Before I ask my question, I want to give a little background. I got involved in a bad relationship with a co-worker (by bad I mean sinful) and have been gone from God for a long time. I want to come back badly, and I know He wants me back. My problem is that I have so much unconfessed sin that I can't remember it all, and I'm afraid that to come back I have to confess everything. I'm trying to keep in mind the story of the prodigal son, but I've screwed up big time. I feel so far away that I don't know what to do. Someone please help.

Doesn't your God know everything you have done... why the need to confess it all esp if you can't even remember it all. I think you are just tormenting yourself further.

Thank you so much for the advice. It makes me feel better.

I agree. He knows everything you've done. I feel that it's unnecessary for you to list everything.

I agree with Bushg. God knows your heart and all he wants you to do is make a U turn back to him. Say a repenting prayer from your heart and go back to living for Him.
God says he casts your sins farther than the East is to the West. Once you ask him to forgive you what is the point in specifics other than to go over them in your heart to contemplate what you can do different to change if you aren't sure.
Man's tradition says that you must confess to the -Priest, Preacher- your sins but the Bible says confess your sin to one another. I take that to mean to confess to the one you wronged which is often good to do.

God already knows all of your sin, if you are really sorry of all of it, just let him know, you dn't have to name every sin, that is some story someone must have told you. All you ask is to be forgiven of all of your sin, since you will have a lot of sin you don't even know you did.
Did you speed going down the road yesterday, that is a sin, since you broke the law of the nation over you. If you think evil of that old lady who took your parking space yesterday ( maybe that was me) that is a sin,

If you wish to make a formal confession to someone you can do that also. I know I listen to confesson a lot, but if you want to talk to God direct and ask his forgiveness that is great too.

You are being convicted to return to Christ, so as the adverstisement goes, "just do it"

Thanks to everyone for the great advice.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.


Go to the LORD and be forgiven, then when you do sin again, ask for specific forgiveness. He is faithful and loves you.

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Originally Posted by N0help4u

I agree with Bushg. God knows your heart and all he wants you to do is make a U turn back to him. Say a repenting prayer from your heart and go back to living for Him.
God says he casts your sins farther than the East is to the West. Once you ask him to forgive you what is the point in specifics other than to go over them in your heart to contemplate what you can do different to change if you aren't sure.
Man's tradition says that you must confess to the -Priest, Preacher- your sins but the Bible says confess your sin to one another. I take that to mean to confess to the one you wronged which is often good to do.

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Nicely said!

Braden23,

You don't need to confess every last sin you have committed. All you need to do is ask God to forgive you from your sins. He knows your heart, and if you really want to come back He will see that you do and forgive you. Like NOhelp4u said, God casts our sins as far as the east is to the west. (Actually I would recommend this song for you to listen to. Its very good: YouTube - Casting Crowns - East to West )

Braden 23:
Stop laying an unnecessary guilt trip on yourself. The fact that you WANT to come back means that you are ALREADY back. The father of the 'prodigal son' did not demand any abject breast-beating from his sonny boy before preparing the barbecue. Neither does God. I believe it was Hildegarde of Bingen who once said: "When you take one step toward God, he has already taken TWO steps toward you"!! Don't demand of yourself what God does not demand!!

My goodness, if we had to remember and request forgiveness for each specific sin we've committed then I'm afraid none of us stands a chance. I believe if you tell God what you've told us, "I've screwed up big time," He'll know exactly what you're talking about, He'll forgive you - and then you need to work on forgiving yourself. :)

Steve

Think of the criminal that was crucified with Jesus, who asked Jesus to remember him. He knew he sinned. He showed remorse for what he did. You've sinned, and you have remorse. God loves you and forgives you. From this point on, do your best to lead a good and wholesome life, and try to forgive those who have done you wrong.

Satan will tell you that you can never be clean from your sins and will never be forgiven. He will also use your feelings of guilt to keep you from returning if he can. God is a loving God and forgives us all. None of us are perfect, that is why our Savior came. Repent and be forgiven and then put your sins behind you. I wish you great happiness on your return and your new life.

