What do you think about confession? Does it strike you as legalistic? Is that kind of self-examination a bit scary?
There are two sides to the biblical confession coin, both of which pertain to declaring the truth. One feels more pleasant than the other, but we need both for a healthy, honest view of ourselves as we walk each day with the Lord. We need to confess the truth about our sins and also the truth about what Yeshua has done for us.
Confessing Our Sin
When we placed our faith in Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah, He fully paid for our sin. However, the wrongs we do as Believers interfere with our relationship with the Lord.
Confession of sin is agreeing with the Lord about the wrongs we’ve done. It speaks the truth about our sin and brings us to a place of humility before the God who sent His Son to die for our sinful selves. Confession sets us on the path of choosing to join our wills with the Holy Spirit’s work of conforming us into the image of Yeshua.
You may have heard sayings like, “Confession is good for the soul,” or “We’re as sick as our secrets.” David, King of Israel, wrote in the Psalms that when he kept silent about his sin, it tormented him, but when he acknowledged it, he received relief and forgiveness (Psalm 32:3–5). The New Testament says to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed…” (James 5:16). There is healing in confession. In ceasing to hide (and hide from) our sins, we welcome God’s healing power in us.
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Confession at Yom Kippur – The Viduy
The Fall Feasts are a time when we turn to self-reflection and repentance before the Lord. Jewish tradition states that on Rosh Hashanah, God pronounces a judgment on our coming year based on our current year’s standing with Him. This tradition holds that God seals His verdict on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and that, during the 10 days between these holy days, we have the opportunity to influence His final decision. Confession and repentance intensify during these “Days of Awe” and culminate on Yom Kippur with the addition of fasting.
In synagogue services throughout the world, Jewish people engage in the Viduy, a lengthy liturgy of prayers, recitations, and group confessions spoken aloud. At first glance, we might disregard some of the Viduy’s confessions as unrelated to us. However, as we recite them, we recognize what Yeshua brought to light in His broader definitions of sin (Matthew 5:21–48). For instance, confessing “We have stolen” might seem irrelevant until we realize it encompasses more than tangible items. As we allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us, we see that we can steal someone’s time with thoughtless tardiness or rob them of peace by careless venting or complaining.
The Viduy is a tool to help us see ourselves honestly. It includes 24 verbal confessions. We’ve provided a sampling below and encourage you to use it as you spend time listening to the Lord and humbly confessing to Him. Keep in mind that the Lord wants to heal you through confession. He wants you to live unhindered in your relationship with Him and set you free to be shaped into the image of Yeshua.
Ashamnu – We have sinned against God and man.
Bagadnu – We have betrayed and been disloyal and ungrateful.
Gazalnu – We have stolen or robbed.
Dibarnu Dofi – We have sinned with our speech.
V’hirshanu – We have caused others to sin.
Taflnu Sheker – We have associated ourselves with falsehood and wrongdoing.
Ya’atznu Ra – We have advised others wrongly to their harm.
Kizavnu – We have lied and failed to keep our word.
Latznu – We have taken serious matters lightly, scoffed, and ridiculed.
Maradnu – We have disbelieved and rebelled against God and His Word, preferring our own way.
Sararnu – We have turned our hearts away from serving God.
Avinu – We have knowingly and intentionally sinned.
Tzararnu – We have caused suffering.
Kishinu Oref – We have stubbornly refused to see God’s hand in suffering, choosing to blame Him rather than repent of our sin or learn from suffering.
Confessing Yeshua’s Gift of Atonement
Confessing our sin with such intense focus might leave us feeling discouraged. As Believers, we have the privilege of also seeing the picture Yom Kippur holds of what Jesus accomplished for us through His death and resurrection.
In Temple days, every Yom Kippur, the High Priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy of Holies. This blood covered the sins committed by the priest himself and all Israel over the past year.
However, when Yeshua died as the sacrifice for our sin, He also served as the perfect High Priest, taking His own blood into the heavenly Holy of Holies as a once-and-for-all atonement (covering) for our sin. He not only covered our sins, but He removed them forever from before the Father.
Yeshua’s atonement accomplished wonderful things for those who place their faith in Him. Confess these truths as well as you observe Yom Kippur.
Yeshua’s atonement:
- Cancelled our sin-debt, placing us in right standing before God forever
- Bestowed His righteousness to our account
- Saved us from eternal condemnation
- Gave us eternal life and abundant life
- Set us free from bondage to sin
- Made us joint heirs with Messiah
- Made us children of God
- Gave us His Holy Spirit, His very presence, living inside of us
- Enabled us to live godly lives empowered by His Spirit
- Gave us God’s peace, which defies logic
- Gave us rest, eternally and today
- Gave us purpose and good works to do for Him
- Assured us that we will never be cast out
- Provided an anchor for our souls
- Gave us wisdom for the asking
- Showered us with God’s everlasting love
Confessing the Truth at Yom Kippur
Confession is indeed good for the soul. As we humbly face some perhaps ugly truths about ourselves, we lay ourselves bare before the Lord and ask His Holy Spirit to work wonders in our hearts and behavior, conforming us to the likeness of Yeshua.
Confessing the truths about what Yeshua’s blood has accomplished for us leaves us awestruck as we realize that when God looks at us, though He knows our sin, He sees Yeshua’s payment for it, and we stand utterly forgiven and loved.
Let’s confess both sets of truth on Yom Kippur.
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Learn more about Jewish rhythms and traditions
Want to live more like Yeshua (Jesus)? Take ownership of the heritage you've been grafted into by learning to embrace the traditions and cultures that Jesus Himself celebrated. Sign up to get helpful tips, education, devotions, and more that will draw you closer to Jesus and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!
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