07/17/2026 – Confessional prayer – It is critical that we distinguish between positional forgiveness and relational forgiveness. (link to article below)
“Thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Jonah 4:2
I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Num. 14:17, 18
O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake. Psa. 79:8, 9
O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. Jer. 14:7, 20
If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. Psa. 130:3, 4“
______________________________________________________
Soli Deo Gloria!
The importance of distinguishing between “positional” confession and “relational” confession:
https://www.gotquestions.org/confession-forgiveness.html
excerpt:
“…our sins are forgiven at salvation (positional forgiveness), but our daily fellowship with God needs to stay in good standing (relational forgiveness). Proper fellowship with God cannot happen with unconfessed sin in our lives…”
____________________________
It has been forty years since I experienced a congregational confessional prayer just prior to receiving communion. Thoughts?
See “The Lord’s Supper” and “Self Examination sections – 1 Corinthians 11:17 through 11:34
____________________________
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him for the administration of the days of fulfillment ent — to bring everything together in Messiah both things in heaven and things on earth in Him. In Him we were also made His inheritance predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.” Ephesians 1: 7-12 (Note – Positional confession)
1 John 1:5 through 10 – “Titled: “Fellowship with God”:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, “We have not sinned,”we make Him a liar, and is word is not in us.” 1 John 1:9 (Note – Relational confession)