Repentance and Confession

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the liturgy module is to help the 8th graders understand the importance of living a sacramental life through the lens of individual sacraments. To show them that sacraments are not simply activities or rituals that we participate in as Coptic Orthodox Chistians, but rather they point us to a new way of looking at life and a transformed way of living.

The objective of this lesson is to learn what confession and repentance actually are and why we need to confess our sins to a priest in the sacrament of confession.

INTRODUCTION - 5 Minutes

Read the following verses:

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness."

1 John 1:9

"And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

James 5:15-17

After reading these verses, what do you already know about repentance and confession? Also, what do you not know or wonder about repentance and confession?

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 20 Minutes

What is Repentance?

Repentance is not simply a statement where you say sorry to God. Repentance is a complete change of heart.

Qualities that we need for true repentance

  1. You must first realize that you are away from God. There must be a genuine awareness of one's sin and sinfulness and how that sin is separating you from God.
  2. There must be an honest and earnest effort to run back to God. It is not enough to just say, "sorry," we must try our best to move away from our sin towards our merciful God of Love. We must turn away from death to life.
    • Repentance is literally a change in direction. The Greek word for "repentance," "metanoia," literally means "change in direction."
  3. Last, we must have an earnest desire to never return to our previous condition. We must try to avoid sin and death, and remain with God. If we sin, we must turn back to God as quickly as possible.

Biblical example of Repentance

  1. "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. And he arose and came to his father.'" (Luke 15: 17-20)
  2. How does the Prodigal Son fulfill the above three requirements for repentance?

What is Confession?

Sin or "amartia" in Greek literally means: to miss the mark. When God created humans He made them in His image and likeness (Genesis 2). While we will always have God's image as a part of us, when we sin we become less and less like him.

Confession is the process where we call out all of the lies and falsities in our life which take us away from the likeness of God. Those things where we miss the mark (sins).

We as Christians need to be able to say out loud, "I did this false thing, I committed this sin," boldly without fear or excuse. This is a true confession and this process helps us to return back to Truth, to the likeness of God.

The power of confession to a person

  • Often people want to simply call out their sins to God alone and do not feel the need to speak to another person about them. They are filled with shame at the idea of another person knowing their sins.
  • We as humans are deeply relational, we are not made to be alone. Even monks must live and be a part of a community. When we keep our sins to ourself, we are in such danger of repeating them, we hold onto that shame because we are not truly ready to give up our sin.
  • From a practical standpoint, confessing our sins to another person helps us because we now have our actions out in the open and that person can help keep us accountable.
  • There should be no shame in confessing to another person, as Christians we are all sinners and are meant not to judge each other but to help each other overcome sin and the devil.
    • And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8)
    • "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? (Matthew 7:1-3)

Why do we need to confess to a priest?

"And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

James 5:15-17

The Coptic Orthodox Church is an Apostolic faith: the Bishops and Priests come from a line that goes all the way back to the Apostles whom the Lord Jesus Christ ordained to shepherd His flock.

"So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.' And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'"

John 20:21-23

Clearly from this verse we see that God gave his Apostles who in turn gave His Bishops and Priests the authority to hear sins and forgive them.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 10 Minutes

  1. What are the most challenging things in your opinion about repentance? Why do you think people have such a hard time having a change of heart?
  2. Who initiates the change of heart in us that leads to repentance? Is it ourselves, or God, or both?
  3. Why is confession so difficult as well? Does it feel awkward to confess to a priest? How can we overcome this?

RESOURCES