God is Holy and Merciful: The pointof it all

I was traveling on Saturday and was unable to post, but I don't feel like I can simply walk away without talking about the third aspect to confession- transformation and re-commitment. After all, this may be the point of confession.

I have viewed, in the past, confession (to God) as repairing a broken relationship. But the more I think about it, my former view of confession can lead in a pretty scary direction; that is, that my relationship with God is ultimately on me. In this view, the death of Jesus is the key that I need to open the door. It is of no surprise, then, that confession became a source of power for religious authority and fear in the hearts of Christians everywhere. But is that what confession is about?

I lean heavily on last week's post about identity. If my identity is truly that I am claimed and united to God through Jesus, and if I believe Paul that nothing can sever that connection, then is it possible that our confession is what is necessary to set our relationship with God right again? I believe so. I believe that our unity with Christ doesn't change, despite our actions.

So confession, then, is something different. I believe that confession is about transformation and becoming more like Christ. If we don't go back and get honest about our pains and afflictions, our disobedience and our "junk," it won't get healed.

Imagine going to the dentist. I know, it's painful for me too. But imagine going and having the dentist ask you "Have you been brushing and flossing?" You lie and say "All the time." The dentist turns and says "Okay, see you next year." Would that be effective? No, the dentist would take a look anyway and catch your dishonesty. And then will come the cleaning. The same thing works with confession. God knows our junk, and remains united to us anyway. Our honesty opens us to healing.

Healing is our eventual transformation. At the dentist, our teeth are cleaned and we are given a lesson on the importance of oral hygiene. Before God, we are forgiven and God (though the Holy Spirit) begins to shape and teach us a new and better way of being. May we all seek that way as we go about our lives.