Word of Encouragement (4/27/2020)
Good morning~! This morning, I’d like to share with you a couple of what Thomas Watson has to say about true confession of sin.
· “In true confession a man does particularize sin [i.e., be specific]. A wicked man acknowledges he is a sinner in general; he confesses sin by wholesale; his confession of sin is much like Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Dan. 2:3. I have dream’d a dream; but he could not tell what it was, vers. 5. The thing is gone from me. So saith a wicked man, Lord, I have sinned, but he does not know what the sin is, at least not remember: whereas a true convert acknowledges his particular sins. As it is with a wounded man, he comes to the surgeon, and shows him all his wounds; here I was cut in the head, there I was shot in the arm: So a mournful sinner confesses the several distempers [i.e., various illnesses] of his soul. Israel drew up a particular charge against themselves, Judg. 10:10. We have served Balaam. The prophet Daniel recites the very sin which drew a curse along with it, Dan. 9:6. Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the Prophets which spoke in thy Name. By a diligent inspection into our hearts we may find some particular sin indulged, point that sin with a tear.”
· “Sin is to be confessed with all its circumstances and aggravations: those sins doubtless are dyed in grain [i.e., colored or stained firmly] which are committed under the Gospel horizon. Confess sins against knowledge, against grace, against vows, against experiences, against judgements, Psal. 78:31. The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them; for all this they sinned yet still. These are killing aggravations which do accent and enhance our sins.”
Brothers and sisters, let us remember the wonderful gospel truth that, when we come to God confessing our sins, we are not coming to a Judge but to a Healer. This is because of Jesus’ once-for-all atonement for all our sins. This is why we should be as specific as we should be when we confess our sins before God, including the “circumstances and aggravations” of our sins. When we do, we have the assurance that God will “cleanse us from all our unrighteousness” and make us new and healthy with the life of Jesus Christ!