When we confess our sins to God, how detailed do we need to be?

Again, if we turn to 1 John 1:9 we read, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Taking our place in confession before God, telling out all that our consciences take cognizance of as sinful, He pardons, and not only so, but cleanses us from all unrighteousness - the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, which witnesses of death accomplished, being the righteous ground upon which He can do so. And this ninth verse is an abstract statement of wide application, which would embrace those coming as sinners to God through Christ at the first, upon whom He bestows His eternal forgiveness as a Saviour-God. And also if, alas! we fail and grieve Him after our conversion, upon taking our place before Him in self-judgment and confession we receive His pardon, not now as sinners coming to the Saviour, but as those who are, through grace, in relationship with Him. To quote from another, "If it is our first coming to God, it is forgiveness, it is in the full and absolute sense. I am forgiven with God: He remembers my sins no more. If it is subsequent failure honesty of heart always confesses; then it is forgiveness as regards the government of God, and the present condition and relationship of my soul with Him."

Another point in connection with this is — Is confession of sins a thing for the public congregation? I admit that a public transgression may demand a public confession. But we are dealing here with individual sins — such, perhaps, as are known to God only; and I ask you — Is the public assembly the place for such a confession? It is not. It is a question between my soul and God; and if I have sinned in thought, word, or deed, I am to confess that sin to God of which I am conscious, and His word assures me that He is faithful and just to forgive me. God wishes me to confide in Him, and when I sin, I confess my sins to Him, having the judgment of it according to the light against which I sinned in my soul: not as to One who hates me, but as to One who loves me — not to One who is against me, but to One who is for me — not to One who is a stranger, but to One who is my Father. The Scriptures then are very distinct as to the confession of sins being the duty of every believer, as a personal question between him and the Lord, before he can go on again in the sunshine of God's favour, desiring and striving to live to Him, and to please Him. Of course, if it is a question between man and man, we must "confess (our) faults one to another" (James 5:16).

On the other hand, am I to be ever burdened with the sense of what my sins are? God thus replies: "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). You are thus practically purged, do you not see, but it is always through confession to God, not to man, I need scarcely say. If there be anything burdening your soul, you must go and confess it. You will never be right till you have made a clean breast of it. "God knows all about it," you say. That is quite true, but you will never be right till you have confessed it to Him. Then comes the sense of what grace is, but you will never be right till you have told the Lord everything.

This pious man soon learned when in God's presence something of his own sinfulness. He said, "Behold I am vile." But this, though a good beginning, was not all that God wanted to do for him. Generalities are often easily grasped, and as easily uttered; but God must have details, if we confess our sins. The searching process therefore must go on, the hidden things of the heart must be brought so clearly to the conscience, that the soul finds relief only in confessing it all, and knows rest again at the burnt-offering.

Notice, it does not say, "If we ask for forgiveness." It is easy to say, "O God, pray forgive me for Jesus' sake," but to confess one's sin is a far deeper thing. It means that we are to pour out the story of our sin in God's ear; to say, "O my God and Father, I have dishonoured Thee by telling a lie," or, "O my God and Father, I have given way to my wicked temper again." Whatever the particular sin may be, we have to confess it in true self-judgment. Following upon this we receive God's free forgiveness.

And here let me give a word of counsel to my dear young fellow-believers. Keep short accounts with God. Do not leave the sins of the day to be included in a general confession at night, but as soon as ever you find yourself overtaken with a fault, confess it. If you are in a place where you cannot get alone and kneel down, just lift up your heart and say silently, "Father, I have sinned; I have done such and such a thing." Forgiveness is the assured result.

A child of God will confess sin in particular; an unsound Christian will confess sin by wholesale, he will acknowledge that he is a sinner in general; whereas David doth, as it were, point with his finger to the sore (Ps. 51:4): "I have done this evil"; he doth not say, I have done evil, but this evil.

The more we use the laver of the word, the more shall we find the need of it. Spots must be removed from the soul one by one. God has to be dealt with about the special thing which dims the lustre of the affections towards Himself. "I have sinned," means a great deal: a general confession means, usually, very little. The former brightness of many a child of God is now lost, because of his not dealing with himself about his own ways by means of the truth; many are now scarcely distinguished from the world because they failed in obedience to the word of God respecting specific details in their lives.

In verse 3 it is "a young bullock without blemish," the perfectness of His person as ever, and in the full energy of life. Brought to "the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before Jehovah," into the immediate presence of God, where He had appointed to meet the people, Ex. 29:42-43. Only so can guilt be truly dealt with. It is against Him we have sinned; and in His presence, to Himself, sins must be confessed. Not a vague and general acknowledgment of doing or being wrong, but solemnly owning the transgression in detail, and in the light of the grace that is now revealed.

What then was he that feared God in such circumstances to feel, when it comes before his soul? Was he not guilty? If in any of these cases he was defiled, he was called on to "confess wherein he has sinned," not after a vague general sort. It is the first time we hear of it. Was it not due to carelessness before Jehovah? But more; nothing but sacrifice could remove the stain. "And he shall bring his trespass offering to Jehovah for his sin which he has sinned." What more specific for the clearing his guilt away? Here, as in the Sin offering for one of the people, a female sufficed, lamb or goat, and was called an offering for trespass and sin; and the priest should make atonement for him to clear him from his sin.

Confession has to do with our mouth. Without confession there is no forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9). We have to admit and confess what we have done and what we are. The young man told his father that he had sinned (the deeds) and that he was unworthy (his condition). This is exactly what Paul explains in Romans. The passage from chapter 1 to chapter 5:11 speaks of our sinful deeds while that from chapter 5:12 to the end of chapter 8 speaks about our condition as sinners.