Day Eighteen: Confession
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. –1 John 1:9
I’ve seen some marriages crumble because the way the couple interacts with one another is more akin to the heretics that John is writing about that than the humble confession of the saints of 1 John 1:9. The heretics had a messed up theology that protected them from ever having to confess their sinfulness. They denied sinfulness in their being and sinfulness in their actions. How easy is it for a spouse to take the same posture towards their beloved? Often it is pride that keeps us from confessing to one another. And our conflicts escalate whenever both parties refuse to confess the real problem—personal sin. Tim Savage is correct:
It is so important whenever disharmony arises between husbands and wives quickly to recognize the true nature of the problem: it is the sin of self-centeredness. Sadly, we often recoil from such an acknowledgement. We are more inclined to identify superficial irritants like incompatible personalities, trying circumstances, or differing opinions. But it is rarely the irritants themselves, rather the way sin exploits those irritants, that causes conflict in marriage. (Savage, 55)
So let’s be bold in Jesus today, knowing that when we humbly confess our sin is covered by the finished work of Jesus. Let’s believe the gospel enough to be courageous and confess to one another.
Father, I thank you that you have sent your son Jesus to die for our self-centeredness. We confess to you and to one another that the marriage issue in our marriage is sin. We are grateful that in Christ sin has been dealt with. It has been given a decisive blow and in Christ it no longer holds sway over us. Help us to believe this enough to confess our sin to not only you but one another. When disharmony comes to our marriage help us look to the plank in our own eye before trying to remove the speck in our spouses eye. Amen.
