Reading
“Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.”
Matthew 18:19–22
Reflection
As we were preparing for last week’s sermon during run-through, one of our team members raised a concern about this step requiring another person as part of confession when we, as Protestants, believe that we have direct access to God and need no human intermediaries. Pastor Mark shared a great theological explanation (which I’ll leave to him), but it got me thinking: why do we need another person to be involved in Step Five?
We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Have you ever confessed something to someone—big or small? How did it make you feel? There is something about receiving grace and acceptance from another person that transcends the human experience. Notice that Step Five isn’t particularly about forgiveness; it’s about being known and accepted.
As Pastor Mark shared in his examples, sometimes you can confess to God over and over—but it takes receiving acceptance from another person to truly experience God’s love for yourself.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, emphasized that “solitary religion is no religion at all.” To experience the fullness of God, we need to be in community with others. Through our experience of receiving God’s love and acceptance as ministered to us by others, we are then led into outward-facing lives of love and action.
When we gather together—whether in pairs, small groups, or as a congregation—God promises to be present with us. When we confess to another person, God is there in the midst of it. By confessing to a safe person, we are able to accurately name the wrongs we have done and begin the work of processing them. This transforms us into healed people who can then go out into the world and help heal others through God’s transforming grace and love.
Prayer
God of radical love and acceptance, thank you for the gift of confession and community. Help me to be brave. Guide me to a safe person who will help me experience your love and acceptance as I continue in my journey of healing. Transform me into a safe person so that, when the time comes, I can pass it on and support someone on their healing journey. Amen.
