Confession of Sin Part 1: The Way to Forgiveness

     One of the Spiritual Disciplines that I think has suffered great loss in the Church since the reformation is Confession of Sin. While some of this is due in part to the individualism that was born out of the reformation and gained strong ground in the formation of American ideals, it still remains a vital practice of the Christian Church.  I believe that confession of sin, among many spiritual disciplines, should be restored and brought back into use by the Church.

       Confession of sin is a practice that predates the Christian Church. In fact, the first instance of a “semi-confession” is in the narrative of Adam and Eve’s sin in the book of Genesis.  I call it is a semi-confession because although admitting to their actions, there is a lot of finger pointing and blaming in the text.  No one really admits that they were wrong.

Another biblical instance of confession is when King David confesses that he has sinned when confronted by the Prophet Nathan.  Here we see that David is concerned with God taking the Holy Spirit from him as he had done to King Saul.  So in the confession found in Psalm 51, David poetically says, “Do not take your Spirit from me.”

In the Early Church, confession was practiced regularly and publicly. James 5:16, tells Christian communities to confess their sins to one another. Also, the earliest documentation of formal church worship outside the bible known as the Liturgy of St. James (appx. AD 60) contains multiple places for confession.

Perhaps, one of the most striking texts regarding sins is found in 1 John 1. Here we find the following text, “⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he   

is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Therefore, confessions begins the with recognition that we sin. The problem at its core is that we are sinners.  This terminology often strikes a cord with believers with an initial response of, “We are not sinners, we are saints!”  It is true, we are saints. The power of sin has been crucified with Christ at our baptism and we are united in his resurrection. However, John seems to recognize that those he calls children (fellow believers) are still capable of sinning.  So, we are in fact, sinners who are washed clean in Christ’s blood; meaning that we have the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us. As 1 John says in chapter 2, “¹...But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

What this means is that when the Father looks at us, he looks through the lens of Jesus Christ our advocate and not at our sin.  In turn, Hebrews says in chapter 4,

“Since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weakness, but 

we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet he did not sin. Let us then approach   

God’s throne of grace with confidence, so  that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of    

need.”

We can approach the throne of grace with confidence and be forgiven. There we receive mercy and grace.  Grace is delivered to us in our confession. Consequently, our confession begins with the problem of sin, but ends with mercy, grace, and forgiveness.  We confess to God, we own our sin, we call it what God calls it.  We ask for God to forgive us for breaking relationship.

It is here that we see that confession is a way to forgiveness. Next we will see how confession is a way to freedom.

Heroes of Faith and Lent

Our church community has been on a journey through the Heroes of Faith listed in Hebrews 11.  In our community, we have a number of teachers who share the load of teaching on Sunday mornings.  As the calendar came together, I was tasked with teaching on Isaac as a Hero of Faith. When I first found this out, I did not realize how difficult of task this would be.

The difficulty lies in our modern lack of oral traditions and extra-biblical resources in regard to the basis of Isaac’s story.  We do not know exactly what the writer of Hebrews meant when they wrote, 

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.” Hebrews 11:20

The writer of Hebrews must have had some other knowledge or tradition beside the narrative passed down to us in Genesis 27.  However, we do have some knowledge of a few thing mentioned in Genesis 27

In the modern western culture, we do not necessarily understand the importance of the birthright to the firstborn (primogenitor.)  So here a few facts that help us understand the weight and importance of firstborn birthrights.

First, the ancient jewish birthright was promised to the firstborn male in the family.

Second, it came with responsibility and leadership.  Third, it entitled the firstborn son to double the inheritance of the rest of the siblings. Fourth, birthright came with a responsibility for the household (siblings, mother, servants, livestock, etc) when the father died. There was a promise of inheritance and responsibility came with this custom. In some since, the son takes the father’s place.  He became the image of the Father. This right is what Jacob stole from Esau in Genesis 25.

Another custom that we tend to not understand in its ancient origins, is ancient Hebrew blessing.  First, it is understood that the greater blesses the lesser (a father blesses a son.)  Second, the blessing is a sign of special favor that is intended to result in prosperity and success. Third, the blessing is actually an invocation for God’s blessings.  This places the source of power in the blessing from God and not humans, who are vessels of God’s power.

