Was Achan punished because he did not confess his sin to Joshua?

Question: Can somebody be punished for not telling their leaders about the sin they have committed, like how Achan was punished for not telling Moses about his sin until God found him out? Answer: “But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of…

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The Good Confession

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GoodConfession.mp3 Text: I Timothy 6:6-16   I.         We all have heard of the five steps of salvation, even though there are really more than five steps. Five just makes it easier to remember.             A.        Today we are going to focus on confession.             B.        Exactly what is to be confessed? How is it to be confessed? When are we…

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What should be said to make the good confession?

Question: Before I was baptized, I confessed that I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and I still do. If you look at I Timothy 6:12-13, Paul says Timothy made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses and then says that Jesus made the good confession in the presence of Pilate. If…

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Recognizing Our Sin

by Dennis Stackhouse How important is it for a Christian individuals to recognize sin in their lives?  It is of extreme importance because without that recognition a person will never take the necessary steps to remove the sin and get their life moving in a righteous direction once more.  With that in mind, let’s notice…

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Must each person I sinned against be contacted before I can be forgiven?

Question: How should a Christian handle sins that have been committed in the past as far as contacting each person whom he has sinned against? Must each person be contacted before the Christian is forgiven? Answer: A similar question was asked a few years ago. See: “In order to repent, do you need to find…

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Should I not go to church if I have not confessed my sins to others?

Question: Does Matthew 5:23-24 mean I should not go to church if I have not confessed to men my sins against men? Answer: “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled…

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I lied to my wife about my adultery. Do I have to tell her?

Question: Hi, I am writing this email to ask a serious question about my life. I’m a Christian. I have been married for three years. But I had a problem with sex “addiction” (I’m not that sure if it’s or not). I am highly drawn to girls since I was young just to have sex…

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Did the eunuch have witnesses to his confession?

Question: Dear Jeffrey, I have read some of the answers on your website related to the requirements of a valid baptism. You have mentioned a confession of your belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is required, and in accordance with I Timothy 6:12, that confession should be made before “many witnesses”. My…

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If I didn’t say “Jesus is Lord,” do I need to be baptized again?

Question: Hello there, Thank you for the articles and answers on your website.  I believe they stand on good biblical ground and are a blessing to Christians and the world. I have a question about Romans 10:9.  Many years ago, I was immersed in water for the remission of my sins.  Before this baptism, I…

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I don’t know why I hide what I’m doing from my older brother

Question: Have you ever felt uncomfortable with someone who isn’t a devoted Christian or not a believer at all? This happens to me many times with my brother. Whenever someone tries to correct him, he immediately gets mad and defensive. He says he believes in God, but really he’s not convinced. He’s involved in fornication,…

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Do belief and confession mean that baptism is unnecessary?

Question: Hi, Thanks for your web site. It has been a God-send to folks like me who are relatively new in our walk with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. I have been trying to find a Bible-believing church to attend, but there are so many false teachings and divisions in the body of Christ today that…

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Can I baptize myself?

Question: Hi, Thanks for a good website I have learned a lot from reading questions and answers! Is it possible to support your website financially? I want to ask if you would pray for me so I can get out of my sin. As a person, I used to be confident, but I’m not that…

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Do I need to tell my husband about my sinful past?

Question: Hi, I am married, and I wanted to know if I need to tell my husband all my past sexual sins before we met. I was baptized this year and I’m realizing a lot of things I used to do were very sinful. I’m feeling overwhelmed. I didn’t grow up in a Christian home.…

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Do I need to “like” everything mentioning God on Facebook?

Question: I liked a page on Facebook that puts a lot of Christian-related pictures in my news feed. A lot of them say things like: share this if you love God, or like if you love God, etc. I know Matthew 10:33 says “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before…

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Do I need to confess my use of pornography to my preacher?

Question: God bless. I have been a Christian for many years, but I was addicted to porn and I committed fornication against myself (my body). I never had sex with anybody, just myself. I have repented from that sin, and I recognize my sin, so do I need to confess my sin to God only…

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My problem is that I grumble too much at work. What should I do?

Question: Sir, I have been looking through the previous answers on public sin. But I could not find anything that was quite like my question. This is the best website I have found and I think it has helped me a ton. I think my biggest problem is when at work, usually, I will talk…

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When a person doesn’t know the wrong you did, is confession required?

Question: I have committed adultery many times during the past 30 years of my marriage and in many instances lied to cover up my absence. During the last year or two, I have earnestly started to read the bible and now feel extremely guilty about my past poor behaviors. Since I have become more familiar…

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I sinned, but I’m afraid to tell my priests

Question: I am twenty-two years old, almost twenty-three. I did something a few days ago that has damaged my heart deeply and left a big emptiness. I have been dating a guy who is not a Christian. He started going to church when we started dating. I was baptized two years ago and had been…

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I’m haunted by the bad I’ve done. What should I do?

Question: So I have done some really bad things in the past that I feel bad about. Nobody knows I done these things. I asked for forgiveness but still felt really bad yesterday. I was listening to the Bible, and I started crying really bad. I want to move on with my life, but I…

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Is it necessary to confess to a preacher or elder?

Question: When a person has sinned, in particular sexually immoral sins, do they repent only to God?  Is it necessary to repent to a person, such as a preacher or an elder? Answer: The purpose of confession is to face the fact that we sinned — that we are not going to hide from that…

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Do I need to confess to everyone that I wronged?

Question: In the past, because I had heard the phrase “the confession needs to be as public as the sin,”  I became very busy spending much time thinking of times I had sinned in front of others.  I then would write them a note, message them, talk to them, etc. about what I had done. …

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I enjoyed the article on public confession

Question: Greetings. A friend sent me a link from your site, and I enjoyed the article on public confession. I read a few others while I was there and found them to be quite good. Answer: I’m glad you found the site useful for your studies.

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Do I need to confess my adultery to my wife?

Question: I was looking for an answer to my question, and I ran across your church’s web site. I am a troubled person.  I need wisdom, and I find it difficult to find direction. I know I am to search Scripture, but honestly, I believe I’m still in the place where I can only be fed…

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If a single person is aware of sin then sin must be publicly confessed!

Question: Regarding your expose’ as to your opinion of the couple who engaged in pre-marital sex, I couldn’t disagree more with your summation that there was no need to publicly confess. One of your errors is to suggest that the act(s) occurred so closely to vows being exchanged that it would be inconclusive in as…

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Is confession of sin only to one’s self or must it be to God?

Question: Hello, I just read your article: “How detailed does a confession of sin have to be? Do you need to list out all that you’ve done wrong?”  We have been discussing this subject for over two months with no end in sight. One side holds to the understanding that one needs only to repent…

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