*Slide 1: Title: Confession of “SIN” to Confession of “Faith”: A Journey of

Transformation
*Slide 2: 2 Corinthians 5:17
17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has
come.1

*Slide 3: Introduction: Brief review of salvation. Ask them the question “How are we saved?”,
“How do we get to heaven to be with God?”
*Slide 4: Salvation

a.) Good works = Salvation

b.) Faith + Good works = Salvation
c.) Faith = Salvation = Good works
*Slide 5: It is very clear based on the scriptures, that it is faith alone in Jesus Christ that
gives us the “Salvation” (Rom 10:9, Eph 2:8-9) But remember that there are two kinds of faith
according to James. “17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
(James 2:17 ESV)
*Slide 6: Meaning, the saving faith is a kind of faith that has results. That is why in letter “C”,
our faith in Jesus that provided us salvation also caused us to be good. Going back on the main
verse, we are now a new creation, we no longer live for ourselves but for Jesus.

*Slide 7: Question: But when does this start? How do we come to realize that we need to be
saved?
[Transition to discuss about confession]
*Slide 8: 3 Questions to be answered
a. What is confession or to confess?
b. Why is confession important?
c. Where will confession lead me?

*Slide 9: I. “What is confession or to confess?”

Confess (homologeo) [ὁμολογέω]
: to tell or make known (something, such as something wrong or damaging to oneself) : ADMIT
he confessed his guilt
: to acknowledge (sin) to God or to a priest
: to declare faith in or adherence to : PROFESS
(According to Merriam-Webster)

1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Co 5:17.
Homologeo - to speak the same, to agree
in NASB it is translated to:
acknowledge (2), admit (1), assured (1), confess (6), confessed (4), confesses (6), confessing
(1), declare (1), give thanks (1), made (1), profess (1), promised (1)
Coming from the provided definitions, we can understand confession generally in two ways.

1. Admit – To acknowledge something.

2. Profess – To make known something.

So, both works hand in hand whenever we confess. When we confess something to ourselves,
it is the process of acknowledging something we did, and making it known to ourselves. The
same way if we confess to another, we acknowledge what we did, and we are making them
know about it.

*Slide 10: II. Why is confession important? (Confession of Sin)

2 Corinthians 7:9-10
9
As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you
felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.
10
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief
produces death.2

Brief background for context, Paul here, has replied to how the Corinthian church responded
to his letter. If we will read (2 Cor 7:8), “8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not
regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 3”
Paul mentions that he regrets in a way for how harsh he is addressing the Corinth, if we
will read 1 Corinthians, we see Paul calling them out for their immaturity, such as being divided
amongst one another, sexual immorality, bringing issues immediately to court, and so on,
because it caused them to grieve or sorrow. Remember the saying, “Truth hurts”, but also,
“Truth will set us free”. But he says as well that he did not completely regret it since it caused
the Corinthian church to realize their short comings, leading them into repentance, that leads to
salvation. They felt godly grief.
*Slide 11: So, the picture here, before Paul addressed the Corinthian church, they have
a lot of short comings and issues but they still act as is. They are like sick people not knowing
that there is already something wrong with them. (For example, people with cancer seems
normal, not until when the cancer had worsened, only then will they realize that there is
something wrong.)
Then comes Paul’s diagnosis, like a doctor, he tells them the problems that needs to be
addressed for them to be healthy. Now, the Corinthian church are left with 2 choices.

1. To listen to Paul’s diagnosis, to admit their sickness and have medication.

2 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Co 7:9–10.

3 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Co 7:8.
 2. To disregard Paul’s diagnosis, to continue living the same life, believing that they are
perfectly healthy and have no problems.
Question: What do you think happens with a patient who does not listens to the doctor’s
recommendation?
Answer: They will become more sick, weaker, and eventually die.
So, for a sick person to be healed, he/she needs to first admit, acknowledge, or confess
that something is wrong with him/her. In turn, they will seek to have treatment.
Just the same with our spiritual lives. We should first admit that we have fall short of
God’s glory and have sinned (Rom 3:23), that we cannot do anything about it by ourselves
(Rom 3:20) 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law
comes knowledge of sin.4, that we are bound for death if we are not treated (Rom 6:23a). If only
we will admit and acknowledge this, then, we will realize that we really need a doctor to heal us,
a savior to save us, so that we will not die.
*Slide 12: Also, for those who already have accepted, is already in Christ, we still
continue to practice confession. As James have said:
James 5:16
16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The
prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.5

