Confession is Literally “Saying the Same Thing” as God

We often misunderstand the biblical concept of confession as a shame-based admission of guilt. However, the Greek word used in the New Testament is homologeo, a compound word that literally means “to say the same thing” or “to agree with.”

Confession is not simply admitting a mistake; it is an alignment of our perspective with God’s divine verdict on reality. When we confess, we are agreeing with what God already knows to be true about our thoughts and actions. This shift is counter-intuitive because it moves the act of confession from a performance for others into a truth-based alignment with our Creator.

“When we confess our sins, we say the same thing God says about sin—that it is wrong and rebellious and self-destructive.” — Ashville Road Church of Christ

By “naming” our sins, we pull our spiritual obstacles—those selfish motivations, evil thoughts, and grudges—out of hiding and into the light. This act of naming strips the sin of its secret power, allowing us to move forward in honesty rather than retreating into the shadows.

The Danger of the “Secret Life” and the Healing Power of Group Prayer

As fellow travelers in the struggle against sin, we must realize that the most dangerous path we can take is allowing sin to remain private and secret. Time does not correct hidden sin; instead, darkness thrives in secrecy, growing until our spiritual light is completely snuffed out. The weight of unconfessed sin eventually leads to a spiritual collapse.

To combat this, the Bible presents our walk with God as a “community effort.” James 5:16 instructs us to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another. It is vital to remember that we do not confess to a brother or sister for the purpose of absolution—none of us are mediators, and only God can forgive sins—but rather for the “power in working” that comes through the prayers of the righteous.

There is something profoundly liberating about realizing we are not alone in our fight. When we share our struggles within a trusted community, the “secret life” loses its grip, and we find strength in a spiritual family that is truly in this together.

Why Confession is Not the Same as Repentance

While these terms are often conflated, we must distinguish between them to maintain spiritual clarity. Confession involves exomologeisthe—a term meaning to “openly agree” or acknowledge the sin. Repentance, however, is the “change of life resulting from a changed attitude.”

We must be wary of the “pretense of repentance.” In Jeremiah 3, the prophet describes how Judah returned to God only in appearance. In our modern context, we see this when we are struck by a wave of emotion and “walk the aisle” during an invitation song. If that response is merely driven by temporary guilt and does not result in a permanent change of life, it is a “casual harlotry” that falls far short of genuine repentance. True repentance is born of a “godly sorrow” that produces a “vehement desire” for change. Confession is our open agreement that we have fallen, but repentance is the renewed dedication to walk a different path.

The Rule of “Public Sin, Public Restoration”

A general rule of thumb for our community is that confession should be made as widely as the sin is known. To navigate this, we generally categorize sin into three scopes:

• Private Sin: Known only to us and God (such as a sinful attitude). These require only private prayer and acknowledgment to God.
• Sins Known to a Few: Sins affecting a limited number of people (such as a lie told to a friend). These should be confessed to God and the specific parties we have wronged.
• Public Sin: Sins that are widely known or bring reproach upon the entire church (such as a public arrest or the teaching of false doctrine).

The logic behind public confession and rebuke is not intended as a punishment, but as a “restoration of purity” for the community. When a sin is public, it threatens the purity of the Bride of Christ. Publicly addressing these matters allows us to “snatch” the individual from the fire of spiritual danger (Jude 23) and removes the disgrace from both the person and the congregation.

Love as a Spiritual “Shock Absorber”

In a community where we practice such radical vulnerability, fervent love must act as our spiritual “shock absorber.” Peter tells us that love “covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8-9). This does not mean we ignore or hide sin; rather, our love “cushions the bumps” and irritations caused by the “extra grace required” crowd that exists in every congregation.

Fervent love allows us to absorb hurts from others without seeking revenge or dwelling in bitterness. A practical expression of this is true hospitality. Unlike “social entertaining,” which focuses on the host (the neatness of the house and the quality of the meal), true hospitality focuses on the guest. It is about providing a listening ear and acceptance, even in a messy home or over a simple meal. This guest-centered focus acts as an antidote to the friction that naturally occurs in a diverse spiritual family.

Conclusion: A Community of “Lively Stones”

The practices of confession, prayer, and mutual support are not merely heavy duties; they are the “perfecting of our faith.” As Alexander Campbell noted in The Christian System, these ordinances are given for “our enjoyment” of God’s favor and to assure us of our new relations. To be a Christian is to exist in a state of being pardoned, justified, and sanctified.

In this state, we are “lively stones” being built together into a spiritual house. This does not imply we have reached individual perfection, but that we are positioned together in Christ. As we look past our public persona “we must ask ourselves: Who in your life knows the “real you” beyond the public persona, and are you brave enough to let them pray for your healing? True community is found not in the absence of struggle, but in the courage to let our faith be perfected as we walk toward heaven together.