February 18, Evening

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"Father, I have sinned." — Luke 15:18 · KJV

It is quite certain that those whom Christ has washed in His precious blood need not make confession of sin as culprits or criminals before God the Judge, for Christ has forever taken away all their sins in the legal sense, so that they no longer stand where they can be condemned, but are once for all accepted in the Beloved. Yet, having become children, and offending as children, ought they not every day to go before their heavenly Father and confess their sin, and acknowledge their iniquity in that character? Nature teaches that erring children ought to make confession to their earthly father, and the grace of God in the heart teaches us that we, as Christians, owe the same duty to our heavenly Father. We offend daily, and ought not to rest without daily pardon. For suppose my trespasses against my Father are not at once brought to Him to be washed away by the cleansing power of the Lord Jesus — what will the consequence be? If I have not sought forgiveness and been washed from these offenses against my Father, I shall feel at a distance from Him; I shall doubt His love; I shall tremble before Him; I shall be afraid to pray to Him; I shall grow like the prodigal who, though still a child, was yet far off from his father. But if, with a child's sorrow at offending so gracious and loving a Parent, I go to Him and tell Him all, and do not rest until I realize that I am forgiven, then I shall feel a holy love to my Father, and go through my Christian life not only as saved, but as one enjoying present peace with God through Jesus Christ my Lord. There is a wide difference between confessing sin as a culprit and confessing sin as a child. The Father's bosom is the place for penitent confessions. We have been cleansed once for all, but our feet still need to be washed from the defilement of our daily walk as children of God.