Confession
Q56. What sins should we confess?
Before God, we should admit that we are guilty of all sins, even ones we don't know about, just like we do in the Lord's Prayer. But before the pastor, we should confess the sins that we know about and that weigh on our hearts.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
Psalm 19:12
“Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.”
Psalm 32:5
“I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”
1 John 1:8–10
Parent Guide
Discuss this question together
Discussion Questions
- 1
What is the difference between confessing before God and confessing before the pastor?
- 2
Why does the catechism say we are guilty of sins we do not even know about?
- 3
What kind of sins should we bring to the pastor?
Illustration
You might track mud through the house without knowing it. The mud is still there even if you did not notice. Before God, we confess all our sin, including the mud we did not see. Before the pastor, we confess the sins that are heavy on our hearts, the ones we know about and cannot shake.
Application
Use the Ten Commandments as a mirror this week. Go through each one and ask, "Did I break this today?" Write down what you find. Bring it to God in prayer and hear his promise of forgiveness.