CALL TO CONFESSION
Romans 5:8
God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
CONFESSION:
Our Father,
We you have made us to love you and to demonstrate that love through obedience. We confess to you that we have not loved you as we ought. And we know our love is lacking, because our obedience is lacking. We confess that even when we obey, we often do so with a sense of drudgery instead of joy.
Father, we are wholly to blame for our disobedience. Our hearts and wills are stubborn. Even when we know what your Word commands, and understand the consequences of sin, nonetheless we choose evil.
Though we are surrounded by other sinners and live in world under the curse of sin we confess that our decisions to sin have been our own.
Father help us not to weasel out of confession. Don’t allow us to invent loopholes to cover our backs. Help us to deal honestly with you so that we might receive the grace and mercy that you so richly supply to us in Christ.
We know that if we say “Amen” to this prayer while intending to go on in our sin this prayer will be useless, so help us now to confess our individual sins to you in silence.
Father, thank you that while we were your enemies, you reconciled us to yourself. Thank you for adopting us into your family through Christ. We rejoice that in Christ Jesus we have been redeemed. In Jesus name we pray… AMEN!
ASSURANCE OF PARDON – Psalm 32:1-2
1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.