This helps us understand the terribly sad story, in which Isaac is tricked into blessing Jacob instead of Esau in Genesis 27. In this story, we see a very dysfunctional family.  In some ways, I am sure we can relate! This story is so sad, because Esau looses all of what he expected for receive from his father.  His birthright was stolen, and now so is his blessing.  We may have a hard time imagining the shame that this would bring.  Esau had gone out to go hunting for his father.  He would have been so proud, yet ended up in shame.

Yet, in this dysfunction, a prophesy from the God was fulfilled.  That prophesy is found in Genesis 25:23 where it says:

“The older shall serve the younger.”

It is interesting that Isaac, after finding out what has transpired in this deception, does not try to take back his blessing.  He doesn’t change anything really.  He seems to accept the fact that the blessing came from God and that God was sovereign in the situation.  Even though this may seem unjust and wrong to us, we do know the following statement is true: God works and is sovereign in the midst of our dysfunction and the brokenness of of the world.  In fact, if we are honest, we can admit that God works not just in the midst of, but through our dysfunction.

The thesis statement of the Heroes of Faith section of the scriptures is this,

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see”

I think that Isaac was someone who had learned to trust God when he could not see.  As a young man, he had been bound and placed upon an altar in the typical fashion of animal sacrifice.  His hands and feet would have been bound together.  We do not know whether Isaac was blindfolded or unable to see, but for sure he was not the one in control.  He had been told, that God would provide a sacrifice, and was forced to trust that.  We see that God did indeed provide a sacrifice.

Then, in Genesis 27, the story begins with pointing out that Isaac was old and his eyes were weak so that he could not longer see.  In story, Isaac also goes through other senses that he obviously was not able to rely on.  He touches the arms of Jacob, he hears the sound of Jacobs voice, he tastes the food given to him (ironically cooked by Jacob’s mother and no by Jacob himself), he smells the garments that Jacob wears.

It seems, that finally Isaac must land on trusting in some thing unseen. This seems strange to us, because in that trust, Isaac was deceived! However, it is not as if God was deceived. God was working through the dysfunction in this Hebrew family.

This idea, has really challenged me recently.  Just as Isaac trusted, so did Jesus.  Imagine the trust required by Jesus on the cross. In fact, we even see Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Luke just before his death.  He says, “into your hands I comment my spirit.” Some translations read “entrust my spirit.” Despite, the Roman torture, the abandonment of friends, the rejection by the Jews and His own family, Jesus trusted amidst the darkness and deception.  Honestly, God was working through the darkness and deception to overcome it- to make a spectacle of it.

So, returning to Isaac, we see that he trusted God to be sovereign in the midst of deception from his son and his wife.  It is east to talk about having this trust, but this is easier said than done.  If we are honest, sometimes we need to practice or discipline ourselves to trust.  I have found that observing the rhythms of the church calendar is very beneficial to my learning to trust, especially the season of Lent.

For some of us, Lent may only bring memories of only eating vegetables and fish on fridays.  Yet, as mature followers of Christ, we should not necessarily throw the baby our with the bathwater.  Just because a certain tradition in the church has experienced abuses (and they all have) doesn’t mean we get rid of everything that has come out of that tradition. Just so, Lent includes a number of practices and disciplines beneficial to the Christian faith.

Lent is a time of preparation and repentance as we look forward to the great triumph of Jesus over the brokenness of our humanity, sin, and death. In it we follow Jesus Christ from His baptism and through His forty days in the wilderness. In it, we learn to trust in God for our salvation and not in our own flesh. In it we choose to die to ourselves and live in Christ and learn not to control, but to let God control. Lent is the perfect time for us to begin returning to a trusting relationship with God, even in the dark, dysfunctional, broken, and deceptive world we live in.

Why is Isaac a hero of faith? He trusted when he could not see.  He let God be sovereign and be in control.  

So may we also learn to trust.  May we learn to let God be sovereign amidst the darkness and may we put that trust into practice.

Holy Innocents, Advent, and Newtown, Connecticut

News has broken this morning of a massacre in a Newtown, Connecticut elementary school.  So far 20 children are among the 28 reported dead. How can we ever find hope, love, joy, and peace in a world with horrors like this one?  As we are in the season of Advent, how can the message proclaimed by this season uphold against such atrocity?

I was reminded this morning of the Massacre of Holy Innocents that followed the birth of Jesus Christ.  With the coming of the Sun of Righteousness, also came an evil decision on the part of Herod the Great, who ordered the massacre of all male children in the village of Bethlehem. These children are known to many as the first Christian martyrs.  In fact, this evil was for told by the prophet Jeremiah saying, “A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children.”

