I’ll Stand By You

Have you ever heard the song made famous by the Pretenders and sung by countless other artists called I’ll Stand By You?  It actually has two lines in verse one that in no way could apply to us as sinful humans.

Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less

Think about those two lines and then think about the awesome love of God – pretty awe inspiring is it not?  God loves us and will forgive us of our sins if we confess them.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

A simple confession of telling God what you had done wrong will lead to forgiveness.  After we confess (by the way He already knows) God doesn’t us love us one ounce less than He did before.  Pretty amazing isn’t it.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

God doesn’t hate us while we sin, then love us after we confess.  God isn’t unknowing of our sin and loving us while we sin then not loving us after we confess.  Nope, these verses should show the full spectrum of God’s love.  He loves us while we are sinners and he loves us after we confess to Him.  Don’t make the mistake of trying to hide your sin from God, instead confess it and ask forgiveness.  Remember the story of Adam and Eve?

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.   Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  Genesis 3:6-9

God knew they had sinned, their attempt at hiding was fruitless.  In fact trying to hide our sin from God can be dangerous?  The Bible tells us the importance of repenting (part of which is admitting to a sin).

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.  Luke 131-3 (also see 4-5)

Sin is sin, it’s evil and God cannot stand it, but no sinner is unlovable.  Trying to hide our sin from God only makes the situation worse.  Numerous times through the Old Testament you would see the Israelites question why they lost a battle.  After reflection and through prayer they found sin in their lives.  If we continually ask and are not finding answers maybe we should seek out and search for sin in our lives; sin we have yet to confess and repent from.

It can be difficult to turn from our sin and to confess it to God; let’s face it we do many embarrassing and shameful things, but God promises to give us a better end if we do confess it.  The Bible doesn’t mention striking anyone dead or sending anyone straight to hell for confessing a particular sin.  Instead God promises spiritual refreshing:

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…Acts 3:19

Finally confessing and repenting of sin is the only way we can be associate with Christ.  The only way to accept Christ as your Savior is to turn from your wicked ways and admit that you are a sinner.

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”  Acts 2:38-39

The only way you can receive the Holy Spirit, the gift of Salvation, and eternal life is to confess your sins and turn from the old way.