Question 251: What is confession in prayer?

Answer:

Confession in prayer is the honest acknowledgment of our sins before God, expressing sorrow and repentance, and asking for His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. It renews our fellowship with God, humbles our hearts, and opens us to the transforming grace of the Holy Spirit. (Psalm 32:5, Proverbs 28:13, 1 John 1:9, James 5:16, Luke 18:13)

Full Scripture References

“Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and You forgave the guilt of my sin.” – Psalm 32:5 (BSB)

“He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.” – Proverbs 28:13 (BSB)

“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 (BSB)

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.” – James 5:16 (BSB)

“But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’” – Luke 18:13 (BSB)

Expanded Explanation of Catechism Question

Confession in prayer is an act of honesty and humility in the presence of a holy God. It acknowledges that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that our only hope is His mercy. Bishop Todd Hunter (Anglican Mission in the Americas, Churches for the Sake of Others) writes, “Confession is not about guilt management—it’s about relational restoration. When we confess, we don’t inform God; we return to Him.” (Giving Church Another Chance, 2010)

The Anglican tradition has long emphasized regular confession, both corporately and privately. The 1662 Book of Common Prayer offers this pattern: “We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.” This liturgical confession forms the conscience and teaches us to approach God with godly sorrow, not self-justification.

Fr. Allen Hughes (AMiA, Christ the Redeemer, GA) teaches, “Confession is an act of spiritual realism. It clears away illusions and makes space for the grace of God. Without confession, we carry burdens we were never meant to bear.” (Pastoral Lecture on Prayer, 2019) It is through confession that sin is unmasked, and grace is welcomed.

Bishop Stephen Wood (ACNA, Diocese of the Carolinas) reminds us that “God does not forgive in theory—He forgives specific sins. Therefore, be specific in prayer. Let confession be precise, not vague. Let grace be trusted, not presumed.” (Catechesis and Prayer, 2021)

Gerald Bray (ACNA-affiliated, Beeson Divinity School) summarizes: “Confession is not an end in itself. It is the gateway to restoration, cleansing, and peace. The Christian who confesses daily is not morbid, but free.” (The Doctrine of God, 1993)

Early Church Fathers on Catechism Question

“Confession is the beginning of healing. It is the key that opens the treasury of God’s mercy.” – Ambrose of Milan, On Repentance, c. 385 AD

“He who is ashamed to confess his sin has more love for his reputation than for his soul.” – John Chrysostom, Homily on Matthew, c. 390 AD

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. Let us confess, therefore, not with the lips only, but with the broken heart.” – Cyprian of Carthage, Treatise on the Lapsed, c. 250 AD

“The Lord knows all, yet He desires the confession of the penitent, not for His sake, but for ours, that we might be humbled and healed.” – Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, c. 180 AD