What personal sins might you confess, acknowledging God's justice like in Lamentations 1:18? The LORD Is Righteous — the Backdrop of Confession “The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled against His command.” (Lamentations 1:18) Owning the Heart of Rebellion Rebellion is not always loud or public; it can be quiet, hidden, respectable. Any time God speaks and I choose my own way, I echo Jerusalem’s cry. Acknowledging His justice means I agree that His verdict on my sin is right (Psalm 51:4). Personal Sins Worth Confessing in Light of Lamentations 1:18 • Deliberate disobedience – Knowing Scripture’s command yet ignoring it (James 4:17). – Persisting in a habit God has already convicted me about. • Selective obedience – Obeying what is convenient while sidestepping costly commands (Luke 6:46). • Idolatry of the heart – Trusting possessions, comfort, or approval more than the Lord (Exodus 20:3; Colossians 3:5). • Prayerlessness – Acting as though self-sufficiency can replace dependence on God (1 Thessalonians 5:17). • Neglect of Scripture – Treating God’s Word as optional reading instead of daily bread (Deuteronomy 8:3). • Proud self-promotion – Craving recognition, resenting others’ success (James 3:14-16; 4:6). • Critical or careless speech – Gossip, slander, harshness, sarcasm that wounds (Ephesians 4:29; Matthew 12:36). • Sexual impurity – Entertaining lustful thoughts, images, or relationships (Matthew 5:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5). • Injustice or indifference – Turning a blind eye to the oppressed, the poor, the unborn, the outsider (Proverbs 24:11-12; Isaiah 1:17). • Withholding forgiveness – Nursing grudges, replaying offenses (Matthew 6:14-15). • Love of money and stinginess – Hoarding rather than stewarding generously (1 Timothy 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). • Sabbath neglect – Treating worship and rest as optional (Hebrews 10:25; Exodus 20:8-10). • Complaining spirit – Grumbling against God’s providence and timing (Philippians 2:14-15). Agreeing with God’s Verdict When I call these sins what God calls them—rebellion—I echo Jeremiah’s lament: “The LORD is righteous.” I stop defending myself and start confessing (1 John 1:9). In doing so, I experience the sweet reality that the Judge who is just has also provided the justifier (Romans 3:26). Moving Forward in Obedience • Admit: “I have rebelled against His command.” • Align: Submit to what Scripture clearly says, today. • Act: Replace the sin with Spirit-empowered obedience (Galatians 5:16). As we name specific sins and agree with God’s righteous judgment, we step out of the shadows of rebellion into the liberty Christ secured, walking humbly in the light of His truth. |
    |