Confession of Sin

Confession of Sin

To men or God or both?

The verses below prove that the “confession of sin” is “sufficient” to be done toward The LORD only for one to “receive all forgiveness of sins”:

(i) Sin brings forth “pain” when “not” confessed or repented of toward the LORD:

“When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.” (Psalm 32:3)

Confession of Sin To the “LORD only” resulted in “all forgiveness & all healing”

“I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.” (Psalm 32:5)

(ii) “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)

(iii) However, “confession of sin” toward “one another” (amongst believers) followed by “Prayer” is also mentioned in Holy Scripture:

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16)

But the reason for this is because the prayer of a righteous man (to whom the sin is confessed to) can accomplish much for “God hears them” to “heal the sinner”.

An example of such a “Prayer of a righteous man” (Job) as found in the Bible illustrates this too:

“It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.

“Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”

So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job.

The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold.” (Job 42:7 – 10)

So, the reason for this type of “confession of sin” is “so that the prayer of the righteous man may help in healing”.

Conclusion:

The “confession of sin” toward our Blessed LORD Himself is “enough” for the “Forgiveness of all sin & Healing”.

However, if we are “estranged from the Lord”, confessing to a righteous man of God followed by both prayers can help to accomplish much.

So, the “confession of sin” toward the “LORD only” or to “both the LORD & one another” solely depends on the “sinner’s closeness or relationship with God prior to the sin” (as Scripture seems to “implicitly” mean this, right?)