Saturday, May 5, 2007
Confession in Caregroup
Confession of sins in Caregroup?!? Hmmm... how is this to work/look? Heather said that the AZ churches were strongly encouraging confessing your sins in member only caregroups, but didn't address discussing overcoming the sins. My brain immediately began processing all the information I have received through pamphlets and sermons on the topic of confessing sins. My view, which I am seeing demonstrated in my church here is logical and seems to be God focused. When members of my caregroup do confess sin, it is followed by an intense time in asking questions and bringing out scripture to help in disclosing the root of sin and God's instruction on overcoming the sin. The main thing I enjoy is the scripture that is shared. It is encouraging to me sometimes, even though I did not share my struggles. Scripture lets us know that we are to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel (1 Cor. 10:31) God's main route to speak to us is through scripture. I hope that that every one's caregroups see the importance of confession backed with scripture. We need God's word to know how to live and to see who God is. Without scripture, caregroup is merely a self help group that does nothing to move us forward in the race that is set before us. In Hebrews 12:1-3 it says: "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." My conclusion about confession in caregroup is that it needs to point the attention and focus onto Jesus Christ and not allow us to wallow in or justify our sins/struggles. Ladies or any family member please post your thoughts, I realize that my brain is very small and my knowledge of scripture is not unending.
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2 comments:
Hey sis, thanks for talking with me last week about this. I was so
inspired and convicted by your God and scripture focus. My heart was
stirred and I calmed down and was able to think somewhat rationally!
When my focus is on Scripture and allowing the Holy Spirit to make those words come alive, I am changed. It brings confession from a "me-focus" or a time of merely empathizing with others to a focus on Christ and the fact that all change comes from and through Him. So I head to caregroup this next week with the desire to keep my eyes on Jesus and my heart engrossed in
His Word. I want to spend more time looking towards Him and less time looking at me. And since, confession is the main focus of caregroup, that means I need to be spending A LOT of time focused on the Savior so I do not lose perspective.
It is interesting to do a word search on “confess” in the New Testament Epistles.
“confessing that the Law is good” Rom 7:16
“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Rom 10:9-10
“Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all,” 2 Cor 9:13
"and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil 2:11
"By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, as vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory." 1 Tim. 3:16
"Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 1 Tim 6:12
"I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate," 1 Tim 6:13
"Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;" Heb 3:1
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession." Heb 4:14
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;" Heb 10:23
"All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." Heb 11:13
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed." Js.5:16
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
"Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also." 1 John 2:23
"By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;" 1 John 4:2
"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." 1 John 4:15
So let us confess our sins, but make sure that we are spending a substantially larger portion of our time confessing Christ.
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