The Decision to Return to God: The Model Confession [The Model Series, Part 2 of 3]

Psalm 51:1
"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions."

Do you feel trapped by a besetting sin or tormented by guilt? Repentance is the key to finding freedom and joy again. Begin by reading the story of David and Bathsheba, which is found in 2 Samuel 11:1-12:25.

David behaved as if nothing was wrong. After all, it was only adultery, murder, conspiracy to murder, and so forth. He even played the Consoler-in-Chief with Uriah's pregnant widow afterwards. And, on top of that, the LORD sent convicting messages from others, culminating in Nathan's confrontation & condemnation, "Thou art the man."

When Bath-sheba told David she was with child, David had an opportunity to repent. When Uriah maintained his integrity by refusing to lie with his wife while his men were at war, David had another chance to change the course of his choice. When Joab told David about how Uriah died at the battlefront, he had a third shot at getting it right. Even as David sent for Bath-sheba and spoke to his servants with words to the effect of "Fetch me Bath-sheba" or "Bring her to me", he had occasion to consider his decisions. But, David didn't.

Thus, the LORD sent Nathan to declare, "You're the man." And David acknowledged this charge by answering: "I have sinned against the Lord." What about you, Reader? Have you admitted your sins before the Lord?

David composed Psalm 51 as a result of this debacle and fall into sin. This doesn’t mean that David failed to recognize the wrong he had done against Uriah and Bath-sheba. However, he realized that his sin was chiefly against the Lord. In this Psalm, we see a model confession. Much like the model prayer in yesterday's post, I need to remind you all that Psalm 51 is only a model, an approach to take when coming before the Lord to get right with Him.

1. ACKNOWLEDGE

"For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me."  (v. 3)

That is, admit you sins and confess them to God. I Jn 1:9 is a comforting promise by God to forgive us if we take the first step to confess our sins.

2. ASSUME

"Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest."  (v. 4)

Assume full responsibility for sin. Don't deflect the blame as tempting as it is. Anytime we try to blame someone else for our wrongdoing, repentance is incomplete. Ultimately, each individual involved in a sin has made a decision to rebel against God. David didn’t rationalize, “Lord, I wasn’t the only one involved. You know it takes two. She should have been more careful. I am only human.”

Confer Lk. 15:21 on the correct posture of humility before God. A great parable on confession and repentance.

3. REPENT
"Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee."  (v. 13)

Many people - both ungodly ones as well as saved ones - don't like this word and don't care much for the concept of turning from their wicked ways. It's human nature to be self-willed. However, without a full 180 degree turn, it's impossible to please God. In this verse we find that David conclusion that teaching sinners can only follow after acknowledging sin and assuming responsibility for his choices and then repenting. It's implicit that teaching others about God can only come after repentance.

Once again, confer with the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk. 15:11. -32).

4. PRAISE
"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise."  (vv. 14-15)

I want you to notice that this confession process yields 5 wonderful benefits as per David's statements; it brings forth washing & cleansing (vv. 2, 10), purging (v.7), renewal & restoration (v.10, 12).

Knowing this, David observes that there is joy, gladness, rejoicing, a right spirit, and praise. It's not an easy process to own up to your sins, but it's necessary in the daily walk with Christ and in your relationship with God through Jesus (Heb. 12:5-13). But, there is the fruit of peace with God and the peace of God.

The Lord wants us to be honest about our sin, weaknesses, and frustrations. Truthfulness promotes fellowship (I Jn. 1:8, 10). As long as we are open with Him, He can continue to work with us.

Trouble starts when believers make excuses: “Now, Lord, I just made a mistake. After all, everybody has faults. Nobody is perfect.” Responding like this avoids the real issue. It is therefore dishonest. Those who constantly deny their guilt will not mature spiritually or find freedom from sin.

David’s failure to repent sooner increased the severity of the penalty for his rebellion. But if we deal with our sin genuinely, openly, and immediately, God often lessens the harshness of His chastisement. Why is that? Because if He sees that we have purposed to obey next time, stern correction is usually not needed.

The longer we put off repentance, the greater God’s discipline. Those who are wise will repent quickly.

• Dear Christian, is the Lord prompting you to repent of a particular sin? If so, pray about it, And, if you are not saved, now's the time. Don't put off tomorrow what can be done today!

Lord, I Want to Get Right With You Today

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down,
All down at Jesus’ feet.

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

When I Die, Tear My Stillhouse Down

II Corinthians 5:1

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

A still house is a make-shift shack tucked and hid somewhere out of sight and scent, where a combination of corn mash, sugar & water are used to distill the ingredients to make a backwood concoction called moonshine, white lightning or mountain dew (No, not the sodie pop). The manufacture was illicit; its distribution was illicit; and the monetary gain was illicit.

The copper (or metal) kettle is as infamous as those moonshiners you see in any old picture. In those same photographs you'll also notice oak barrels. In them was the whiskey where it mixed with charcoal and other sundries like oak chips, apples, honey or Dr. Pepper to give the hard liquor a distinct flavor.

The reason I write about the still house (which, by the way, is a American Southern thing) is that it is an apt metaphor for the sinner's body. In this ramshackle abode dwell all sorts of sinful elements, poisonous compounds. Yet, the body is only part of the equation; sin is a nature and we all have it.

David said in Psalm 51:5, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me."

In Psalm 58:3, he adds, "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies."

And, the main source in which sin springs forth is found in Jeremiah 17:9, which states, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Indeed, who can know it but God.

We have no else to blame for our choices but ourselves as a consequence of God's indictment of our nature. And, because there's no hope for any of us, in this life or the next, for absolution from our sinful state and sorry affairs we choose - when faced with this simple truth - to ignore the problem or do something about it.

When people ignore their problem about what to do about their sinful state, they turn to alcohol, drugs, gambling or any other sort of vice. Honestly, it doesn't even have to be something illicit. Anyone or anything that turns your heart away from God is considered an idol. And God made it very clear that He was to be worshipped before anything or anyone else (Exo. 20:3). By the way, the reason people run around doing all sorts

Truly, the only way through the problem of your sinful nature is Jesus Christ. God sent Him to the world to die for your sins (John 3:16) so that, by believing in Him, you would be forgiven and enter into a relationship with God through His Son (I John 1:3; 4:15).

Finally, when that body of sin dies you get a new body. Consider these verses:

1. Romans 6:6 - "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

2. Philippians 3:20-21 - "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."

3. II Corinthians 5:1 - "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Here's a few more you all can look up: II Cor. 5:4; 6:16-18. Eph. 4:22-32; Col. 3:9-25.

The only catch is that, in order to have the Holy Spirit indwell within you (Rom. 8:11), you must be born again (Jn. 3:1-7). Ultimately, when you die that ol' body of sin can be put to rest and you will receive a glorious abode. Yes,, we groan in this makeshift stillhouse, but when I'll die, this ol' stillhouse will be torn down. Hallelujah!

Lord, I Want A New Body and A New Hope!

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.