Have you ever heard the saying, “Confession is good for the soul?” It is attributed to an old Scottish proverb that refers to the idea of coming clean with sins and shortcomings that may weigh heavily on one’s heart in order to feel better and obtain peace.

This quote also has biblical roots in more than one verse of the Bible, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16, ESV). This verse reminds us of essential dynamics to engage in order to be healed, obtain peace of mind and experience wholeness.

Here in America, the concept of the "confession of one's faith" is abused by a great many of those who teach a “name it and claim it”, “confess it and possess it”, “gab it and grab it”, “positive mental attitude” approach to faith.  Their teaching is that a slip of the lip could mean being hung by the tongue.  Those who believe this also teach that the tongue is a creative force that can create or alter reality, as well as manipulating God.  We must remember that our authority is delegated, our power conferred, our faith received.  We produce none ‑ we only proclaim!

On the other hand, there is an even larger group that rejects the truth of making a good confession and are continually speaking curses, condemnation, and unbelief with almost every breath. This is equally wrong and God‑dishonoring, Spirit‑grieving, and demonically‑inviting. Remember that in spite of rejection and abuse of confession, there is a persistent link in the Bible between believing and speaking. The late Ron Dunn calls confession "faith turned inside out." What we say is the result of what we believe or disbelieve. Confession does not create faith, but faith creates confession. It is what fills your mind and heart that flows out of your mouth. Jesus stated, "that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

Confession is normally considered to be the verbal (or written) admission of a crime, misdeed, fault or sin. It is acknowledging to one another that things aren’t good, and you are struggling, sinning and sick about it.

But there is more to a good confession than the one we are to make when we have sinned against God or others. All confessions fall into two basic categories: confessions of faith and confessions of sin. Confessions of faith are akin to oaths of allegiance. They are public acknowledgements of fidelity to God, and to the truth which God has revealed. They are declarations of unqualified confidence in Christ, and of surrender to His service. Confession of faith implies joining one's voice harmoniously to the voices of others, in common affirmation of belief.

It's this type of confession that I want to emphasizes in this article.

The Apostle Paul writes to his disciple Timothy in his first letter to him and urges him to “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12). He then gives the basis for commanding Timothy to rearticulate his confession of faith in Christ as he continues in 1 Timothy 6:12, “I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession.”

What did Jesus confess?

Jesus confessed His true identity. We read of this in Mark 14:61‑62: "But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus said, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven."

Jesus confessed the truth publicly before men. The proverb says, "Silence is golden." However, there comes a time when silence is "yellow." This means it is the mark of a coward. Jesus openly and publicly confessed the truths which he heard the Father saying. Jesus confessed in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." 

Jesus confessed the truth even though it was costly.  To tell the truth in a world system that is under the rule of the Father of Lies ‑ the Devil - is to invoke continuous opposition. Talk isn't cheap. By our words we are condemned and by our words we are justified.

Jesus confessed the truth consistently, continuously, and confidently.  Someone said, "As to Jesus’ admirable witness to the fact of His kingship and kingdom of truth before Pontius Pilate the governor, the Apostle Paul refers to it as a "good confession" because it was clear, correct, and courageous. Christ boldly claimed to be king when there was not the slightest evidence of regal status or sovereign regency. His outspoken claim was not to gain advantage or to arouse pity for Himself; His confession tendered to increase derisive sneers from his accusers. He was outwardly divested to the utmost degree of everything that the world considered conducive to kingship. He had no bejeweled crown or golden scepter; no palatial residence or royal possessions; no retinue of servants, or revenue from subjects; and no army ranks or attendant guards. What a sorry spectacle, disdained by rulers, derided by priests, despised by the people, and deserted by the disciples! Yet, He knew His true identity and confessed it.

Confession gives expression of the faith that I have received from God. In other words, it confirms the reality of my faith.  One cannot be saved without confessing.  Anybody that tells you that you can be a disciple in secret and never identify yourself by consistent and candid public confession as belonging to Christ and His Church has lied to you.  Romans 10:9,10, declares: "If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, you will be saved."  It is impossible to believe in your heart that Jesus is your Savior and not confess it openly, publicly, and unashamedly with your mouth.

Confession gives exposure to that which fills our hearts. When you open your mouth to speak, what comes out reveals that your heart is either full of grace or fouled by sin; that your head is full of wisdom or empty.  When you open your mouth, you pull back the curtain of your heart and let people see what is inside.

What are some of the truths of God’s word that I should daily confess:

I confess that I am a believer. I believe that Jesus is the virgin‑born Son of God who came to the earth to redeem us from our sins. I believe that He lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died – in our place – and three days later, He arose with victory over death, hell, and the grave. Forty days later in view of His followers, He was lifted to heaven out of their sight and has been enthroned at the place of supreme authority at the Father’s right hand. I have trusted in Him as my Personal Savior and do now confess Him to be my Sovereign Lord. I am in Him, and He is in me in the Person of the Holy Spirit.

I confess that the devil has no place in me because I am in Christ, and he has no place in Him. I am in Him Who has all things under His feet, and nothing under His feet is over my head!

I confess that what God says He is, He is; what God says I am, I am. What He says I have, I have. I will confess such, whether I feel like it or not. I reject and renounce any thought or feeling contrary to the Word of God and receive and declare to be true all that comes from the Word of God.

I renounce all bondage in my mind and body and claim the Holy Spirit's filling and anointing as I make these confessions in accordance with the Word and Spirit of God. I overcome the Accuser by the blood of the Lamb, by the words of this confessions, and declare my terminal commitment to the death if necessary. Whatever God has said, I may boldly say ... so I speak what He speaks ... in Jesus' Name!

I confess that what God says I am, I really am. And in His Holy Word, God says we are saints, sons, and soldiers. We are heirs of God and joint‑heirs with Christ.

When I am feeling unwanted, unloved, condemned and unworthy, I confess that in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation (Rom 8:1), that God proved his love for me in that while I was yet a sinner Christ died for me and I know and believe the love that God has for me.(Rom 5:8)

I confess and believe what God says about me without argument. I rest on the infallible Word of the true and living God. My death is exchanged for His life, and it is no more I but Christ who lives in me.

I confess that as He now is in Heaven, so am I in this world. I, and all true believers, are in His name, in His plans, in His power, in His dignity, in His authority, in His grace. He has enlivened us, enthroned us, and environed us in grace, peace, love and power. AMEN!

The Bible declares that we walk by faith and not by sight. We do not live by economic reports, doctor's reports, popular opinion polls, or common sense, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. As Ron Dunn so articulately stated: "We must reject the treason of reason and the commotions of our emotions." The God‑born faith refuses to focus upon the tangible, the temporal, the visible, or the obvious, but upon the God who cannot lie and who does not change.

Open you mouth wide! What does your tongue look like based upon the talk or confessions it is making?

If it’s forked, or sickly looking, repent and start making the good confession of faith that’s truly good for the soul!