Today, we too are a voice weeping and mourning.  We weep over our children, our teachers, and others, precious to the Father who were murdered this morning.

Yet, although there is no replacing the loss experienced this morning, we can reflect that although the the massacre of Holy Innocents took place, so came the birth of Emmanuel, God with us, the Christ.

What hope was there for the ancient Jews, for shepherds in fields, and for mourning mothers and fathers?  There was hope that Christ was with them, with their children, and with mankind.  There, through, the child that escaped and had life, was life for all mankind, which came when he gave that life up for those who were already dead in their sin.  What hope can we offer those who mourn? Living lives that reflect an eternal Kingdom with no death or suffering.

What love can be found in a God that allows such evil to happen? A love that prompted a Father to let his son die at the hands of evil, for the sake of many.  A love that prompted a Father to never abandon His children.  What love can we offer those who grieve? A love that prompts us to pray, mourn, and comfort those who weep.

What Joy can be found in such atrocity? The joy of knowing that Christ loves children, and does not abandon them to evil, but cherishes them and calls them, saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  God’s kingdom belongs to the innocent, such as children, and we know that they now experience more joy than we could ever know here, in our present state.

Finally, what peace can be found in such chaos? The peace that is coming. We look forward to the return of Christ.  We take heart, for Christ has overcome the world.  He has nailed the principalities and powers of evil to the cross and made a spectacle of them. 

In the face of such evil as exhibited today, we can look forward to the Hope, Love, Joy and Peace we find in Jesus Christ.  May this season of Advent be just that, a look forward, and eagerness for Christ return as we pray “Marana tha” “Come, Lord Jesus!” 

Surely, Christ hears the weeping and mourning over every mother and father who has lost a child, from those in Bethlehem to those in Newtown, Connecticut.

O merciful Father, help us hold on to hope so that we may encourage others. Help us to know love that we may truly love others. Help us to take joy, so that we may mature, and grant us peace in a world of chaos, through the power of your son our savior, Jesus Christ who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen

"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children." Revelation 21:1-6

A Call to Hope

I was deeply saddened on the night of the 2012 Presidential election.  Many would think that I was deeply saddened because of the results, but this was not remotely the case.  In fact, I was rather indifferent to the results. No, I was deeply saddened by something else.

Just after the election results were pouring in, I logged onto Facebook.  This was a terrible idea.  As soon as the update feed came up I regretted it.  It seemed that every other post was along the lines of “its the end of the world” or “I’m moving to Canada” or the like.  It can seem funny to look at now, but some of these posts were serious and truly depressing.

I confess that most of my friends on Facebook are a part of the Christian faith-many of them Protestants.  This of course, should have prepared me for the reactions I saw and I probably should have thought of that before I logged onto Facebook.

In truth, I was deeply saddened by the response of many Christians I know.  I understand disappointment, which many of these friends seemed to be experiencing.  However, I was forced to silently ask, “Where is your hope? Where is your faith?”  Are we so consumed by our nations leadership that we abandon both faith, hope, and in some cases love?

All throughout the Old Testament, New Testament, and church history we see Christians under leaders that they did not want or even have the chance to elect.  Yet their hope was not placed in a candidate or a party, an ideology or economic reform.  Their hope was in God.

The early church had hope for the return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal life.  I am reminded of Titus 1:2, in which Paul reminds Titus that he is an apostle in the hope of eternal life that was promised by one who does not lie.  Guess who the political leader was then?  Paul’s political leader was the Roman Emperor Nero, a crazed man, whose persecution would eventually be the death of Paul, Peter, and many other Christians. Yet, Nero doesn’t make it into Paul’s letters to the Church.  This is because  Paul never sought to find hope in any earthly leader.  Yet, he has submitted his life and his hope to Jesus Christ, a commoner king who was crucified.

Paul also had put his faith in nothing other than Jesus Christ crucified.  I don’t know to many current world leaders that would agree to be crucified for their people.  Yet, Jesus instead of having a throne or an oval office, hung upon a cross and showed what it really means to be Godly.  In fact, Jesus was a part of the moral “minority” in his day.  It is complete foolishness to put your hope in a king who is crucified and shamefully punished as a rebel, yet Paul not only put his faith and hope in that man, he gave him his whole life and his pocket book.

As for the early church, we can really narrow down their political ideology to one phrase. “Jesus is Lord.”  How about that for a campaign slogan?  Especially, since the world did not get a chance to vote for Jesus.  Yet, they looked forward to the victorious coming of Christ instead of the change in Emperors or the rescuing of the economy. The idea of hope for a nation or economic reform was not a central issue for the early church, they were going to have hope no matter what happened.

