Confessions

[slamjet]

I has been noticed that whenever posts come up about some indiscretions where the poster is asking whether to speak to their Bishop or not, there is a tendency for some to say that their sin is not that bad, and they shouldn't, or don't really need to speak to the Bishop about it. The frequency of this has become disturbing and I believe should be addressed.

CONFESSION & REPENTANCE

Confession is critical, and required for repentance. It is not repentance, but it is the precursor to and for repentance. Confession is an indication of true humility and "godly sorrow" (2 Cor. 7:10).

Elder Theodore M. Burton spoke of this in the August 1988 Ensign when he wrote:

"As a General Authority, I have prepared information for the First Presidency to use in considering applications to readmit repentant transgressors into the Church and to restore priesthood and temple blessings. Many times a bishop will write, “I feel he has suffered enough!” But suffering is not repentance. Suffering comes from lack of complete repentance. A stake president will write, “I feel he has been punished enough!” But punishment is not repentance. Punishment follows disobedience and precedes repentance. A husband will write, “My wife has confessed everything!” But confession is not repentance. Confession is an admission of guilt that occurs as repentance begins. A wife will write, “My husband is filled with remorse!” But remorse is not repentance. Remorse and sorrow continue because a person has not yet fully repented. Suffering, punishment, confession, remorse, and sorrow may sometimes accompany repentance, but they are not repentance." (emphasis added)

Furthermore, Spencer W. Kimball wrote in his book, The Miracle of Forgiveness that:

"Perhaps confession is one of the hardest of all the obstacles for the repenting sinner to negotiate. His shame often restrains him from making known his guilt and acknowledging his error. Sometimes his assumed lack of confidence in mortals to whom he should confess his sin justifies in his mind his keeping the secret locked in his own heart. …

Knowing the hearts of men, and their intents, and their abilities to repent and regenerate themselves, the Lord waits to forgive until the repentance has matured. The transgressor must have a “broken heart and a contrite spirit” and be willing to humble himself and do all that is required. The confession of his major sins to a proper Church authority is one of those requirements made by the Lord. These sins include adultery, fornication, other sexual transgressions, and other sins of comparable seriousness. This procedure of confession assures proper controls and protection for the Church and its people and sets the feet of the transgressor on the path of true repentance."( The Miracle of Forgiveness, 185)

So confession in and of itself is not repentance but is a most necessary component of it. Without it, repentance cannot truly begin. We should point out to those who ask if confession is necessary that it is a sign and acknowledgement that they, the repentant, is moving in the right direction. That they have gained a true sorrow and that the Lord requires that sorrow so that as they confess and forsake their sins, the Lord can give them forgiveness and joy.

WHEN TO CONFESS

There has been a confusion that leads to outright arguing about when to confess, with masturbation being the prevalent situation being bantered about. Encased in the previous quote by President Kimball states that "... other sexual transgressions,..." need to be confessed. This has been left as a broad statement, I believe, to encapsulate any and all transgressions that deal with sex in any form so as not to spell them out and possibly view that there is a limitation. Masturbation is a sexual act, it is included in this statement. It falls under one of the acts that need to be confessed to the Bishop. Then what is not necessary to be confessed? Continuing with the book:

"While the major sins such as those listed earlier … call for confession to the proper Church authorities, clearly such confession is neither necessary nor desirable for all sins. Those of lesser gravity but which have offended others—marital differences, minor fits of anger, disagreements and such—should instead be confessed to the person or persons hurt and the matter should be cleared between the persons involved, normally without a reference to a Church authority." (The Miracle of Forgiveness, 185)

Disagreements with others and within marriage and anger towards another person and such are not necessary to bring in the Church leadership.

"I FEEL I NEED TO CONFESS"

We are told to liken the scriptures to us. In this vein, I believe that a reading of Section 108 would be good to clarify this issue.

1: Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Lyman: Your sins are forgiven you, because you have obeyed my voice in coming up hither this morning to receive counsel of him whom I have appointed.

2: Therefore, let your soul be at rest concerning your spiritual standing, and resist no more my voice.

In these verses, it is very clear that the Lord was prompting Lyman to go seek out Joseph and speak to him and receive his counsel. It does not say how long he wrestled with this, but it is pretty clear that it was for a time, time enough for the Lord to prompt him on multiple occasions. There are many who post on this forum, resisting and not wanting to speak with their Bishop about their spiritual standing. I believe that if they are feeling that they need to speak to the Bishop, it is because the Lord it letting them know that it is something they must do. The Lord knows that those in sin have a difficult time listening to his promptings. With that in mind, what can be extrapolated from what was previously quoted, godly sorrow is true humility and opens one up to the promptings of the Lord. And when they do listen to the prompting, they will receive the blessings they need, even a forgiveness of their sins. And like Lyman, those who ask if they should, need to stop resisting the voice of the Lord.

3: And arise up and be more careful henceforth in observing your vows, which you have made and do make, and you shall be blessed with exceeding great blessings.

This verse tells us what the Lord advises and expects of us. To be more careful in keeping the vows we have made with him and if we do, we will be given "exceeding great blessings." These vows are the same ones we all have taken at Baptism, the Sacrament and various other ordinations. It is interesting that being careful with these vows are tied into counseling with our leaders.

Let us remember that to the Lord, true repentance comes only by confessing them and forsaking them (D&C 58:43). Let us not get in the way of the person needing to repent. Let us acknowledge that confession is the starting point of the repentance process. And if they feel they need to speak to their Bishop about it, let us also acknowledged that this most likely is a prompting from the Lord that they need to do so. Because if we do not, or if we tell them it is not necessary in any form, we will become a stumbling block to not only their happiness, but to them obeying the promptings they are receiving to confess. Thus, robbing them of the blessings that come with not only repentance, but from being completely obedient to the Lord's voice.

[pam]

Well said slamjet. As I mentioned in another thread..it is NEVER our place to tell anyone that they don't have a need to speak to their Bishop about something they are concerned about. I kind of think of it as..what if I told someone their sin wasn't big enough to confess when really it was. Did I then keep someone from repenting and reaching their full potential?

[applepansy]

We're not here to be that judge for people. That's what bishops are for.

Edited June 22, 2011 by applepansy

[BenRaines]

Thanks for the post Slamjet. Very well said.

BenRaines