DO I NEED TO CONFESS SINS I COMMITTED BEFORE I BECAME A CHRISTIAN?

Question: Do I need to confess things I did before I received Christ? How can I be sure that God has forgiven me for all the things I did?

Answer: This is probably the most common question and fear of those who are new believers in Jesus. It just seems so incredible to us that God would forgive us for every sin in our lives, we find ourselves continually thinking, “Maybe there’s something more that I need to do!”

“If we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:19

Because of God’s faithfulness you can count on the fact that you are forgiven, not only for all of the sins in your past but also for the sins in your present and in the future.

Does this verse mean that we have to individually remember and confess every sin we’ve ever committed in order for God to forgive us? NO! Confessing your sin means confessing that you are a sinner and need God’s forgiveness for all of the wrongs in your life. The truth is, you and I are not spiritually sensitive enough to even be aware of ALL of our sins, but God forgives us anyway.

While you don’t have to individually confess every sin in order to BE forgiven, many have found it helpful to make out a list of the sins that God has forgiven them for in order to FEEL forgiven. Sit down and write out your sins on a sheet of paper (maybe more than one sheet!), write over all of those sins the word “FORGIVEN” …and then destroy the paper!

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalms 103:2-5

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. Ephesians 1:7

Ian