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James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

WHY WE SHOULD CONFESS OUR SIN PUBLICLY

CONFESSING SIN • WE ARE TO CONFESS OUR SIN • Matthew 3:5-6 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. • Acts 19:18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. • James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. B. HOW FAR SHOULD THAT CONFESSION GO? C. WHY SHOULD WE CONFESS OUR SINS PUBLICLY (TO THE WHOLE CONGREGATION)

I. OUR CONFESSION & REPENTANCE SHOULD (AT LEAST) GO AS FAR AS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SIN HAS GONE.

I. AS FAR AS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SIN HAS GONE. • James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. • 1 Timothy 5:24 Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. • IF NO ONE KNOWS OUR SIN BUT GOD – CONFESS TO GOD • IF ONLY OUR MATE OR FAMILY KNOW OUR SIN – CONFESS TO THEM • IF THE CONGREGATION IS AWARE OF OUR SIN – CONFESS TO THEM • IF THE TOWN IS AWARE OF OUR SIN – CONFESS TO THEM

II. WE SHOULD CONFESS OUR SINS TO THE CONGREGATION TO RECEIVE HELP THROUGH PRAYERS OF THE BRETHREN

II. TO RECEIVE HELP THROUGH PRAYERS OF THE BRETHREN • James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. • TEMPTATION TO SIN DOES NOT STOP WHEN WE ADMIT IT TO OURSELVES AND GOD • WE NEED THE PRAYERS OF OTHERS TO HELP US OVERCOME SIN • WE SHOULD WANT ALL THE RIGHTEOUS MEN AVAILABLE TO PRAY FOR US

III. WE SHOULD CONFESS OUR SINS TO THE CONGREGATION TO LET BRETHREN KNOW WE ARE SORRY FOR OUR SIN

III. TO LET BRETHREN KNOW WE ARE SORRY FOR OUR SIN • THEY NEED TO KNOW, IF OUR SIN HAS AFFECTED THEM, SO THEY CAN FORGIVE YOU - Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. • THEY NEED TO KNOW TO PREVENT RESENTMENT AND BITTERNESS - Hebrews 12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; • THEY NEED TO KNOW TO PUT DOWN GOSSIP AND INFORM OTHERS OF YOUR REPENTANCE.

IV. WE SHOULD CONFESS OUR SINS TO THE CONGREGATION TO BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHERS TO DO THE SAME

IV. TO BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHERS TO DO THE SAME • THERE IS SUCH A THING AS GOOD PEER PRESSURE • WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO DO RIGHT BY SEEING OTHERS DO WHAT IS RIGHT - Philippians 1:14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

V. WE SHOULD CONFESS OUR SINS TO THE CONGREGATION TO SET OURSELVES FREE FROM SECRET SIN

V. TO SET OURSELVES FREE FROM SECRET SIN • WHEN WE THINK NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT OUR SIN, WE TEND TO KEEP ON SINNING. • GOD KNOWS OUR SECRET SINS • Psalm 19:12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. • Psalm 90:8 You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. • Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. • Romans 2:16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

CONFESS YOUR SINS • DO YOU HAVE UNCONFESSED SIN? • DO YOU NEED TO CONFESS IT BEFORE THE CONGREGATION? • TO HELP YOU IN OVERCOMING YOUR SIN BY PRAYING FOR YOU? • TO LET THEM KNOW YOU HAVE REPENTED OF YOUR SIN?

TONIGHT’S SERMONFLOURISHING IN A TROUBLED WORLD

WELCOME TO THE JACKSON STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST