The True Definition of Confession

According to Strong's Dictionary of Greek Words, this Greek word homologeō (G3670) translated confess in the King James Version, means:

From a compound of the base of G3674 and G3056; to assent, that is, covenant, acknowledge: - con- (pro-) fess, confession is made, give thanks, promise.

According to Thayer's Greek Definitions, this Greek word means:

1) to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent

2) to concede

2a) not to refuse, to promise

2b) not to deny

2b1) to confess

2b2) declare

2b3) to confess, i.e. to admit or declare one’s self guilty of what one is accused of

3) to profess

3a) to declare openly, speak out freely

3b) to profess one’s self the worshipper of one

4) to praise, celebrate

The confess means to say that same as – in other words, to agree with what the Bible says is true. Joseph Thayer even says that confession includes praise and celebration. Hebrews 13:15 even renders this Greek word as thanks. 1 Timothy 6:12 uses this Greek word in relation to fighting the good fight of faith, and therefore, boldly declaring who you are in Christ.

How to Apply Confession of Sin in the Life of the Christian

So how, as Christians, do we apply confession of sin to our lives? Simple, we say what the Bible says from a perspective of Jesus already having dealt with our sins on the cross. We do not come to God with a heavy heart, burdened with guilt, with fear that we will be punished.

No, we confess what the Bible says about our sin. We come to God with a grateful heart in praise and celebration of what He has done for us. We do not approach God as if we are unworthy of His forgiveness, but with boldness (see Hebrews 10:19). We thank God that He sent Jesus to die for us on the cross and that through His sacrifice, our sins are taken away, we are made right with God and we live in unbroken fellowship with Him. If God no longer sees our sins according to Hebrews 10:17 – why should we remind ourselves and God of our sins?

Confession of sin is for our benefit; we confess the Word so we can rid ourselves of a guilty conscience and see ourselves as God sees us. Confession of sin is not for the purpose of re-establishing our relationship with God – because our relationship with Him is not broken because of anything that we do.

Overcoming the Slanderer

The Bible uses various different names to describe God, although, many of these appear only in the original Hebrew or Greek. For instance, “Elohim” means “God of power and might”. These various titles tells us about the different aspects of God’s character.

Similarly, the name “devil” is a title that refers to the way in which the enemy slanders God to man and man to God. The blood of Christ is the source of our redemption and righteousness. We apply the power of the blood to our lives by confessing who we are in Christ to ourselves, God and the devil.

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. ¹¹ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Revelation 12:10-11 nkjv