What is Sin and Confession?

You will need a chalkboard with chalk, or a whiteboard with markers, and an eraser. This activity can be implemented daily or weekly within the home, particularly during the Lenten season. If you use this activity, I'd love to hear from you! Send to email@sundayschoolnetwork.com. 

What is Sin?
Sin is not just disobedience against God's way of doing things or breaking a rule, it is breaking our relationship with God and others. The Bible says that all people sin (Romans 3:23). Sinning is very serious. The punishment for sinning is death and separation from God (Romans 6:23).

The good news of Easter is that Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for sinning against God. God wants us to confess our sins to him and trust him to save us. Thankfully, God has given us his Word, the Bible, to show us how to be forgiven of our sins, how to obey him, and how to restore our relationship with him and others.

What is Confession?
To confess means to agree. When we confess our sins, we agree with God that we did something wrong. God says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9. God's Word teaches us to repent of our sins, which means turn away from doing them, confess our iniquity (our guilt) and be sorry for our sins" (Acts, 3:19; Psalm 38:18). 

And when we disobey our parents or do wrong to others, we also break our relationship with them. We must confess our sins to them so that our relationship is made right. The Bible says, ". . . confess your sins to one another and pray for one another . . ." James 5:16. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" Ephesians 4:32. 

What do these Scriptures tell us to do:
Confess our sins to God and others, (agree we are guilty of doing wrong),
Feel sorry for our sin,
Pray for one another,
Be kind and tenderhearted,
Forgive others, because we've been forgiven.

What is God's response?
He is faithful and just, (trustworthy and right)
He forgives us. (he lets our sins go, he doesn't hold them against us)
He cleanses us from all our wrong-doing. (he cleans up all the filth)

Activity for Home or Church
Begin by asking God to remind you of wrong choices or sins done that day and then take turns writing one or two sins from each person on a chalkboard or whiteboard. Take a few moments to prayerfully agree with God that you were wrong, that you are guilty of sinning (or pray silently). If you wronged someone in the group, confess your sin to him or her. 

Read 1 John 1:9 from a child-friendly Bible, and then have everyone take turns erasing their sins on the board. 

Close in Prayer
Thank you, God, for taking our punishment and forgiving our sins. Help us to follow you. Amen.

Copyright 2021 S.A. Keith - SundaySchoolNetwork.com

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