The Confession of Sins

I am not a member of the Catholic church, which I feel is neccessary to state from the beginning. However, I am also not any type of declared enemy of these brothers and sisters in Christ either. I will use that as my tiny disclaimer for this small writing.

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of visiting a very beautiful Catholic church, which is not far from my home. Being that I have never been Catholic, there haven't been many parishes that I have had the opportunity to look upon. So, I was in for a real treat when I walked through the doors of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The building is not exceptionally large compared to other churches in the area, but there was definitely something different that set the place apart from others.

I will admit to being stunned, and I sat in a stupor for approximately an hour, marveling at the beauty of this building. I had never seen a place so beautifully decorated with exquisite paintings and pounded gold leaf. I was surrounded by art, illustrations of Biblical happenings. As a minor student of art, my fingers just itched for some way to convey the way that the place impacted my senses. But on a different level, I was touched even more. I had gone to Church to accompany a most wonderful woman as she prayed on bended knee, awaiting the time that the priest would hear her confession.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. [James 5:16]

While I do not like the term, I am a member of a 'protestant' church congregation. It is pretty common knowledge that we do not have to confess our sins to our pastor for absolution and blessing. Based on the reference in the book of James, I also follow the way of thinking that confession does not need to be made before clergy in order that one's sins would be forgiven. I believe that if a person only ever confessed their sins to the Lord, they are still the redeemed of the Lord, given that they have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus' Christ to pay their sin debt.

On the other hand, I do see a great gift in the call to confess our sins to each other, in that we can have freedom from the things that we keep hidden away from the world. When I hear the confessions of other people (mostly women, mind you), I feel a weight come off of my own heart, that I am not the only one struggling with any one particular sin. I am yet again reminded that no person can be perfect in this fallen world, save Jesus. In the same manner, I hope that my own personal testimonies are helpful to other people, not to encourage them to sin, but to know that they are not alone. My Lord has not forsaken me, a poor, miserable sinner. He hasn't forsaken them either. It is a lesson that some people have a very hard time swallowing, that they could still be loved after having defied God so many times in their life.

Much has been given to priests, and as such, much will be required of them. For this reason, I believe that there is the potential for much learning and guidance in confessing sins directly to one's priest (or instert whatever term for your minister of God). Ideally, this person would be one of the most qualified persons with whom one might seek council and aide, someone who has made a point to dedicate his life to being a servant of God. While his words will not hold any more power than the next man, for sharing the good news concerning the forgiveness of sins, a priest would most likely be able to give strong guidance in becoming free from the sin. For this reason, I do not speak against the confession of sins to a priest. I think that this can be a beautiful and edifying experience.

My pastor has said during a number of sermons that our corporate confession was acceptable, and that God knows our hearts. So, it was not neccessary for us to spell out each act that we had committed against God, before our brothers and sisters. However, he did invite people to come and speak with him in private if they still had issues that were plaguing them. Because of what he has said to us, I believe that it is very healthy to give an ear to those who are tormented by their sin and will not accept forgiveness. These people need a special word, a reassurance from the Lord that He loves them and that He forgives them in their heartfelt repentence. I have found myself, a time or two, needing that reassurance. It meant a great deal to me to hear from a man that I much respected, because of his obedience to the Lord, that I was not too filthy to be saved.

As I sat in the pew of this beautifully ornate building, I was most awed by the power of the Holy Spirit that I felt in the place. There were no jubilant bands leading throngs in loud songs, no teenagers holding their hands in the air. There were no striking sermons, and the building could have been a cave with an alter of clay brick. The most beautiful sight in this shell of wood, plaster, and paint was that of God's children humbling themselves before Him. Heads were bowed in prayer as the repentant knelt to speak with the Lord. You could have heard a pin drop, but overpowering the silence was the vibrating fear and reverence of God that permeated the air and everyone who drew breath.

One might wonder why it was that this moment in time made such an impression on me. After all, I have experienced many times when the Holy Spirit has come up on me and elated my heart to the point that I wanted to burst with joy, or has convicted my heart and cloaked me in love so strong that I have been brought to tears. This experience was so marvelously striking to me because I realized that I could feel God, though I had rejected Him. I was not a Christian when I walked through those doors, but I could feel the Lord tugging gently on my heart. The heart-condition and faith of believers slowly brought me back to my Lord. One of the women that I believe was largely used as a tool to turn my heart back toward God is that lovely woman that took me with her while she sought out confession. Thank you, Mary Ellen.