After living as slaves in Egypt for over 400 years, Yahweh redeemed Israel from bondage. Israel had witnessed Yahweh’s miraculous signs – His protection from nine plagues and the Angel of Death at the first Passover; He guided Israel out of Egypt by a cloud by day, and fire by night; and He parted the Red (Reed) Sea, and protected them from the advancing, Egyptian Army. During Israel’s forty years of wandering, Yahweh was faithful providing protection, food, water, and clothes that did not wear out. And at Mount Sinai, Yahweh gave Israel His Laws and Regulations through His mediator, Moses. In Yahweh’s Laws and Regulations, the seriousness and consequences of disobedience and sin were included. Each Israelite was instructed to apply these Laws and Regulations to their daily lives. Obedience would bring blessings from Yahweh; disobedience would bring judgment. Israel had been chosen by Yahweh and was set apart from all of the nations of the world. Therefore, Yahweh expected Israel’s daily life to reflect their relationship with their Holy God.

For Believers, we have been chosen and set apart by God, and for God (1 Peter 2:9). Like Israel in the Old Testament, God wants our daily lives to reflect our love and relationship with Him, our Holy God; and then spill over to our love and relationship with others. All of our sins – past, present, and future – were forgiven on the Cross “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalms 103:12). Jesus Christ’s once and for all atoning sacrifice covered our sins, replacing our filthy rags with His robes of righteousness (Zechariah 3:4); but our daily sins effect our relationship with our Holy God and others.

One of the functions promised of the Holy Spirit after our spiritual baptism and regeneration is to convict us of our sins (John 16:8). As these sins are identified, we are not to minimize them or justify them, we are responsible to acknowledge these sins and confess them. Yahweh promised Israel at Mount Sinai, “But if they will confess their sins…I will remember my Covenant…” and bless them (Leviticus 26:40-42). The Epistle writer, John, warns that we should never deceive ourselves and claim that we do not sin, but confess our sins, knowing that God is always faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us (1 John 1:5-10).

When we confess, we are reminded about who God is. We are reminded about the depth of God’s love for us that the Incarnate Son of God would come to earth as an atoning sacrifice, so that we can be in relationship with God now, and live with Him throughout eternity. Confession doesn’t change God. God never changes. He is always holy, faithful and just. But confession always changes us!