Confession

  Confessing is like undressing in front of a crowd, showing them what is underneath the shell.

I hate being the guy who everyone thinks has it all together.
All of my life I have been held in high respect by most people.
I have been looked up to as a goody-two-shoes who follows all the rules and is nice. 
Nevertheless, I am a total sinner, and I am not free of the struggles and sins that burden everyone.  I feel so unworthy of praise for what good I have done when it seems that people have not taken into consideration the wicked things that I have done.

     If one of my friends knew day to day every single sin that I commit, from vile thoughts, to deceptive motives, to selfish actions, they would appalled, disgusted, confused at how they thought I was so good, and would most likely abandon our relationship.  I would not blame them.  Perhaps no amount of apology would make up for the kinds of actions that characterize my life every day.  I can promise to change, but for some reason, I know that I will never be perfect.

   I think about someone who considered every single sin I would ever commit, from vile thoughts, to deceptive motives, to selfish actions.  They were appalled, disguted, but they knew that though I thought I was so good, I was not.  They decided to make a relationsip with me.  They knew that no amount of apology would make up for the kinds of actions that would characterize every day of my life.  He promised to make a change, because he knew that I would never be perfect on my own.

The Romans undressed Jesus in front of a crowd, and pinned Him up on the cross.  The shame of nakedness is coupled with the shame of sin.  The shame is that Jesus wasn't the one who had sinned.
Everyone present thought that he was the sinner, but on the inside, he was the only perfect one there.  The one thing He deserved, the love of God, he gave to us to take the one thing we deserved, the wrath and curse of God. 

...Then there are those days when I am struggling with sin, afraid to let it go, afraid to do what is right, afraid to confess.  I think about how good I am and what great things I could do in life by myself....

But
When I survey the wondrous cross 
On which the prince of glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.