When you have sinned, do you just come to God and blast out a quick, "I'm sorry"? Are you really sorry when you do this or are you just trying to get out of trouble?
"God does not want us to let our sin off the hook! And He is not nearly as interested in our, 'I'm sorry,' as He is in our confession of sin and repentance. Have you ever hear children (and sometimes adult too) say that they are sorry when they really are just sorry that they got caught and are now in trouble? It goes a little something like this: 'Mary, tell your brother that you are sorry for taking his train engine away from him.' Several moments pass, so you prompt, 'Mary...' With all the iciness and attitude of a snow queen, you hear this come from your precious little girl, 'Sorrrr-reeee!' Within moments, little brother is screaming again for his train engine. Do you get the picture?" (Chapter 8 of Spiritual Healing: The Surrender That Brings Victory)
Confession is not telling God that you are sorry. Confession is agreeing with God that you have done something wrong according to His standards and guidelines. Saying you are sorry to God, with now plan to really be different, will eventually reveal that you not really sorry at all. To be sorry means that you understand your sin and error, and that you desire greatly to never do it again. That heart desire should cause us then to take the first step, and then many more, in the opposite direction of the sin. This is repentance.
When you have sinned, and go to God with your apology, consider approaching Him this way:
- Come in true humility
- Tell Him that you completely agree with His assessment of the sin (confession)
- Then tell Him that you are sorry
- Ask for the help of the Holy Spirit, so that you might turn away from repeating this sin
- Walk away from anything that will lead you to sin in that way again (repentance)
The integrity of your "I'm sorry" that is sandwiched between the confession and repentance of your sin will be revealed in your true repentance of the sin. Will you walk the other way, or were you just trying to feel better in the presence of God? Were you trying to let you and your sin off the hook, or were you serious about walking on in holiness and purity by the Spirit?
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