HARD TO SAY

The three most difficult words for mankind to utter might be 'I have sinned'. Yet confession is not only the foundation on which coming to Christ is built ... but a daily requirement thereafter. 

Before an individual can be saved, he must first acknowledge that he cannot save himself ... 

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

When the Holy Spirit convicts a man of his lost condition, he will experience the gravity of sin and his desperate need for a Savior. The atonement wrought by Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection can then be received through acknowledging Him as Lord ... 

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)

Once redeemed, a Christian resides in a world that is not his home. He walks as a child of God, yet his feet become 'dirty' ... defiled by sins of thought, word, and deed. Although he is a new creature in Christ, the 'sin nature' is not yet conquered.

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. (Romans 7:18)

Instead of being seen as a 'shameful' exercise to be avoided, confession is, in fact, the best thing for you to practice. Respond to the guilt associated with sin quickly ... don't miss the opportunity to experience the Lord's mercy and grace. 

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. (Proverbs 28:13)

Oswald Chambers - When the Holy Spirit begins to unearth the works of the flesh in you, don’t temporize, don’t whitewash them; don’t call your suspicion ... "discernment of the spirit", or your ill-temper ... "righteous indignation". Bring it to the light, come face to face with it, confess it, and get it cleansed away.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Spurgeon - We must confess the guilt, as well as the fact of sin. It is useless to conceal it, for it is well known to God. It is beneficial for us to own it ... a full confession softens and humbles the heart. When the soul determines to lay low and plead guilty, absolution is near at hand. Not only is the sin itself pardoned, but the iniquity of it; the virus of its guilt is put away as soon as the acknowledgment is made. God's pardon is deep and thorough, for the knife of mercy cuts at the roots of the ill weed of sin. 

The heartfelt practice of confessing sin is the evidence that you are a new creation in Christ. It began when you were saved and should continue unimpeded as you navigate this fallen world.