Chapter 24—Confession and a Forgiving Spirit Essential
BIBLE GEM
CWG 60.1
CWG 60.2
CWG 60.3
QUESTION
CWG 60.4
ANSWER
Receiving God's mercy depends upon us: “When we come to ask mercy and blessing from God we should have a spirit of love and forgiveness in our own hearts. How can we pray, ‘Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,’ and yet indulge an unforgiving spirit? (Matthew 6:12) If we expect our own prayers to be heard, we must forgive others in the same manner and to the same extent as we hope to be forgiven.”—Steps to Christ, 97CWG 60.5
What to do if you have wronged someone: “If you have given offense to your friend or neighbor, you are to acknowledge your wrong, and it is his duty freely to forgive you. Then you are to seek the forgiveness of God, because the brother you have wounded is the property of God, and in injuring him you sinned against his Creator and Redeemer.”—Steps to Christ, 37CWG 60.6
“If we have unwittingly borne false witness, if we have misstated his words, if we have injured his influence in any way, we should go to the ones with whom we have conversed about him, and take back all our injurious misstatements.”—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 59CWG 61.1
“Honesty of intention cannot stand as an excuse for not confessing errors.”—Early Writings, 103CWG 61.2
True confession is specific: “True confession is always of a specific character, and acknowledges particular sins. They may be of such a nature as to be brought before God only; they may be wrongs that should be confessed to individuals who have suffered injury through them; or they may be of a public character, and should then be as publicly confessed. But all confession should be definite and to the point, acknowledging the very sins of which you are guilty.”—Steps to Christ, 38CWG 61.3
Confess before sins are found out: “There is a vast difference between admitting facts after they have been proved and confessing sins known only to our selves and to God.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, 498CWG 61.4
“There are those among you who will make confessions, as did Achan, too late to save themselves.”—Testimonies For The Church 3:272CWG 61.5
SUMMARY AND PRAYER THOUGHT
CWG 61.6
CWG 61.7