Theme: When God's people sincerely confess their sins to Him, the LORD is gracious to restore us to joyful fellowship and service. To live in ongoing fellowship with the Lord, we are called to confess our sins to Him. We don't lose our salvation when we sin, but we do lose our fellowship. Just as Peter and David sinned against God and sought forgiveness, so must we. In Psalm 51, we see a model for repentance. In vv. 1-2, David appeals to God for mercy based on His character. In vv. 3-6, he admits his sin to God, and we see two truths: first, of original sin in v. 5, and second, that God delights in us walking according to His wisdom from our hearts in v. 6. In vv. 7-12, David asks God for forgiveness and restoration, and in vv. 13-17 he anticipates a renewed relationship with God. He adjures God to be pleased with His people in vv. 18-19. In conclusion, confession for the Christian is a part of life; we are called to live a life of confession before God. As in any relationship, sin will interfere, and we need to make things right. For the Christian, our initial coming to Christ involved confession, and our life must continue to include confession. The most wonderful thing to know is that when we confess our sins, He will always forgive! |