This practice will provide us accountability with each other. Confessing and praying to
one another gives us two witnesses we are accountable to, first to God, then to the
person/people we confess to. To understand why this is effective, for example, if your parents
are always looking at you, wherever you go, whenever it is, do you think you will be doing
something crazy that you might do without them looking? Just imagine, and for sure, I know that
you will be acting differently, you will be acting more disciplined and there is lesser chance for
you to do something wrong, compared when your parents are not looking.
This is why confessing with one another also helps us build ourselves. We will have
someone to call us out if we are doing wrong, someone will help us back on the right track if we
are going the wrong way, someone who can help what steps we can do and so on. With this
practice, as James had said, so that we may be healed.
*Slide 13: III. Where will confession lead me/us? (Confession of faith)
As pre-empted by one of our conclusions earlier, that “it will lead us to realize that we
really need a doctor to heal us, a savior, so that we will not die.”
Just as how the Corinthian church was led to repentance because of their godly grief (2
Cor 7:10), hopefully, we, like the Corinthian church will admit to our sins, and because we hate
sin, we will then repent, meaning to really renounce sin, turning away from it and not wanting to
come back to it.

4 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ro 3:20.

5 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jas 5:16.
 In 1 John 1:8-9, we have the assurance as well that our confession is not wasted.
8
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.6
So, we know that if we confess our sins to God, He forgives us.
But, it does not stop from there. We only have acknowledged that we are sick, that
something is wrong with us. So, we are now going to seek for treatment, to look for the
medication. And, we thank God because He already have provided us the prescription for us to
be saved. That is through Jesus Christ (Jn 3:16, Jn 14:6, Rom 10:9)

*Slide 14: Romans 10:9

9
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him
from the dead, you will be saved.7

By doing this, we are now a new creation. We no longer live for ourselves, but we live for
Jesus Christ. And if we will be doing it genuinely, by heart, and really commit ourselves, then
our confession will lead towards salvation. Because we admitted that:
 First, something is wrong with us, we are sinners, and there is a consequence at the end
of the road, which is death. (Rom 6:23a)
 Second, that we cannot do it by our own strength, because of how fallen we are and how
much we have already done, that is why we need someone to save us. (Rom 3:20, Rom
3:28)
 Third and lastly, the only one who can save us is the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6), that
He has come to die, by crucifixion, to pay for the penalties of our sins, and rose on the
third day to triumph and overcome death so that we can also be redeemed with Him.
*Slide 15: 2 Corinthians 5:17
17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has
come.8

Prayer
Invite to prayer of acceptance. (For those who have not accepted yet.) For those who
already accepted, ask them to reflect, and think of the things that they have done and confess it
to God, and to repent.
“Our Father, I thank You for today, because I realized how much You love us. We are not
deserving of Your love, and yet You reached out to us, indeed, this is amazing grace.

6 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Jn 1:8–9.

7 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ro 10:9.

8 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Co 5:17.
I confess to you Jesus, that I am broken, I am a sinner, and acknowledge that I cannot save
myself.
I confess that it is only through You, Jesus, that I can be saved, because You are the truth and
the life. You are Lord, Jesus Christ.
I believe that You have died in my place to pay for my sins once and for all, and that You rose
on the third day so that I may be saved through You.
So, Jesus, I invite You in my heart, to be my Lord and Savior, and I fully commit my life to you,
because You are the living God!
I thank You for all You’ve done. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.”

Ending remarks:
So, since we are now renewed, we now have a new identity in Christ. So, introduce
yourselves to one another, “Hello, my name is… I am a child of God.”
Then, we have a breakout activity, I encourage you to be with a person, or people that you
are comfortable with to speak about anything. We will be doing the practice in James 5:16. Here
are the guides for the activity.
1. Reflect on the past days about things that you regret doing, that you wished you should
have not done it.
2. Confess it with the person/people you are with, so that you might pray for one another.
3. For things that you cannot share with anyone because it is too personal, confess it
directly to God, and repent.
4. Say a prayer of thanks giving, because all these things that we have confessed and
prayed about to God, has also been paid by Jesus Christ on the cross.

Key Passages:
1. 2 Corinthians 5:17
2. 2 Corinthians 7:8
3. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10
4. Ephesians 2:8-9
5. James 2:17
6. Romans 3:20
7. Romans 3:23
8. Romans 6:23a
9. Romans 10:9
10. James 5:16
11. John 3:16
12. John 14:6
13. 1 John 1:8-9
14. Romans 3:28