Looking for what the Bible says about confession? You're in the right place. This page brings together key Scripture and principles on confession from across many different books of the Bible, along with practical commentary and everyday applications that can transform your life. Because this commentary is excerpted from Study and Obey's verse-by-verse book studies, every verse here has already been interpreted in its full context. As you study God's Word on confession, we encourage you to reflect on how to apply what God is teaching you. Enjoy!

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What Is True Confession?

Daniel 9:4 — "I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, 'O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments.'"

The key theme in Daniel's prayer is confession. His prayer is quite similar to Ezra's in Ezra 9, and from both we can learn several key ingredients of confession.

Daniel starts with praise. It wasn't the exact words that were important. Rather, it was the attitude behind the words. God's people are to come before Him with the right mindset, realizing that He is on the throne. He is sovereign over all. We are not to come to Him with demands but instead humbly come to the throne of grace.

Daniel uses many personal pronouns, "we," "our," and "us," even though he wasn't involved in his people's idolatry. He is identifying himself as linked to the group. The prayer would also not seem nearly as genuine if he kept saying how evil the other Israelites were.

Application: True confession takes personal responsibility and doesn't blame others.

Daniel 9:7 — "To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame."

There was not a hint of complaint by Daniel. He knew that God was just. Every discipline that they had endured was fair and right. All righteousness was ascribed to God. Meanwhile, he realized that his people deserved the blame.

Application: When confessing sin, humbly come to the throne of grace to receive mercy. Have an exalted view of God and an accurate view of yourself.

Daniel realized that their exile was a direct result of their sin in God's sight. Instead of blaming others for our problems, we should realize that our own sin has brought us to this low, confess and seek to make right what we have done wrong.

Application: True confession realizes that sin comes with consequences. Instead of seeking to shift blame, seek to understand if your own choices are the reason for the trial that you are in.

Luke 18:13-14 — "But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Daniel does not say that he or the nation deserves God's mercy. The definition of mercy is "not getting the punishment that you deserve." This is the way we are to approach God in prayer. We should not come with demands. We do not come as equals. And Jesus praised the unworthy sinner who humbly acknowledged his own failings to God. This is the type of prayer that God is pleased with.

Application: How are you approaching the Lord in prayer? Are you coming before Him in humility, recognizing that He is almighty and sovereign over all? God is merciful, but we should ask for His mercy instead of taking it for granted.

Reflect: Why is confession so difficult? Why is confession so important?

— From our Bible study on Daniel 9:1-19

Ezra's Prayer of Confession

Ezra 9:5-6 — "But at the evening offering I arose from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn, and I fell on my knees and stretched out my hands to the LORD my God; and I said, 'O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.'"

Ezra was certainly right to grieve and weep, almost to the level of despair, over the sin that was being committed by the people of Israel and the dangerous predicament this left them in. But there is a point in time when one has to start taking action to resolve the problem instead of only lamenting it. It is understandable to grieve about it, but taking action to move forward is also necessary.

The first thing Ezra did was pray to God. He could have started giving orders or rebuking the people. Ezra could have started teaching the people. But he didn't. Why not? Before there can be restoration with God, there must be a confession to God.

One thing that struck me while reading this passage was the level of Ezra's humility. He fell on his knees and stretched out his hands to God. He had already torn his garments and ripped out his own hair. Next, Ezra admitted to feeling shame and embarrassment because of the sin. He realized that he was approaching God not as an equal. God is the Creator of the universe, and he and the people of Israel were God's unworthy subjects. Ezra recognized that he didn't even deserve to come before God. True confession begins with sincere humility.

Another thing I noticed is that Ezra uses many personal pronouns. He uses "I," "we," and "our." He employs these pronouns even though he didn't commit this particular sin. Simply put, Ezra is one of the people. He is identifying himself as linked to the group. The prayer would also not seem nearly as genuine if he kept saying how evil the other Israelites were. While he had not committed this specific sin, Ezra had committed many others, so it was true that the entire nation was guilty in God's sight.

When one wants to confess to God, there should be no blaming or pointing fingers. When people first sinned, Adam pointed to Eve and blamed her, and Eve pointed to the snake and blamed it. In reality, they were both culpable for the sin they had committed.

Pastor John MacArthur says this, "Ezra understood that the sin of the few is sufficient to contaminate the many." Now, from God's viewpoint, He clearly does not hold one person responsible for the sin of others. A father should not be punished for the son and vice-versa. Yet when we pray to God, we should come as the representative of our group (be it America, France, our Bible study group, or our family) and seek God's forgiveness and blessing for the entire group. So here we learn another lesson about confession. True confession takes personal responsibility and doesn't blame others.

This reminds me of one place I have passed a few times: a lovely pig farm. Every time, I can smell the pigs even from a distance. I try to hold my breath for as long as possible, hoping to get past it before I need to breathe again. And every time I fail and have to inhale the horrible fumes.