As I mentioned, I was deeply saddened by the loss of hope and faith and love by many believers due to the election.  I should also mention that I was deeply saddened by the Obama 2008 campaign posters that had Obama’s picture and the word Hope across it.  Again, how can I ever find hope in any other man other than Jesus Christ.  I am reminded of the early Christian Bishop Polycarp who when asked by a Roman leader to throw some incense onto a fire before a Roman idol said “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”

I strongly believe that part of “being in the world and not of the world” is that we maintain hope, faith, and love no matter what takes place in the world around us.  Are we like the disciples who lost all hope when things did not turn out their way?  It is time for us to grow up! No matter who is president or if the United States even exits, Jesus Christ is still Lord and our hope should not be lost.  Let us then hold fast to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Religion as Relationship

A few months ago, the viral video “Why I Love Jesus, but Hate Religion” soared through the internet. One could hardly, log on to Facebook without seeing the video reposted, either by those who align themselves secularly or religiously. The topic itself was nothing new.  Many of us have often heard the words “Its about a relationship, not a religion.”

I struggle with the language in this video and the ideologies of the this anti-religion movement.  Sifting through the various responses to the video both in agreement and in criticism gave me a lot to think about and reflect on.

Often, this discussion has simply become a discussion of semantics rather than a meaningful discussion about the “relationship” Christians have with Jesus Christ.  It is interesting to hear that what some people describe as religion, is in reality the Church, while others seem to have a vague concept of religion as tradition and practice.  I, however, do not think you can separate a relationship with Jesus from a relationship with His church and the “religious” practices of that church.  

The question I believe that needs to be asked is “How do we have relationship with God?”  Is it possible that we have relationship with God through action? That sounds an awful lot like religion to me. Can we worship God without actions or without  practices?

This becomes an interesting question when we look at how God has entered into relationship with people throughout the scriptures. God is a God of covenant relationship.  “I will be your God, and you will be my people, and I will dwell among you.”  This is not a bartering agreement and the emphasis is communal. We cannot, have part of the covenant and leave the rest.  Therefore, if God is going to be our God, and we are going to be His people, and He is going to dwell among us, we must understand that this will take place in community.  

It is also interesting to note, that those who entered into covenant relationship with God, put that faith into action, bringing forth righteousness and justice. One just need only look at the “Heroes of Faith” in Hebrews chapter 11 for examples. 

Jesus himself, was also not opposed to religion.  Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.  He himself, was religious, and fulfilled that religion by the most religious of actions when he himself became an atoning sacrifice.  Furthermore, even in his criticism that the religious leaders were following their religion by tithing but ignoring justice and righteousness, Jesus explains that they should have sought justice and righteous without stopping their religious obedience (Matthew 23:23.)

So let us examine, covenant relationship so that we may understand how religion fits in.

First, how is God our God? How is Yahweh the God of the Jews and the Gentiles? The answer to this question is found throughout the scriptures.   It is in the mystery of God that the answer lies. The mystery, that the promised Jewish Messiah would be God incarnate, human and divine, and become the one sufficient sacrifice for all time on behalf of humanity forging a new covenant that would be for all people. (Hebrews 11)  It is in this New Covenant, that humanity has access to the throne of grace. (Hebrews 4:14-16, 9:19-25)

Second, how then, are we God’s people?  We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), we have been washed, sanctified, justified and we now stand as a royal priesthood and Holy nation (I Corinthians 6:11, I Peter 2:9).  Not only, are we God’s people, but a people who have been prepared to worship Him and do good works through action (Eph. 2:10, James 1:27)

Lastly, how then, does Christ dwell among us?  Have we not been given the Spirit of God, which not only seals us, but also breaks down communal barriers and in gifting us, makes us a body of Christ in which we dwells? Were we not commanded to repeat the actions of Jesus himself,  who at the Last Supper, took the bread and after blessing it said “This is my Body broken for you” and took the cup saying “This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins?”  How did the disciples recognize Jesus on the road to Emmaus?  It was in the simple Eucharistic actions repeated before them. Christ took the bread, he blessed it, broke it, and gave it, and their eyes were opened.

Christ dwells among us in his people and he becomes present to us in the Lord’s Supper.  How then, can we have relationship with Christ by leaving the church he established and the sacraments he instituted behind? How can we worship our Lord, without religion?

