Confessing our sins isn’t a burdensome obligation. Nor is it morbid or masochistic. It is a gift from our gracious God, in invitation to turn back to God and treasure his reassuring mercies.

“There is no perfect church.” The statement has become horribly trite, because we know full well that it’s a euphemism. What it actually means: our church is messy and broken. Of course it is! So where has confession gone?

I can’t speak for the whole of evangelicalism. But among the tribes I inhabit, the corporate confession of sin is quickly becoming extinct. In birding terms, it’s uncommon, an occasional migrant, an endangered species. Worse still, in other places it’s already like the dodo.

Confession takes different shapes. Sometimes a pastor or leader in the church will pray to God on behalf of the whole assembly. At other times, the body will confess their sins together, reciting a prayer together. But the public admission of sin can go wider, when a denomination might corporately admit their failings before God and neighbour.

Do some intentional and careful listening at a get-together of pastors. Usually, there are expressions of thanksgiving, and there is a fruitful and faithful gospel ministry being carried out. But these positives are sometimes dwarfed by talk of the failures, problems and sins in local churches, denominations, networks and regions. These leaders will talk openly about sin and shortcomings in one context (the fraternal), despite rarely sanctioning it in the local assembly of God’s people. Confession, where art thou?

Why Has Confession Become So Scarce?

Here are several reasons, though others could certainly be mentioned:

• Some church leaders are simply ignorant. They have grown up and been discipled in churches where the public confession of sin wasn’t modelled. So it seems weird, an unnecessary intrusion.
• We don’t want to “go on about sin too much,” which might put people off. Instead of seeming morbid, negative and introspective, we want to be swimming in the glorious stream of the victorious Christian life.
• Linked with the previous bullet point is an over-realised eschatology—an underlying triumphalism—which emphasises the already, overlooking ‘the not yet’.
• There is a fear that we may come across as very stuffy and ritualistic. Corporate confession is often associated with high church practices and inflexible liturgy.
• Our culture is excessively individualistic and selfish. We’ve so stressed the Christian life as “my personal relationship with God” that there’s little to no room left for corporate expressions of our faith.
• Theologically, there appears to be a confusion of categories. Justification and sanctification are distinct categories, yet organically connected. We emphasise justification but downplay the messy business of sanctification. We don’t want to make the saints grovel too much.

Confessing Sin as a Means of Grace

But the public and corporate confession of our sins, failings and omissions shouldn’t be viewed negatively. Nor suspiciously. Rather, it should be valued and treasured for what it really is: a generous provision from God, for our good and his glory.

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