I remember my first confession. It was awkward going into the confessional, kneeling down and waiting. Then there was a sliding sound of a small wooden partition and the priest’s voice asking what I would like to confess. There was a screen over the small opening so I could not see the priest and I was hoping he couldn’t see me either. After all, I was an altar boy! I had come to confess stealing a candy bar. I had already gotten my whooping and apologized to the store owner but Ma said I needed to go to confession. She was right. It was an important step to truly come clean and experience forgiveness in a way I had not experienced it before.
In 1934, Dietrich Bonhoeffer confessed with a number of other pastors and priests that “German Christians” had conformed to cultural and political pressure. The Declaration of Barmen drafted by Karl Barth, a Reformed Theologian and Hans Asmussen, a Lutheran Theologian reasserted the whole Bible, the Word of God as absolute Truth and Jesus the Christ as the Head of the Church. These were two of the six declarations they confessed to hold tightly to. In the face of certain persecution the pastors decided to come clean against the status quo, seek forgiveness for the German Reformation and stand firm on the declarations established under the Word of God.
“Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-154). As dads, we are to be like Joshua – take responsibility for the status quo, come clean with getting caught up in the world and take a stand for who we are and Whose we are. Joshua is confessing his faith to the full as the foundation for he and his household. He had 40 years under the tutelage of Moses and many more watching the Lord orchestrate victories in the land He promised His people. Joshua’s role was to be “strong and courageous … to obey all the law … to not turn from it to the right or to the left.” There is a lot of turning going on today. Dads are to boldly confess faith in Jesus the Christ and walk a bit straighter every day under the Word of God.
Tips to Be Confessing:
- Step into your confessional, come clean and embrace forgiveness granted through Jesus the Christ – So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed – John 8:36;
- Walk in the spirit of Sonship – Romans 8:15, conforming to Christ, not the world;
- Systematically read the Word of God every day – suggestions: B90; Voice;
- Pray daily for yourself, your family by name, your Church, the nation & its leaders.
Prayer guide: Lord, I confess the sins we dads, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against You. We have turned to the right and to the left with culture and political correctness. We have failed to be an obedient Church, to follow Your example and walk boldly in the power of Your resurrection. Grant us clarity under Your Word and influence under the Holy Spirit to be Your representative in every situation, discussion and relationship in which You have us. Amen.
A faithful father is confessing his faith daily by staying under the Word of God.