Yes, religion can become motions without relationship.  Just as sexual actions can become devoid of relationship.  Should, we therefore hate sex? Of course not!  Just because religion can become devoid of relationship does not mean that the actions we take to worship God (i.e. communion, singing songs, prayer, taking care of the needy, creating, tithing, hearing confessions and confessing, etc.) should be thrown out.  Someone can just as easily help the poor devoid of relationship with the Lord, as participate in a high church Eucharistic liturgy devoid of relationship.  However, both of these things require actions.  Both point to relationship and can be full of relationship.  

We must stop being afraid of religion and we must stop being afraid of relationship.  The fact that there are those who make religious practices into empty motions, is not the fault of religion. Therefore, we should stop finding an excuse for our spiritual struggles by blaming religion. We must realize that the church, religion, and relationship cannot be separated. 

A Ram Caught in the Thicket

Recently, I have been really challenged in my ideas of what worship is and why we do it. One of the major stories of worship that stands out to me is when Abraham is called to offer his son as a sacrifice.

Isaac was Abraham’s son through Sarah, his first wife. She had trouble having children until the Lord miraculously caused her to give birth to Isaac. Abraham’s love for Isaac was possibly deeper than that of his love for his other son Ishmael.

So when God commands Abraham to offer his son as an offering, he is asking that Abraham offer the dearest thing to him. God is asking him to offer up his legacy and generations to come. This offering was going to be work.

Its amazing to think that Abraham and Isaac had to travel nearly 50 miles to reach the place Isaac was to be sacrificed. That is a really long time to be thinking about killing you child. Especially the one who Abraham loved dearly and the one who was supposed to fulfill a promise in Abraham’s life by carrying on his family line- a family line that was to become a nation.

In this story, whenever God calls out to Abraham, he replies with “Here I am”

When Isaac calls out for his father, Abraham responds with “Here I am.”

Abraham loved both, Abraham was present to both. “Here I Am”

We have to be present to the things that we love. We have to be present to the things that we worship.

Often, I am forced to ask myself Do I make myself present to the Lord? Sometimes the answer is no. If God is always present, than the true issue is not whether God has entered a certain place or time, but whether I have made myself present the Lord.

In a way, we are not faced with the question Do we worship? but the question What do we worship?

I love the foreshadowing in this story. Just as it seems that Abraham must physically give up everything, a ram caught in the thicket appears. We see that because of his faith in God, Abraham had given up everything. Isaac would live, and the ram would take his place-Just as Christ has taken ours.

We worship the Lord not so that he will provide (like Abraham’s ancestors did), but we worship the Lord because he has already provided.

St. Patrick's Legacy

Many people do not know the story of St. Patrick.  The young man of the Roman upper class, who was made a captive by Irish pirates.  The young man who for 6 years lived as a slave.  Who then escaped, entered the service of God as a monk and then brought the Gospel to the very nation that held him captive.

 

We see in Patrick's story and his writings a man who left riches behind and became lowly to reach the lost.  In him we see an example of a man whose devotion to Christ was so sincere he would live in danger for the rest of His life.

Here is an excerpt from the end of St. Patrick's Confession:

 

"57 For which reason I should make return for all that he returns me. But what should I say, or what should I promise to my Lord, for I,alone, can do nothing unless he himself vouchsafe it to me. But let him search my heart and [my] nature, for I crave enough for it, even too much, and I am ready for him to grant me that I drink of his chalice, as he has granted to others who love him.

58 Therefore may it never befall me to be separated by my God from his people whom he has won in this most remote land. I pray God that he gives me perseverance, and that he will deign that I should be a faithful witness for his sake right up to the time of my passing.

59 And if at any time I managed anything of good for the sake of my God whom I love, I beg of him that he grant it to me to shed my blood for his name with proselytes and captives, even should I be left unburied, or even were my wretched body to be torn limb from limb by dogs or savage beasts, or were it to be devoured by the birds of the air, I think, most surely, were this to have happened to me, I had saved both my soul and my body. For beyond any doubt on that day we shall rise again in the brightness of the sun, that is, in the glory of Christ Jesus our Redeemer, as children of the living God and co-heirs of Christ, made in his image; for we shall reign through him and for him and in him."

 

Sadly this is a much different story than what is happening in some areas of the world today.  I will let Andrew Strom explain, in this video about the dangers and perversion of Gods word in the Prosperity Gospel.