What Does It Mean to Confess Our Sins to One Another? (Part 3 on James 5:16)

By A.B. Caneday

Any reasonable reading of Matthew 18:15-18 requires that we acknowledge that Jesus commands us to confine knowledge of sin as a private matter between one who commits sin and one against whom the sin is committed. Love constrains us to do for and to others what we would have others do to and for us. If the person who sinned against us confesses the sin, we, of course, are obligated by love to grant forgiveness of the sin and to put an end to the matter with no more talk about the forgiven sin. The person who commits the sin and confesses the sin should not go to others to confess the sin again. Why? Confession of sin is to be done in order to receive forgiveness of the sin committed. If forgiveness of the sin is granted, to confess the sin again, especially to others who have no need to know of the sin, is to violate Jesus’ command to confine the matter “between you and him alone.” It also exhibits unbelief, which is failure to believe that forgiveness of the sin from one’s fellow human and from God has been given.

Only if the one whose deed is demonstrably sinful refuses to repent when confronted privately by the individual or individuals sinned against should the circle of confined knowledge of the sin be widened. And, when widened, knowledge of the sin is to be expanded only to two or three more individuals who will serve as witnesses during the second attempt to secure repentance from the one who sinned. Again, if repentance is obtained, knowledge concerning the sin is to be confined to that circle of individuals who are present. This includes the one who has now confessed the sin. If anyone goes outside that circle to confess the sin to others, one is in violation of the pattern that Jesus enforces with his instructions.

Only if the second effort fails to secure repentance is the matter to be expanded beyond the circle of four or five individuals, as per the second step instructions. And, if expansion is required, it is to be confined to the church. If repentance is obtained when brought before the church, the one who sinned is to receive forgiveness of the sin, reconciliation, and restoration. If the one who sinned refuses to repent, then the person is to be subjected to excommunication, not for the original sin, of course, but for refusal to repent.

Why does Jesus call for the church to follow his instructions concerning the three-step procedure for dealing with sins committed against fellow believers? Why restrict the circle of participants?

As stated earlier, James expects his readers to understand Jesus’ three-step procedure when he admonishes believers, “confess your sins to one another” (5:16). Confession of sin is to be done for one fundamental reason; confession is to be done in order to receive forgiveness of sin (cf. 1 John 1:9). Unless the sin is public, confession of sin is not a public matter unlike our public confession, “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9). Once we have confessed a sin to God, are we to return to him to confess the same act of sin over and over and over again? Only if we repeat the same sin. But if we confess a particular sin and then confess it again and again and again, we exhibit unbelief, failure to believe God promised to bestow forgiveness of sin when we confess our sin. Likewise, after we receive forgiveness for a particular sin from God and from a fellow human (believer or unbeliever), to confess the sin to others, such as “accountability partners” or “accountability groups,” is a manifestation of unbelief and tends to lead to other sins. What is the objective of confessing again a sin that we have already confessed? Do we need more forgiveness for the act of sin than our heavenly High Priest can give or than our fellow human against whom we sinned and confessed can give?

[Read Part 1 and 2 here.]

Ardel Caneday (Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is Professor of New Testament Studies and Biblical Studies at Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has served churches in various pastoral roles, including senior pastor. He has authored numerous journal articles, many essays in books, and has co-authored with Thomas Schreiner the book The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance (Inter-Varsity, 2001).

Tweet