Confession

[MorningStar]

I was just reading this article called, "Confession" that talks about the necessity of confessing one's sins.

Few gifts are more desirable than a clear conscience—a soul at peace with itself. Only the power of our Savior Jesus Christ can heal a troubled soul. But if we want him to heal us, we must follow the procedure he has given to us.

Confession is a necessary requirement for complete forgiveness. It is an indication of true “godly sorrow.” It is part of the cleansing process—the starting anew requires a clean page in the diary of our conscience. Confession should be made to the appropriate person who has been wronged by us and to the Lord also. In addition, the nature of our transgression may be serious enough to require confession to a legal priesthood administrator.

“Not every person nor every holder of the priesthood is authorized to receive the transgressor’s sacred confessions of guilt. The Lord has organized an orderly and consistent program. Every member of the Church is answerable to an ecclesiastical authority. (See Mosiah 26:29 and D&C 59:12.) In the ward it is the bishop; in the branch, a president; in the stake or mission, a president; and in the higher Church echelon of authority, the General Authorities, with the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles at the head.” (Spencer W. Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, Bookcraft, 1969, p. 327.)

Those transgressions requiring confession to a bishop are adultery, fornication, other sexual transgressions and deviancies, and sins of a comparable seriousness. President Kimball reminds us that “one must not compromise or equivocate—he must make a full confession.” (Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 170, 189.) Remember, it is complete deliverance from the tortures of a guilt-ridden soul that we seek. The Prophet Alma says he wandered “through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death,” feeling he was being consumed by an everlasting burning. Repentance is not easy. “Godly sorrow” brings one to the depth of humility. This is why the gift of forgiveness is so sweet and draws the transgressor so close to the Savior with a special bond of affection.

What are your thoughts on confession? How does it help the transgressor? In an experience I had recently, someone close to me hid their sin for 25 years and tried so hard on their own to stop. It wasn't until they told someone that they were able to make any progress in stopping. The secrecy made them hate themselves even more, which drove them towards this behavior even more. Once they confessed, they were amazed at how much easier it was for them. It was an extremely difficult step, but definitely worth it and they have that clean conscience now. It's another one of God's laws that makes perfect sense to me.

[Garden Girl]

That's exactly why we need to confess to our bishop if the sin is great enough... otherwise, to those we've wronged... that's an important step in repenting and gaining forgiveness...

Garden Girl

[rickg]

Yes, it does change your life. I'll step out on a limb here, only because it was so long ago. I was involved in, well, let's just say some immoral activity. I was trying to stay active at athe same time. Not easy!!!! I was at some stake meeting, maybe a saturday session of stake conference, don't recall right now. Then right in the middle of one of the songs we were singing(don't remember which), I was hit hard over the head with the Spirit. I couldn't sing another note, barely able to maintain my composure. I just remember saying over and over to myself "What have I done?!" That week, I got in to see the Bishop. Had a Bishop's court. Came thru with "only" a 6 month parole. The Bishop's court was one of the hardest things I've ever been thru, but also was like the world was lifted off me!

Thank goodness for a forgiving Heavenly Father, and a forgiving wife!

[SeattleTruthSeeker]

When confessing and seeking forgiveness, especially if it is a grave transgression sometimes is not good to go to the other person whom you offended for the reason that it might cause more hurt and pain rather than what its intent and purpose is.

I do agree, though, that we ought to confess our sins. In fact, it is the specific point where Christ made in the Lord's prayer. Forgive our debt as we forgive the debt of others.

It is a simple principle that alot of people do not realize they stand in need of. It is humbling one self and it is acknowldeging that we still battle with our own desires, our own lusts and have our own humanity to deal with.

Confession is not a once in awhile thing where when we walk into temptation and then realize we need to confess, but it is an every day thing.

Husband and Wife gets into an argument. There is a need to confess to one another and ask forgiveness for.

Brother and sister cybling rivalry, confession.

Ladies at church talking (more like gossipping like hens in a chicken coop) about someone in a derogatory way, requires the need to confess.

It is a daily thing we must do along with our scriptures, prayer and devotions.

[MorningStar]

Yes, it does change your life. I'll step out on a limb here, only because it was so long ago. I was involved in, well, let's just say some immoral activity. I was trying to stay active at athe same time. Not easy!!!! I was at some stake meeting, maybe a saturday session of stake conference, don't recall right now. Then right in the middle of one of the songs we were singing(don't remember which), I was hit hard over the head with the Spirit. I couldn't sing another note, barely able to maintain my composure. I just remember saying over and over to myself "What have I done?!" That week, I got in to see the Bishop. Had a Bishop's court. Came thru with "only" a 6 month parole. The Bishop's court was one of the hardest things I've ever been thru, but also was like the world was lifted off me!

Thank goodness for a forgiving Heavenly Father, and a forgiving wife!

Thank you for sharing, Rick. :) I'm glad you made it through that with your testimony and marriage still in tact. :) That took a lot of courage to confess.

[MorningStar]

When confessing and seeking forgiveness, especially if it is a grave transgression sometimes is not good to go to the other person whom you offended for the reason that it might cause more hurt and pain rather than what its intent and purpose is.

I do agree, though, that we ought to confess our sins. In fact, it is the specific point where Christ made in the Lord's prayer. Forgive our debt as we forgive the debt of others.

It is a simple principle that alot of people do not realize they stand in need of. It is humbling one self and it is acknowldeging that we still battle with our own desires, our own lusts and have our own humanity to deal with.