And that is the picture Ezra paints of their sins in God's sight. They rise like a stench, infecting His very presence. When we sin, sometimes we think God is far away. We may think God doesn't see us, He doesn't care, or He is involved with more important things and doesn't notice us. But He does. He is not a King who sits far away, uninterested in His people. Each and every one of our sins, no matter how small, affect God and even grieve Him. So we learn that true confession acknowledges our sin as a stench God hates.

Many times (not always), people's difficulties result from poor life choices. Marriages fail because of sin (of one or the other or both sides). A son or daughter doesn't speak to his parent because of the mistakes of that parent. A student fails an exam and misses a chance to enter college because he didn't study hard. A family loses their home and everything they own because of poor financial decisions and getting into too much debt. A person goes to jail because of a lapse of judgment in which he drank too much, drove, and ran over someone. Many times, in these types of situations, people grow bitter. They complain, get depressed, grow angry at other people, or even lash out at God. This is the wrong response. Instead of blaming others for our problems, we should realize that our own sin has brought us to this point, confess, and seek to make right what we have done wrong. True confession realizes that sin comes with consequences.

Ezra 9:10 — "Now, our God, what shall we say after this?"

Ezra did not seek to make excuses. What do most people do when confronted with sin? Make justifications. Such as? It wasn't my fault. I lost track of the time. It's not a big deal. It's my brother's fault. I couldn't help it. Or my all-time favorite from my childhood, "I forgot." A person who makes excuses has not yet taken responsibility for his sin and confessed. If we say, "I am sorry, but..." it is almost never confession. True confession does not include excuses.

Ezra doesn't just say sorry for some ambiguous, unknown mistakes. He says, "You told us not to marry with these pagan nations, and we did. We are guilty." When I was growing up, my parents taught us to apologize when we did wrong. Being the extremely tricky kids we were, we generated all kinds of "apologies." Some of these include (of course, spoken very quietly), "Sorry if I hurt you." "Sorry, YOU were offended by what I said." "Sorry." My parents always made sure we understood what we had done that was wrong and included it in our apology. Instead of just saying sorry for whatever, say, "Sorry I pushed you into the ground and hurt you. Please forgive me." True confession includes specific areas of failure.

Ezra acknowledges that God would be perfectly justified in punishing them more, even to the point of wiping them out for what they had done. The nation was in real danger of extinction. The people had been given a second chance, and Ezra didn't want to waste it. True confession understands that sin is serious and dangerous.

Finally, Ezra pointed out God's righteousness and their own inability to even stand before Him because of their sin. There is a sharp contrast between us and God. True confession realizes that God is holy.

Summary Lessons about Confession:

• True confession requires genuine regret (9:1-4).
• True confession begins with humility.
• True confession takes personal responsibility and doesn't blame others.
• True confession acknowledges our sin as a stench that God hates.
• True confession acknowledges all of our past sins.
• True confession realizes that sin comes with consequences.
• True confession recognizes and is grateful for the grace of God.
• True confession will bring about a heart that seeks to serve God again.
• True confession does not include excuses.
• True confession includes specific areas of failure.
• True confession understands that sin is serious and dangerous.
• True confession realizes that God is holy.

— From our Bible study on Ezra 9

Confess and He Is Faithful to Forgive

1 John 1:9 — "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

1 John 1:9 is probably the most famous verse in the Bible for confession and forgiveness. It is simple and it is clear. To receive this forgiveness we have one step: confess. True confession has many aspects which we can only highlight here:

• Admit verbally to the sin.
• Take personal responsibility.
• Don't blame others.
• Don't justify it, minimize it, or make excuses.
• Be specific in confession.
• Ask forgiveness from all parties wronged (God and person).
• Make restitution when possible.

This verse has one requirement for us to receive forgiveness, confess. God does everything else. He is faithful to do what He has promised, which is to forgive us and cleanse us.

Here is one of the greatest promises in the Bible. We don't have to carry the weight of our sins. Neither do we need to do something to try to compensate for the wrongs which we have done. God's forgiveness is both costly and free. It's costly because Jesus gave His life in order to offer it. And it's free because we can never pay for it and He doesn't ask us to.

— From our Bible study on "Walk in the Light"

Confess with Your Mouth

Romans 10:9-10 — "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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."

True repentance should be accompanied by genuine words of confession. It is clear God wants us to confess with our mouth. Parents teach this to their children from the time they can speak. If my toddler hits another kid, I teach her not to, and then I tell her to say, "I am sorry." As my kids get older, I continue to teach them to apologize. They learn to ask forgiveness and to specifically speak out what they did wrong. For example, they might apologize by saying, "I should not have said those rude words. I am sorry. Will you please forgive me?"

Their words show that they understand the wrong they have done, are acknowledging it as sin, and are clearly requesting forgiveness. God also wants us to express verbally our confession of sins. Forgiveness should not be assumed. It should be asked for.

Reflect: Why is it sometimes so difficult to verbally ask for forgiveness from people or God?

