When you have the pleasure of listening to someone pray, you may hear them asking God to forgive their sins. Technically, if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, there is no need to ask for forgiveness. Our sins were forgiven the day we accepted Christ’s gift of salvation on the cross. Paul assures us that “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). Under the cross of forgiveness, God promises that our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12). We are no longer held under His judgment or condemnation (1 Th. 5:9). So how do we make ourselves right with God after we sin?
What God requires is that we confess our sins. As a believer, our sin no longer separates us from the love of God, but it strains our relationship with Him. For the relationship to be renewed, the sin must be removed. The Bibles says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The relationship between a parent and a child is an excellent illustration of confession and restoration at work.
A good example comes from my own life’s experiences. This one particular day when I was in high school, my mom told me that I needed to come home directly after school. No stops. Just drive straight home. I was a pretty good kid and obeyed my parents’ rules for the most part. But this day, school happened to let out early. I rationalized that if I arrived home at the usual time, I was not exactly disobeying. So my best friend and I stopped by Burger King and grabbed a milkshake and some fries before heading home. I watched the clock intently, mindful of the time passing. I planned it out perfectly, getting home at regular time where my mom would not be the wiser. But as I pushed the gear into park, I looked over on the seat and realized my purse was missing. In all the concern about being on time, I had left evidence behind that inevitably would reveal my disobedience. Mom happened to come out the front door of our house just as I drove into the driveway. Immediately, I burst into tears and told her what I had done. Mom was silent. She went and grabbed her keys and drove me back across town to Burger King where amazingly, the evidence was still tucked in the booth. I don’t remember all the conversation that day, but I do clearly remember my mom’s disappointment in me. This hurt me deeply. I remember telling her that I was sorry, and I promised never to do it again. She forgave me but I never forgot.
By sitting in Burger King, I had broken the relationship with mom. How do I know that? The last person I wanted to come through the restaurant doors was her! In the same way, when we sin against God, we immediately start avoiding His gaze. But God still loves us and has already forgiven our disobedience. All He awaits is our confession where He can once again have a relationship with us.