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#6.3 CONFESS OUR SINS TO GOD FOR FORGIVENESS

Greek Word Study on μετανοέω, metanoeo, 'to repent'
Greek Word Study on μετάνοια, metanoia, 'repentance'

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Introduction 6.3

This bible study gives the third of nine steps to repentance, and teaches us to confess our sins to God for forgiveness. The more you become like Jesus, the less sin will be a problem in your life. This process of repentance will take you through that transformation - but be warned: it is no quick fix. True repentance is a slow ongoing process, dealing with each sin in your life as God reveals them to you. Total and utter destruction of each sin is what is required. If you are a Christian who has struggled with sin in your Christian walk, making the same mistakes over and over again, then this study on how to repent is of the utmost importance to you.
Confession of our sins to God is a necessary third step on the way to forgiveness. It leads to the crucifixion of "our old man" (Romans 6:6, Ephesians 4:22), the death of our spiritual "self" (Galatians 2:20), and requires serious and deliberate intention on our behalf. It will prepare for the growth of "the new man" (Ephesians 4:24) in us, which is the spirit of Christ: "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14), building us up in faith and love. A true repentance will break your spiritual chain and set you free. It will set in motion "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:2) which will set you free from the law of sin and death.

#6.3 Confess our Sins to God for Forgiveness

LEVITICUS 16:21
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness.

NUMBERS 5:6-7 (God)
6 Speak to the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, and do a trespass against the LORD, and that person is guilty;
7 Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal of it, and add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him against whom he has trespassed.

LEVITICUS 5:5
5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty of one of these things, that he shall confess that he has sinned in that thing:

LEVITICUS 26:40-42
40 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary to me;
41 And that I also have walked contrary to them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept the punishment of their iniquity:
42 Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.

PSALMS 32:5 (David)
5 I acknowledge my sin to you, and my iniquity I have not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD; and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

PSALMS 38:18 (David)
18 For I will declare my iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

PSALMS 51:2-3 (David)
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

PROVERBS 28:13 (Solomon)
13 He who covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.

DANIEL 9:20
20 And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;

MATTHEW 3:5-6
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing1 their sins.

MARK 1:4-5
4 John baptized in the wilderness, and preached the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5 And there went out to him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing1 their sins.

ACTS 19:18
18 And many that believed came, and confessing1, and showing their deeds.

JAMES 5:16
16 Confess1 your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

1 JOHN 1:9
9 If we confess1 our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Note: The word translated confessing1 (Matthew 3:6, Mark 1:5, Acts 19:18), and confess1 (James 5:16, 1 John 1:9) in these scriptures are all forms of the same Greek verb ὁμολογέω (Gtr. homologeō). This verb is made up from two words, ὁμός (Gtr. homos) which means "same", and λέγω (Gtr. legō), "I speak", and so means "to speak the same thing", or "to agree with". To confess our sins to God therefore means to agree that we have done them, and that they are sin. If you do this seriously explaining to God in some detail what you have done wrong, it will often cause the tears of Godly sorrow to flow (See #6.4 below) and so is very beneficial.

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