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Originally Posted by Braden23

Before I ask my question, I want to give a little background. I got involved in a bad relationship with a co-worker (by bad I mean sinful) and have been gone from God for a long time. I want to come back badly, and I know He wants me back. My problem is that I have so much unconfessed sin that I can't remember it all, and I'm afraid that to come back I have to confess everything. I'm trying to keep in mind the story of the prodigal son, but I've screwed up big time. I feel so far away that I don't know what to do. Someone please help.

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God already knows your sin all you need to do is ask for forgiveness and keep faith in your Heart. Remember God already knows your Heart and judges it so. If your Heart is full of shame for your sin he knows you are sorry. If your heart is full of sin and unforgivable he will be also. You sound like a man sorry for his sin if you are truly sorry God already Knows.

As an Atheist I say you have nothing to confess, you will not go to hell, neither will I. if you like this girl continueseeing her, if not break it off

workerbee

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Originally Posted by workerbee

As an Atheist i say you have nothing to confess, you will not go to hell, neither will I. if you like this girl continueseeing her, if not break it off

workerbee

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Wow, I thought even atheists had some types of morals. Whether you believe God gave it to you or not, everyone still has a conscience. You are the classic example of someone who makes their wrong doings okay simply because you don't believe you have God to answer to. Your erroneous thinking is dangerous because with it you can justify your actions no matter how terrible they are.

Tertullian, that's possibly the best and at the same time funniest advice I've heard. I never thought of God as firing up a barbecue, but I think from now on I will. Thanks again.

I am sorry that those that have a hatred of God wants to come and try to hurt your faith, since they have issues with their own. But
At least we have at least one doomed to hell for sure, at this point and need to most certainly pray for them. And you can use this as an example of what levels we can fall to without God in our life.
And of course there is a God, and I even challenge that the person saying they are a atheist are not, since if they merely believed there was no god, they would have no issue with someone else beleving and not going out of their way to attack god. So most likely they have a lot more issue with religion than they want to say.

But God knows all that you did, and he wants you to come back to him. All you have to do is take that step, You are already sorry for your sins, so just reach out to him, he loves you and wants you to reach back.

There is no way I can convince you that there's a god if you don't believe. And whether you call it sin or something else, I think it was wrong on my part because I essentially stole someone else's property (that guy's girlfriend). What I did to him was probably worse than what I did with or to her.

Is the guy still holding it against you?
Like I said God knows your heart and he sees it grieves you.
God doesn't want you to beat yourself up after he has forgiven you.
Forgive yourself and put the past behind you. Consider it a lesson learned and
Grow closer to God. Read the Bible --God forgave David for what he did to Uriah with Bethsheba. God forgave Paul for killing Christians so why do you think God can't forgive you. He knows your greater purpose and desire in life to serve him. Forgiveness is a powerful thing.

I don't think you have to literally confess every single individual sin. Acknowledging your overall sinfulness and repenting in general is, I believe, what the true spirit of repentance and forgiveness is all about.

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Originally Posted by workerbee

I notice that all Christians are angry. getting through to you will be impossible (from your picture i first thought you were from the Klan, then I realized it is much worse your a priest) I will leave you with these words, i am not sure if a simpleton like yourself can understand them so read SLOW. "If I am wrong and God exists, the same God who gave me a brain, reason, common sense, I can't believe he would them condemn me for using them"


Stay with the topic. This thread was about Braden not YOU I just wanted to give him my point of view

workerbee

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You seem to be the one that isn't staying with the thread because from what I am reading Braden "feels guilty" and wants God's forgiveness. You are telling Fr_Chuck that he is wrong
But if Braden wants forgiveness and believes in God you telling him don't worry about it there is no God is about the same as Fr_Chuck trying to convince you that people DO need forgiveness.

P.S. I am not angry, I just pick up on the irony of things.