Laodicean church: ‘“Because thou 

sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” In my self-sufficiency this is just the 

way I felt,’ he said. ‘“And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and 

naked.” I now see that this is my condition. My eyes are opened. My spirit has been hard and unjust. I thought myself righteous, but my heart is broken, and I see my need of the precious counsel of the One who has searched me through and through. Oh, how gracious and compassionate and loving are the words, “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”’ Rev. 3:17, 18.

“The speaker turned to those who had been praying, and said: ‘We have something to do. We must confess our sins, and humble our hearts before God.’ He made heartbroken confessions and then stepped up to several of the brethren, one after another, and extended his hand, asking forgiveness. Those to whom he spoke sprang to their feet, making confession and asking forgiveness, and they fell upon one another’s necks, weeping. The spirit of confession spread through the entire congregation. It was a Pentecostal season. God’s praises were sung, and far into the night, until nearly morning, the work was carried on. . . .“No one seemed to be too proud to make heartfelt confession, and those who led in this work were the ones who had influence, but had not before had courage to confess their sins. There was rejoicing 

such as never before had been heard in the Tabernacle. “Then I aroused from my unconsciousness, and for a while could not think where I was. My pen was still in my hand. The words were spoken to me: ‘This might have been. All this the Lord was waiting to do for His people. All heaven was waiting to be gracious.’. [Agony] of disappointment came over me as I realized that what I had witnessed was not a reality.” Testimonies to the Church, vol. 8, pp. 104, 105, January 5, 1903, to the Battle Creek Church

Let’s look at some more principles to consider when regarding the topic of public and private confession:“The Scripture bids us, ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.’ James 5:16. To the one asking for prayer, let thoughts like these be presented: ‘We cannot read the heart, or know the secrets of your life. These are known only to yourself and to God. If you repent of your sins, it is your duty to make confession of them.’ Sin of a private character is to be confessed to Christ, the only mediator between God and man. For ‘if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.’ 1 John 2:1. Every sin is an offense against God and is to be confessed to Him through Christ. Every open sin should be as openly confessed. Wrong done to a fellow being should be made right with the one who has been offended. If any who are seeking health have been guilty of evil speaking, if they have sowed discord in the home, the neighborhood, or the church, and have stirred up alienation and dissension, if by any wrong practice they have led others into sin, these things should be confessed before God and before those who have been offended. ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ 1 John 1:9.” Counsels for the Church, p. 304

“All are fallible, all make mistakes and fall into sin;but if the wrong-doer is willing to see his errors, as they are made plain by the convicting Spirit of God, and in humility of heart will confess them to God and to the brethren, then he may be restored; then the wound that sin has made will be healed. If this course were pursued, there would be in the church much more child-like simplicity and brotherly love, heart beating in unison with heart.” Review and Herald, Dec. 16, 1890, par. 2

“Fall on the Rock and be broken, and Christ will give you the true and heavenly dignity. Let not pride, self-esteem, or self-righteousness keep anyone from confessing his sin, that he may claim the promise. ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy’ (Proverbs 28:13). Keep nothing back from God, and neglect not the confession of your faults to your brethren.” Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 326

“The health of your soul, the unity of your brethren, may depend upon the course you pursue in these things. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. . . . Some see their faults, but thinking confession will detract from their dignity, they excuse their wrong, and shield themselves from the discipline that confession would give to the soul. . . . [In] passing out of the path of confession, they fail to be faithful examples to the people. They see the errors of others; but how can they

have courage to give the advice, ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed,’ when they have failed to follow this instruction in their own lives? . . . [It[ is not agreeable; because it does not flatter their pride, but reproves and pains? Ministers and people, if saved at all, must be saved day by day, hour by hour. They must hunger and thirst for the righteousness of Christ, the illumination of the Holy Spirit.”  Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 239

“True confession is always of a specific character, and acknowledges particular sins. They may be of such a nature as to be brought before God only; they may be wrongs that should be confessed to individuals who have suffered injury through them; or they may be of a public character, and should then be as publicly 

confessed. But all confession should be definite and to the point, acknowledging the very sins of which you are guilty. . . . Confession will not be acceptableto God without sincere repentance and reformation. There must be decided changes in the life; everything offensive to God must be put away. This will be the result of genuine sorrow for sin. The work that we have to do on our part is plainly set before us: ‘Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek 

judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.’ Isaiah 1:16, 17.”  

Steps to Christ, pp. 38, 39