Agreeing With God

We sometimes choose smaller names for things we have done wrong. A lie becomes a mix-up. Cruel words become a joke. Disobedience becomes forgetting, even when we remember choosing it.

First John 1:9 points us toward confession. That means agreeing with God instead of changing the name of sin. He is faithful and just to forgive because of Jesus Christ, not because we have found an impressive way to apologize.

Be specific with God. If another person was harmed, tell that person the truth and take appropriate steps to make things right. Do not turn confession into a long speech about everyone else's faults. God's mercy is a reason to come into the light, not a reason to remain dishonest.