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should christians repent or confess?

Should christians "repent" of their sins, or "confess" their sins?

Are these two the same thing, or different? What is true repentance? Is it for christians or unbelievers? What is true confession of sins?

Im thinkng of confession in terms of 1 john 1:9 "if we confess our sins we will be forgiven".

I think often we mix up these two ideas and use the words without ever defining them. And i think this brings confusion sometimes in the christian life. Anyway, do u guys have any thoughts on the matter?

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Chapman on August 13, 2009 at 6:24pm: I think "repentance" is primarily something for unbelievers. It is changing from a mindset that does what "I" want, to deciding to live for what God wants. Of course we go thru minor attitude and mindset changes thruout the christian life that we cud call "repentance", but primarily the bible uses it for people who are lost, or christians have fallen back into serious sin (i.e. sin as a lifestyle).

Confession consists of 3 parts
1. Admitting what we did
2. Regretting what we did (wish we cud change the past and plan to change the future)
3. Taking responsibility for what we did. I.e. Not saying it was someone elses fault.

I think confession is more a practice for christians who already have a relationship with god. In fact i think confession is just the act of honesty within a relationship that keeps us from isolating ourselves from god. Whereas repentance is turning back to god from complete ( or semi complete) alienation from god. So we start a relationship thru repentance, we maintain it thru confession!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on August 14, 2009 at 2:36pm: Both, accordingly.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Christopher Chapman on August 14, 2009 at 8:26pm: Is there a difference between the repentance that causes us to enter the kingdom and the " repentance" after a single transgression? If we had a change of mind to begin the christian life, then we transgress at some point, does that mean we " changed our mind" bak to the way of the world? So does that mean every christian who transgresses at some points in their life is "double minded and unstable"?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Christopher Chapman on August 14, 2009 at 8:41pm: joe

cud u throw out some verses for generally obedient believers " repenting"? I think the more biblical term wud be " being transformed by the renewal of or minds". Seems more of a process instead of direction changing and dramatic decision. I can think of james and the guy who sinned in 1 cor. Both of those seemed to be serious lifestyle sin, not momentary transgression.

Thoughts; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on August 15, 2009 at 11:26pm: Here are my thoughts bro - you are right! haha; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Christopher Chapman on September 14, 2009 at 9:47pm: As we discuss in the "what is sin" topic, it brings up the topics of repentance and confession in my mind.

Under the "what is sin topic" some of us agreed that the term sin is used in at least two senses in the bible. Pastor james gave us the general definition of sin being anything that "misses the mark" of gods holy standard, character or will(im paraphrasing him, so he can correct me if my version is not accurate). Kevin said that sin is divided into two main sections, 1. Sinful desire (i suggested "flesh" as the term to describe that) 2. Acts of disobedience (i suggested "transgression as a possible biblical term for that).

I think these two aspects of sin "flesh" and "transgression" give us insight into the current topic.
1. A nonbeliever follows the desires of the flesh. Romans 8 says they "set their minds on the things of the flesh". I believe it is this "mindset" that needs to be "repented" about. A nonbeliever must change from a mindset of following the desires of the flesh, to having a mindset of submitting themselves to god and deciding to "set their minds on the things of the spirit". From the time of this radical repentance (change of mindset), their new default mindset is one that seeks to learn how to please god in every area of their life. For that reason, unless a christian "backslides" into a life of sin, i dont believe he needs to "repent" again in the sense i have described. In james 4 ( i think thats the chapter) believers are told to "repent". I believe the context shows they were being "friends of the world" and setting their mind on the desires of the flesh. They werent "repenting over certain acts of transgression, but of a lifestyle of sin.

2. A christian does not live according to the flesh. It is normal for him to obey god cause he "sets his mind on things above". He already repented of serving sin in the past, and is now living from a new mindset. He no longer is bound to sin, but is "free indeed". 1 john 2:1 says that we dont hav to sin anymore. But it also acknowledges the possibility of a christian transgressing gods command. Not because he has a minset that always seeks the desires if the flesh, but that sometimes he listens to certain tempting thoughts and "makes provision for the flesh". In 1 john 1:9 we are told to confess(regret our decision to sin and decide to choose differently next time, admit what we did and admit responsibility for what we did) these transgressions. We are told that thru confession we will receive forgiveness. We are warned in other places like james 1:12 and heb 3:12-14, that if we dont practice bringing transgressions into the light, we will be drawn back into a life lead by a mind that is set on the flesh. And we are warned that such a lifestyle and mindset "leads to death"( rom 8, james 1:12). So christians need to quickly confess their transgressions so that unconfessed transgession doesnt lead them back into a life lived for the "flesh". If one has let their sin become "fullgrown"(james 1:12) they must do more than "confess", but they must "repent" and "remember from whence they have fallen"(rev 3 or 4?).

Sorry to be so preachy here, but i wanted to see if i cud try and clarify some distintions on some important and practical concepts. If i am missing something in my above summary or mistaken at some point i welcome the imput. I think the recent discussions about "what is sin", "what does practicing sin mean", etc, are very practical and important issues in the realm of "theology", so i wanted to throw out my perspective on these issues, because the understanding i have come to on these issues have been helpful for me in retaining both the danger of sin to lead us away from god and also the lie of condemnation that comes flooding in when we momentarily fail god by giving into the desires of the flesh!!! I dont yet have the answer to all my questions on this topic, but what i do hav i want to throw out there. Both to help others, and in order to get refining imput from others that have a better grasp on these issues!!!

Other thoughts on the relationship snd nature of repentance and confession in the christan life????

Gbu; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pastor Cesar Salvame on November 2, 2009 at 5:42pm: Repentance was a Divine Endowment .When a lost soul realize and understand fully his position in God's sight. and turn his ways back to god. He must repent..And this divine process was just once in a lifetime meaning, It is like a turning point in our lives that we should response to His call for all our sin have been gone like a thick cloud (Isaiah 22:44)
And this was also parallel to what John the Baptist meant when he call the unsaved people to "Repent".
while in 1 john 1:9 There is a call of Confession. this verse was divided into parts:
what God want us to do to all our sin...
and what god will do to those sin....

We as believers need to Confess and not repent..
just read Hebrew 10:17-18; ▶ Reply to This