Phonetic Confusion
He that conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. Proverbs 28:13 NASB
Confesses – “Yada, yada, yada,” is a common Hebrew phrase that has made its way into English. We are familiar with its idiomatic meaning – “and more like that” or something similar. You know that the Hebrew verb, yada’, is the general verb for “to know” in all of its wide range on contexts. But you might not know that the phonetically similar verb, yada (spelled Yod-Daleth-Hey rather than Yod-Daleth-Ayin), is connected to confession. What you might find even more interesting is that this yada is also the word for “to praise, to give thanks, and to thank.” In one of its forms, toda, it is often found in the Hebrew expression for “thank you.” The emphasis of the word is agreement with the facts. Confession is really saying, “You’re right about me, God. Your assessment of who I really am is the truth.”
Today we have made confession of sins into a religious ritual. It might be a trip to the altar; it might be joining an elder for prayer; it might be taking our place in the booth. The truth is that none of these things are real confession. Confession is always an act of admission before God. The outward signs of confession can be mimicked, but the inward examination of our hearts cannot.
The amazing thing about confession before God is that He already knows all about us. Confession before God has a self-reflexive motive. It is for our own good, not His. Why does God require that we reveal our secrets to Him if He already knows them all? Because we need to see ourselves from His point of view if we are going to become what He designed us to be. Confession is for us. It clears our air. It focuses our sight. We can’t be released from the destructive power of a secret as long as we expend energy to keep it secret, even if God knows it anyway.
Confession is just like forgiveness. My refusal to forgive hurts me. So do those sins I have not confessed. Admitting my true condition before God clears the ground for change just like forgiving someone else’s sin against me repairs my inner damage. Confession and restoration go hand in hand.
This verse tells us that agreeing with God about my real moral state and turning away from practicing what doesn’t fit His design guarantees compassion. As long as I refuse to see myself from God’s perspective, I will hurt inside. When I face the truth, the pain of admission will be followed by mercy. That’s a promise!
Topical Index: confess, yada’, praise, acknowledgement, forgiveness, Proverbs 28:13
I Like content
The solitary path I now walk is exactly for this experience with God. Running and hiding, fortunately, no longer work, but His presence, His hesed, His compassion, work. Thank you for touching just the right spot in my soul. Susan
Confession is indeed, “good for the soul!”
to confess is simply “to agree with” or “to say the same thing as”.
If we confess (omologōmen) our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1.19)
God says I am a sinner. (All have sinned). I agree with His assessment. (Who am I to argue with my Maker?) He says all have sinned, I say the same thing He says.- I agree with God. I am a sinner. Now I have proceeded from agreeing with God and what He says about me to confessing with my mouth. I know it in my heart, I confess it with my mouth, and I ask His forgiveness. “Father, forgive me..” (oh how many times?) Sin grieves the heart of my Father and I certainly do not want to cause Him any further grief than I already have, so I change my behavior. I change many things, staring with my “want-to,” – my “will.” I am now under His authority, His rule, and His amazingly tender and thorough watchcare. Friends, there is not a shadow of a doubt, my Heavenly Father watches over me! In more ways than I am aware of,- safety and security, strength, succour, shalom and satisfaction are all provided through the sacrifice of my Savior and the blood of His cross has made access to God’s throne of grace possible, where I can boldy enter and speak as a child would speak to his ABBA. Sometimes, just to be near Him is enough. No words are necessary. Tears often flow- from a grateful heart, for my Father, our Father “daily loads us with benefits.” Friends, “every good gift and every perfect gift is from Above, The Giver of all good gifts gives from a heart of pure, unmixed, holy love, generously, lavishly. Some would call this “amazing grace” and truly it is. We serve a living Savior who delights in us.
And He ever loves and cares for His own.
Confession is rather like a child coming to its parent to tell them something the parent already knows. When you are willing to admit where you fall short, it opens the door for correction. If a child will not willingly admit to the transgression, more and more pressure is brought to bear so that the child becomes aware of their need to change…It is my opinion that the same thing happens with our relationship to God. If we insist on hanging on to some sin in our life, God will allow pressure to increase until we are aware that a change needs to be made. No one changes because someone else wants them to, they only change because they want to change.