Prayer Involves Confession of Sin

Reading: Luke 18.9-14

In this passage, the Lord Jesus exposes the hearts of the self-righteous, and encourages those who feel the guilt of sin to draw near to God. The story is about a Pharisee and a publican (tax collector) who represented two extremes of society; the one was outwardly religious and was proud of it, while the other was a sinner and was ashamed of it. Both men went to the place of prayer but their motives were very different. The Pharisee stood at the front, and looking up to heaven, boasted of how good he was compared with the publican. However, the publican stood at the back with a bowed head and smote his chest and made his confession to God, for he believed that God would hear his humble cry. He was right, and God also justified him, pronouncing him to be righteous. The Pharisee was trusting in his own righteousness and despised others; he knew nothing of the conviction of sin and his prayer was rejected. The publican was seeking forgiveness and found this because his prayer contained faith. He felt the holiness of God and understood that he had fallen far short of God’s standard. He believed that God would show him mercy because of the mercy-seat on the Ark of the Covenant ^[1]. This was where the blood of the sin offering was placed on the day of Atonement; he knew that God had covered his sins. We who have believed on Lord Jesus Christ have found forgiveness and righteousness; we know that the blood of Jesus Christ shed at the cross is enough to take away all our sins ^[2]. Now the Christian’s prayer should begin with confession of sin and thankfulness for the blood of Jesus Christ ^[3]. Confession is also self-judgement ^[4] and although there is no condemnation for those saved by the blood of Christ ^[5], confession of sins restores fellowship with God ^[6].

References: [1] Leviticus 16v15,30 [2] Romans 3v25 [3] Acts 2v38; 3v19; 10v43; [4] 1 Corinthians 11v28-32  [5] Romans 8v1  [6] 1 John 1v7, 9