Killing Sin: The Dual Confession | Nehemiah 9:6-31

Have you felt the impact of dual confession—admitting sins and proclaiming God's glory? — A devotional by Vince Miller.

Nehemiah 9:6-31

CALL OUT: To Tom Juergens, one of our volunteers and financial partners from Anoka, MN. Thanks for your support and partnership in the Gospel. I pray this blesses you today.

Yesterday, we talked about how confession is both a confession of sin and a confession of belief in God, and the sermon in this text clarifies that. My outline below shows how the sermon from verses 6-31 could be outlined. It's a repeated declaration of confessed sin and belief. Then another, and another, all the way to the end of the chapter.

God’s greatness (9:6–15)
Their stubbornness (9:16–17a)
God’s grace (9:17b)
Their idolatry (9:18)
God’s mercies (9:19–25)
Their disobedience (9:26)
God’s discipline and salvation (9:27)
Their evil (9:28a)
God’s deliverance (9:28b)
Their stubbornness (9:29)
God’s patience, judgment, and mercy (9:30–31)
The reason I list it this way is so you can see the double action of confession. It's one confession with another confession. A sinful confession with a confession about God. You will even note there are far more dedicated to confessing God than there are those confessing sin. And this is not an accident.

Failure to understand the power of both confessions is one of the reasons so many believers get stuck in repetitive cycles of sin. They confess their sin, which is a right first step, but they fail to make the counter-confession which turns their declarations, desires, and deeds toward a more satisfying object—God. Because they don't, they keep returning to old sinful desires and deeds, then repeating the same sinful confession. And they get stuck in this never-ending cycle. And why? Because they have never turned to the counter-confession of God's greatness, grace, mercy, discipline, salvation, deliverance, and patience, which, if they did, would bring about a second spiritual effort. It's a counter-confession that has a divine effect on our declarations, desires, and deeds.

Just think about it.

It is very hard for me to act on desires of sin when I am confessing God's greatness, justice, and character with my mouth, heart, and mind.

Just try it. Confess God openly today. Tell one person about one quality of God's greatness. Then tomorrow, double down and tell confess God twice. Keep repeating this and watch as your confessions of sin decrease and your confessions of faith increase and grow stronger. I bet you it does.

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ASK THIS:

In what ways have you experienced the power of confessing both your sins and God’s greatness in your life? Reflect on a time when acknowledging God's attributes (like His grace, mercy, or patience) helped you overcome a personal struggle or sin.
How can we, as individuals or in a small group, practically apply the lessons of Nehemiah 9 in our daily lives? Consider discussing specific actions or habits that can help us continually recognize God's greatness and our need for His guidance, leading to a deeper, more genuine faith.
DO THIS: Confess God today.

PRAY THIS: Father, I humbly ask for Your guidance to help me genuinely confess both my weaknesses and Your infinite greatness, leading me towards a life transformed by Your grace and mercy. Teach me to walk in steadfast faith and obedience, constantly aware of Your loving presence and the power of Your redemptive love in my daily journey. Amen.

PLAY THIS: The Cross Is My Confession.