Application: Confessing can be difficult. The core reason is our pride. God wants us to humble ourselves and clearly admit our wrongdoing. Make a habit to regularly confess your sins to God. Some good times to do this include before you take communion, and also each night before you sleep. Of course, the best time is right after you sin. Also, ask God to help you be quick to confess to others. Set an example for your family by quickly asking your spouse or children to forgive you after you lose your temper or say something hurtful.

A person who truly confesses must realize that God alone can save, that He alone can forgive, and that He alone is worthy of worship. True confession is recognizing our complete unworthiness and throwing ourselves upon the good mercies of our God.

— From our Bible study on Hosea 14

Confess to One Another

James 5:16 — "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed."

Verse 16 shows the brotherly love and concern that comes from active Christian fellowship. Confessing your sins to one another is not teaching us we need to have a priest. Only God can forgive sins, and Jesus is the mediator between us and God.

But confessing to one another is a protection as it can offer accountability and enable us to receive help and prayer from other believers. It is also a safeguard to keep us from wandering away from God.

Application: When you are sick, turn to God for help. Evaluate your own life and consider if there is any possibility that the sickness could be due to your own sinful lifestyle. Repent of any known sin and ask believers to support you and pray for you. In turn, you should show compassion for other believers and visit and pray for those who are sick.

— From our Bible study on James 5:13-20

A Perfect Opportunity for Confession

Mark 9:33-34 — "And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, 'What were you discussing on the way?' But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest."

Jesus didn't start off by accusing or rebuking them. He didn't immediately tell them that they were in the wrong. Rather, he asked. This is a perfect opportunity for confession. Also, it is more powerful for a person to discover an answer on their own than to be taught it.

Reflect: Why did they not immediately tell Jesus what they had been talking about? Why is confession so difficult?

They were ashamed. When Jesus asked them this question, they realized it was wrong to argue about who was the greatest. They should have taken the opportunity to confess their sin. But they didn't.

Ever since Adam and Eve, when confronted with sin, human nature seeks to blame others, minimize the sin, or offer justification. Confession is never easy. It is uncomfortable. It is embarrassing. Yet it is necessary and cleansing.

Application: Are you quick to confess your sins when they come to light or do you choose to remain silent or excuse them? Are you humble enough to admit when you are wrong or do you just dig in your heels?

Everyone sins, but God wants us to humbly confess our sins so that we can receive mercy from Him. We sin routinely. If we don't practice confession we will live with a wall between us and God as well as between us and others.

— From our Bible study on Mark 9:33-50

Your Sin Will Find You Out

Joshua 7:20-21 — "And Achan answered Joshua, 'Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.'"

Achan believed that his sin was secret, that nobody knew. However, these things have a way of revealing themselves. God often works to bring these deep, dark secrets to light.

Some people live in fear afraid that their skeletons in the closet will be discovered. So they try to bury them deeper and deeper. Build a stronger door. Get a bigger lock. These methods only delay the inevitable. The solution is to not have the skeleton in the first place.

Application: If you already have done some things you are ashamed of, then hope is not lost. Come forward. Proactively repent of it. You may find people will show mercy and respect to those who of their own volition admit their own sins rather than being forced to as Achan was.

— From our Bible study on Joshua 7

Corporate Confession

Nehemiah 9:1-3 — "Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the LORD their God."

The focus of the last grand assembly was celebration. This time around, the focus is on confession and repentance. When they heard the law of God read the previous time, they were convicted of their sins. Many people will feel sorry about their sins in the moment, but allow the business of life to take over again when they leave that spiritual get-together and return to their normal lives. The fact that the Jews were still grieving about their sin over three weeks later tells us that they took God's Word very seriously. It shows us the depth of their conviction.

Their repentance was shown by the depth of their grief. Physically, they showed the proper signs of confession, including wearing sackcloth and putting dirt on themselves. Their repentance was also shown by their sacrifice. Fasting requires giving up something that our body and our mind want. It is a self-sacrificing of momentary comfort for the sake of focusing on God.

Here again, we see that they weren't afraid of a little physical discomfort. Also, the people practiced public and corporate confession.

Reflect: Should we practice public and corporate confession? Why or why not?

— From our Bible study on Nehemiah 9:1-5

We hope you enjoyed this Bible study on confession. May God use His Word to speak into your life and give you strength to follow it. Please take some time to reflect on the questions below and consider leaving a comment with your key takeaway or insight.

Reflection Questions

• Why is confession so difficult? Why is confession so important?
• Why is it sometimes so difficult to verbally ask for forgiveness from people or God?
• How are you approaching the Lord in prayer? Are you coming before Him in humility?
• Are you quick to confess your sins when they come to light or do you choose to remain silent or excuse them?
• Are you humble enough to admit when you are wrong or do you just dig in your heels?
• Should we practice public and corporate confession? Why or why not?
• How does Daniel view God? How does Daniel view himself?
• Why confess our sins to one another? Isn't it enough to confess directly to God?
• What lessons can we learn about sin and confession from this prayer?

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