Someone confesses and repents of deep, dark, heavy sin before God and before men and declares the Blood of Christ and I’m ready to jump up and shout praises like someone just got baptized!
I have to hold in my hearts desire to jump up, run to them, hug them and thank them for bringing into the light what was once hidden — because many would believe that in acting in such a peculiar way that I am justifying sin, which I in fact hate.
But I see the death of that sin in its being brought into the light from a humble and contrite heart! I see the enemy falling broken again under the heal of the Children of God! I see chains falling off and burdens being lifted! I see Christ victorious even in what the enemy meant for evil.
Hidden sin is what makes my heart mourn. Empty religion and hypocrisy is what makes me want to turn over tables. Accepting and approving of sin, quenching the conviction of the Holy Spirit against sin, these are the things that are a stench in my nostrils.
But confession – a man turning from his sin to righteousness because he had realized the error of his ways and turned back to God – what a blessing! What it uncovers in our own hearts when the enemy is put on display in the light by another! What an opportunity it is to restore a brother in gentleness and love and see the healing, the deliverance, the freedom of Christ overcome the slavery of sin.
Thank you, LORD!
Harold J. Ballinger 