How do you confess to God?  Do you have to confess in church, or can you do it in the comfort of your house?  What if you are not Catholic?  Will He still forgive you?

Sincerely,
Where’s The Priest?

Dear Where’s The Priest,

The Bible teaches that we should confess our sins to God through prayer, and we should ask for forgiveness (1 Jn 1:9).  This is a simple process that can (and should) be done whenever we pray.  Jesus mentioned asking for forgiveness when He taught the disciples to pray (Lk 11:2-4).

The Catholic process of confession is very different from what you read in your Bible.  Catholicism teaches that many sins cannot be forgiven unless a priest hears your confession – this couldn’t be farther from the Bible truth.  Catholicism long ago departed from the Bible; the Catholic religion is based upon manmade teachings and traditions that have gone beyond what God wrote (1 Cor 4:6, Rev 22:18-19).

I have done something really wrong.  I was trying to fit in with the crowd.  I lost myself and I feel ashamed of myself.  I have joined a church, become a christian, and I want to know if God will forgive me for the sin I committed.

Sincerely,
Mortified With Myself

Dear Mortified With Myself,

God says that He finds more joy in one sinner returning to Him than in ninety-nine who don’t need to repent (Lk 15:7).  God also says that there should be no limit to forgiveness when someone repents (Lk 17:4).  When we turn back to God, He promises to show us mercy and to remember our sins no more (Heb 8:12).  It is very normal for us to still feel guilt when we dwell upon our previous lives of rebellion against God, but we can’t let that guilt consume us.  God forgives us; therefore, we can turn that guilt into gratitude (Rom 6:17).  If you repent, He is ready to forgive.

The most important step in forgiveness is to make sure that you properly obeyed God and have actually become a christian… many churches simply don’t teach what the Bible does regarding salvation.  This leaves people with the impression that they have obeyed God, but in actuality, they haven’t.  Let’s take the time to make sure you properly sought God’s forgiveness the first time.  We highly recommend you read “What Must I Do To Be Saved” and thoroughly examine whether you properly obeyed God the first time around.  If you did – WONDERFUL!  If you didn’t… now is the time to do things right.  If needed, we would be happy to direct you to a faithful, Bible-guided congregation near you.  Simply e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

Why did Adam and Eve sin when they saw God, talked with God, and knew He created them?  How can any person with that kind of knowledge sin against their Creator?

Sincerely,
Would Have Done Better

Dear Would Have Done Better,

It is hard to fathom why Adam and Eve would sin when they had such a close relationship to God, but, then again, people sinned and rejected Jesus even after seeing Him perform miracles (Jhn 12:37).  These historical events are simply a reminder to us that sin is so very enticing, and the devil’s lies are extremely alluring.  It is best to take the advice God gave to Cain: “Sin is at the door… but you should rule over him” (Gen 4:7).

God forgives every sin, right?  But what happens when you do that sin repeatedly?

Sincerely,
Do Over

Dear Do Over,

There are two pieces to the puzzle of repetitive sins:

1. How many times can I ask for forgiveness for the same sin?
2. How do I remove this sin from my life?

The answer to the first part is simple. You can ask for forgiveness an innumerable amount of times. Christ told Peter that we should forgive ‘seventy times seven’ (Matt 18:21-22). Paul was forgiven of his sins even after killing christians and actively persecuting the church (1 Tim 1:16). As often as we truly repent, God is ready to forgive (Lk 17:4). It is quite possible to truly repent of something and then find yourself doing that same thing not minutes later. It happens in arguments all the time! You say something mean, apologize, then find yourself upset again, and again use rash words. The repeating of the cycle is not necessarily an indication of false sorrow.

However, the second part of your question deals with stopping this cycle. God will forgive you for stumbling again into the same sin, but only if you are truly attempting to change your mind. Paul reminds us that we are to do everything we can to flee from the slavery to sin (Rom 6:1-2, Rom 6:12-13). Without knowing what sin you are caught up in, I can’t give specific advice, but I recommend getting help if it is as consuming as you say. Many sins can become addictions that are very hard to break. Here are some things to consider:

1. Are you trying to change all on your own? God says two are stronger than one (Eccl 4:9-10). In the case of sin like pornography, many people try and struggle through it alone without seeking help because of the shame involved in it becoming known. This rarely, if ever, works. Telling someone, even just one trusted friend, and using things like Covenant Eyes accountability software can make all the difference in such circumstances.
2. Are you putting yourself in compromising situations? People with drug and alcohol addictions are often tempted back into their old habits by drinking buddies or parties where drugs are made available. You may need to cut off certain people and habits from your life in order to escape that sort of sin. Remember, Christ said it would be better to remove even your own hand if it would free you from a sin (Matt 5:30).

Removing sin from our lives is a constant struggle. God is ready to forgive you ‘seventy times seven’ as you fight to defeat this sin, but you must look yourself in the mirror and make sure you are taking the steps necessary to change your life.

I have a question.  Whenever petty, stupid things go wrong in my life, I get angry at God.  Why?  I don't know.  They are terrible reasons to be angry.  But it seems like I can't control myself.  I also take the Lord's name in vain (or I think the Lord's name in vain, rather).  I calm down quickly afterwards and beg for God's forgiveness.  I have gotten better at controlling myself, but better isn't good enough.  Please help?

Sincerely,
Short Fuse

Dear Short Fuse,

It isn’t abnormal for people to unleash their frustration on loved ones or God when life doesn’t turn out the way they expect.  Of course, that doesn’t make it right.  We appreciate your honesty and your desire to change.  Here are some verses to consider in regard to anger issues:

1. God warned Cain about his anger and told him that “sin is at the door and its desire is for you, but you must rule over it” (Gen 4:7).  You correctly recognize that you lose your temper when things go wrong in your life – those moments are your pressure point.  Since you know that sin tries to creep in at those times, make an extra preparation to rule over sin in those moments.  Tell yourself as you start to see anger building, “I will not let sin win.”  It will help.
2. Eph 4:26 says, “Be angry, and sin not.”  There isn’t anything wrong with getting frustrated… as long as you don’t let that frustration out in inappropriate ways.  Go for a run, step away from the situation for a moment, or count to ten.  You said that you calm down quickly afterwards… so even a brief pause may be enough to avoid sin.
3. The more we talk, the more likely we are to say something we will regret – this is especially true in times of high emotion.  If in doubt, close your mouth (Pr 10:19).  Sometimes, all we need to do to avoid sin is just zip our lips.

Remember that growth is a process.  Change takes time.  Continue to work on changing your habits, and you will slowly but surely continue to see progress.