The Confession of Sin

A confession of sin is an act of repentance, motivated by faith and characterized by the expectation of forgiveness. Protestant traditions have rooted the confession of sin in the experience of Isaiah. When Isaiah saw the Lord seated on the throne (Isa. 6:17), his response was "Woe to me! I am ruined!" In the presence of God we see ourselves as sinners, confess our sin, and hear the Word of forgiveness. Thus the purpose of the confession is to rehearse our relationship to God. When the confession of sin fits best in worship is a matter of dispute. Some churches place it in the Entrance, arguing that the best time to confess sin is when we initially come into the presence of God. Others argue that the joyful note of the Entrance should not be marred by a confession. They prefer to place the confession of sin either after the Prayers of the People or in the beginning of the acts of worship at the Table of the Lord. Others argue that because worship is a celebration of the Resurrection …