God Promises to Her Your Confession

GPsalms 143:1-2 O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. 2 Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you.
 
HAVE you ever confessed your sin to God by praying, “Do not bring your servant into judgment.” You have when you’ve prayed as Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts (sins, trespasses) as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12a) He wants you to know two things: Your confession is an admission you are under God’s judgment. And your confession releases you from God’s judgment.
   God’s law and his gospel confirm the just, good news of his righteous forgiveness. For example, in the law God teaches the righteous life to the Israelites. Then he tells them what to do when they break the law: Leviticus 5:5 “When anyone is guilty in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned.” Obeying this command, one was to then redeem, to pay a price for his sin through the sacrifice of various animals, depending on the sin. Sin costs. It separates us from God. Confession redeems. It restores our relationship with God.
   To violate God’s law is a holy confrontation between the sinner and the Righteous One. As a nation, Israel’s history was to reject God’s law. They did not confess. They did not pay the redemption price. God’s just and righteous response was to sentence Israel into exile. Exile from God’s presence illustrates hell. God showed the world what happens when we ignore sin. Without confession and proper payment, sin has an eternal cost.
   In God’s infinite mercy, we can confidently pray, “Father, forgive my debts.” With faith in Jesus, your Redeemer, you know God will forgive the sin because Jesus committed his broken body and shed blood to pay sin’s cost. Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”  
  The power of your confession today releases the fullness of God’s grace, justice and righteousness into your eternal soul. Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
   The Bible is God’s promise he forgives and redeems your confessed sin. Be faithful to the just and righteous God to obey his commands. With faithful confession, you know he will not bring you into judgment.