Confession is not a once in awhile thing where when we walk into temptation and then realize we need to confess, but it is an every day thing.

Husband and Wife gets into an argument. There is a need to confess to one another and ask forgiveness for.

Brother and sister cybling rivalry, confession.

Ladies at church talking (more like gossipping like hens in a chicken coop) about someone in a derogatory way, requires the need to confess.

It is a daily thing we must do along with our scriptures, prayer and devotions.

I had a friend tell me that she went out of her way to confess to gossiping. There was an affair that happened in her office and she spoke negatively about the woman involved in it. Years later it still bothered her, so she tracked her down and called her to apologize for being mean and judgemental. She was terrified to call and the woman seemed surprised, but touched that it mattered to her that much to call her so many years later. When we repent, it's so important not to just be sorry, but to try to undo the damage we've done if we can. I was really impressed that she did that. We were talking about repentance and how to know when you've done it right, and what do you do if you've done so many things wrong, you've just forgotten about some of them. She said she just prays to be forgiven for everything but do everything she can with the things she does remember.

[Maya]

Yes confessing makes it easier to stop doing the wrong and it also gives back your selfestime.

[checkerboy]

I posted this in another thread once before but thought that I might repost it here. There is a book that ldsfamily services has put out about addiction recovery, the reason I mention it here is that I believe that most of the members ought to give it a read through whether you have an addiction or not. I like to think of it as Repentance For Dummies. The book breaks down the repentance process into 12 easy steps. In fact step 5 is all about confession. Anyway here is the link. http://www.providentliving.org/content/dis...-3414-1,00.html

[Sheelah]

Confession gives us the ability to lose the burden from our shoulders, stand up straight, and like what we see in the mirror again.

[Facsimile 3]

I think one of the hardest parts of forgiveness is when you feel the confirmation on the Lord's end that you have been forgiven, but you still have a hard time forgiving yourself. I think that point of repentance is often left in the shadows. You have to meet Jesus halfway.

[rickg]

I think one of the hardest parts of forgiveness...... have a hard time forgiving yourself.

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MorningStar]

I think one of the hardest parts of forgiveness is when you feel the confirmation on the Lord's end that you have been forgiven, but you still have a hard time forgiving yourself. I think that point of repentance is often left in the shadows. You have to meet Jesus halfway.

Definitely. The Lord forgets, but we remember so we won't do it again. I wonder if we'll forget in the next life? That would be nice.

[fish4kitty]

We need to be able to leave our sins at his feet and go on. Forgiving ourselves needs to be there also.

[SquarePeg48]

Another perspective on this is something I gained from the 12-Step program (not the LDS version). In the process of confessing what seems to us terrible things to another human being and having that person accept us anyway, we gain a sense that we are not the terrible and lost souls we may have thought ourselves to be. It also allows us to feel as if we have metaphorically cleaned house and can start with a clean slate. It also allows us to get the perspective of another person that gives clarity.

In the 12-Step program, we confess first to our sponsor, a person who acts somewhat as a counselor and guide. This person can be a friend who understands, another person who has walked the path of spiritual growth, or a bishop/priest/minister. I have found this to be an invaluable aid in the repentence process. Often, I find that my own idea of how to make amends has been way off the beam, and the objective view of someone else has helped me see where I was either lacking or going way overboard.

Confessing also helps me see myself accurately. It takes me down a notch or two when pride steps in to tell me that I'm not that bad...or help me feel better when I tell myself I am worthless because of the weakness or act that I think is so bad. It's not a bad practice to get into on a regular basis.

There are so many advantages to confession--though it is hard at first, soon you might find it to be as helpful as I have.

[Edward]

I believe that confession is an important part of the repentance process but I would also like to add a word of caution for those who are prone to confess their perceived sins and weaknesses to the Bishop, ward and other members. There are certain sins which require confession to those who are in authority or to those who have been wronged yet we should not dwell upon our sins after we have prayed to our Heavenly Father, sought forgiveness and received forgiveness through our faith. We should also avoid confessing our sins and weaknesses during sacrament talks, lessons and testimonies unless clearly prompted to do so by the spirit. There also isn't an exhaustive list of sins to be confessed to a Bishop or to others who we have wronged and therefore it requires an exercise in judgment on our part to determine which sins need to be confessed to a Bishop and which wrongs we need to confess to those whom we have wronged. It is obvious that such serious sins as adultery, murder and other serious sins should be confessed to a Bishop but it is also obvious that not all sins need to be confessed to another person. One way to determine whether you need to confess a sin is if you feel unworthy to partake of the sacrament several weeks in a row and willingly choose to decline the sacrament when it is offered to you. It is at this time that you should seek guidance from a Bishop so he can help you decide whether your sin is serious enough for you not to partake of the sacrament and whether further repentance is necessary. More often then not more repentance will not be required of you and you are being harder on yourself than your Heavenly Father would be. If we exercise faith in Christ, pray to our Heavenly Father for forgiveness, and cease to repeat the sin we have committed then we should move on. If we fall short of keeping the commandments after we have confessed to our Heavenly Father we should pick ourselves up and get back to keeping the commandments as best we can and as we strive to do what is right we will remain on the straight and narrow path and will be justified. I am not suggesting to anyone that they should not confess their sins to a Bishop if they feel the need to do so but I am strongly suggesting that this may not be necessary and may actually be harmful to their repentance process in some instances because it forces them to dwell on sins they have already dwelt with and resolved through prayer and repentance.