We know we are to confess our sins to God, but many Christians wonder whether we need to confess to those we have sinned against. Do we need to tell the person we’ve sinned against that we’re sorry? “Walking in the light” (1 John 1:7) means that we are living in obedience to God’s commandments. In the same verse we have references to forgiveness through Christ and “fellowship one with another.” So, there is a connection between having a “clean slate” and our relationship with other people.
Every sin is ultimately committed against God (Psalm 51:4). The Bible consistently emphasizes our need to confess our sins to Him (Psalm 41:4; 130:4; Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9). We are told many times to confess our sins to the Lord, but the only direct command to confess to someone else is in the context of church elders praying on behalf of the sick (James 5:16). This does not mean that we are never to seek another person’s forgiveness. The Bible gives examples of confession to other people. One is Joseph’s brothers asking for his forgiveness in Genesis 50:17-18. And person-to-person confession is implied in such passages as Luke 17:3-4; Ephesians 4:32; and Colossians 3:13.
The principles here 1) We should seek forgiveness from the Lord for every sin. He desires “truth in the inward parts” (Psalm 51:6).
2) If our relationship with the Lord is right, our relationships with other people will fall in line. We will treat others graciously, with justice and honesty (Psalm 15). To sin against someone and not attempt to make it right would be unthinkable.
3) The extent of the apology for a sin should match the extent of the impact of the sin. Or we should seek forgiveness from whoever was directly involved in order to ensure healing.
When we have offended, hurt, or sinned against others, we should seek to offer a sincere apology and confession and ask for forgiveness. Whether the forgiveness is granted is up to those who were confessed to. Our responsibility is to genuinely repent, confess the sin, and ask for forgiveness
Tags: Apology, Confession, Forgiveness, Sins
I feel that we do have to forgive the ones that we hurt in our lives.
I’m not really religious, and but I do sometimes find myself talking to God. I’m only 16 yet I’ve done nearly every bad thing I could possibly do and I have tried everything to stop feeling so guilty. I had a drug problem for years, and from that I stole from my own family, I’m lied so bad they no longer trusted me and put locks on all the doors. I had an abortion that deep down I didn’t want to do. I ruined my education even though I’m really smart. I had a horrible case of depression and self harmed even tried to commit suicide many time.. Everything got better now, my mother and father now trust me, I’m clean from any drugs but I still have the feeling of need to be forgiven.
Courtney, if I can say a few words trying to help you out, although your story seems pretty bleak and confusing, you’re in luck. God doesnt weigh our sins on a scale to see how “bad” or “sinful” they may be, in simple terms, sin is sin. Whether it’s having an abortion and being addicted to drugs, or stealing gum from a grocery store. They’re both acts against a perfect God who won’t tolerate it. You said you’ve tried many ways to get rid of all this guilt in your life, and let’s be honest, how far has that gotten you? In order to rid yourself from this mess of guilt, you have to go before the one who is able to forgive. If you need a loan for your house, you wouldn’t fool around and look for one in an auto repair shop, instead you’d go straight to the bank. My point is if you want to finally be set free from this, turn to the one who is able to set you free, turn to the Lord. However, don’t ask him to forgive you then turn away and expect everything to be fine again. He’s not a vending machine or a genie that grants your every wish. He wants to be your friend, so if you sincerely approach him with the intention for a free life and a fresh start, and with an attempt to get to know the one who honestly loves you, then he won’t turn away from you. He’ll forgive you and give you a new beginning because he loves you (2 chronicles 30:9, 1 John 1:9-10).