05.12. Confession

12. CONFESSION As a worker, dealing with seekers, never leave the impression that it is either wise or necessary for them to confess their sins to you. Much harm has been done at this point. Confidences have been betrayed, homes broken, and no doubt many souls have been lost because of such action.

Urge the seeker to confess his sins to God, not to the pastor, evangelist, or some worker. It is God who forgives and it is God who saves. The Pharisees were wrong in their application, but right in their thinking when they reasoned, "... who can forgive sins but God only?" (Mark 2:7.) I suppose, during forty years of ministry, I could have heard many confessions. I have heard only a few, and these were unnecessary and did not help anyone.

Exceptions

There may at times be exceptions. Some seem to think it will help them to unburden their heart to someone, but so often such people seem to take pride in telling everyone and it oftenbrings a reproach on the cause. Such things are better left with God. However, let me urge all who deal with seeking souls, should someone pour out his heart to you, never break that confidence.

Public Confession

Some preachers have been known to encourage public confessions. I think this is wrong, all wrong. I have never known one to be wholesome. Confess to God and to the one you have sinned against.

One night in our meeting a widow, a mother of two teen-age daughters, quickly arose from the altar and, before anyone realized what was going to happen, said to the entire congregation, "I want to confess that I have been living in adultery." What possible good could come from such a statement?

Always prevent such things if you can. In most instances they will be damaging both to the confessor and to the hearers. Usually they bring reproach on the individual, the family, the church, and, most of all, the cause of Christ.

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