Confession: The Pathway to Cleansing

Learning To Pray Like Jesus

Confession The Pathway To Cleansing

Matthew 6:9-15

This petition emphasizes our most urgent spiritual need

The Gospel Foundation Of The Prayer

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 3:23–24)

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

 “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,” (Romans 4:5)

 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” (John 1:12)

This is the model prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples.  It is intended for those who are genuinely a part of God’s forever family by Grace through Faith

“Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling” from the hymn Rock of Ages

Two Aspects of God’s Forgiveness

• Judicial Forgiveness
• Parental Forgiveness

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8–9)

For a true follower of Christ, our sin does not cause us to lose our relationship, but it does impede our Fellowship

This Petition Reminds Us:

• We need Ongoing Forgiveness

• There is Hope for forgiveness

• God is Willing To Forgive

Confess – “to say the same thing as – to agree with”

Genuine Confession:

• Includes Repentance not just Regret

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)

• Is Specific not just General

• Flows out of Adoration

“A legalistic conviction of sin arises from a consideration of God’s justice, but godly repentance flows chiefly from a sense of God’s love.”  Stephen Charnock

The Call To Forgive

This is not saying that we Earn Forgiveness by forgiving others

Experiencing God’s forgiveness transforms us into Forgiving People

Forgiving others is Evidence of us having received God’s forgiveness

What Is Forgiveness?

Forgiveness is not… 

• Denying the seriousness or the pain of the offense
• The same as Reconciliation
• The same as rebuilding Trust
• Forgetting

Forgiveness is…

Choosing to release our offender from the obligation for repayment that was created by their offense and to cover the loss ourselves, entrusting ourselves to God

“When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:23)

“Aphiemi” - Greek word translated forgive means “to let go” “to send off”

“To forgive someone means to let him off the hook, or to cancel a debt he owes you. When you refuse to forgive someone, you still want something from that person, and even if it is revenge you want, it keeps you tied to him forever.” Henry Cloud

Forgiveness sets a prisoner free only to discover that the prisoner was me

Forgiveness is one more Gift from our gracious God that allows us to be able to function in relationships with real people in the real world

“Prayer is a healing process in which the heart is brought back into its true orbit, and that is to center on, worship and glorify God.”  Tim Keller

Making It Personal:

• How will I make spending time in prayer a priority for my life this year?

• What new perspective did I gain about what it means to ask God for forgiveness and to forgive others from today’s teaching?

• How can I apply today’s teaching to my personal prayer life? What do I need to ask God’s forgiveness for?  Who do I need to forgive?

• Continue to focus on prayer by working through the book, “Prayer With No Intermission”.

• Who can I share these truths with?