Confession

 “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭32:3-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/111/psa.32.3-5.niv

The world is upside down when confession is deemed fashionable.  In the era of social media, the more shocking, click-baiting the deed, the more adulation and followers it receives.  Many rejoice in their confessions believing that sins are being atoned without penalties but with just brazen boldness.  No more guilt, no more shame; sin and sinning is the way to be noticed.  Nobody wants to talk about the hurt done or its punishments.  Nobody wants to listen to cries of justice and reparation.  A simple mea culpa is all that is required and all sins are forgiven.

Forgiveness is not earned by us but for us by the one definitive, ultimate, unrepeatable sacrifice of the lamb without sin.  Jesus conquered sin and death for us so that we can come to God with innocence.  Confessing to the world our sins as if earthly condemnation and forgiveness is all that is required to merit freedom from the sting of sin and death negates the truth that it is God who wipes the slate clean.  This life is not all there is. Unless we confess our transgressions to God in total surrender, we carry these sins unforgiven in the eternal life.  

We can forgive ourselves and others from sin only because God has forgiven us.  When we announce to the world our sins, it is with humility and deep remorse with just amendments.