Finding a Balanced Self-Understanding

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you (Romans 12:3).

Worship at Old Union Church each Sunday includes a Confession of Sin and Assurance of Pardon, because of the important message they give.  They bring to our awareness the key aspects of our relationship with God, which we can so easily slip away from.  Confession and Pardon provide us with an honest appraisal of who we are in the eyes of God, when our own self-estimation or the messages we get from people and influences around us can easily lead us astray.  It is our way, each week, to heed Paul’s advice to the Romans.

On the one hand, as Paul puts it, at time we “think more highly of ourselves than we ought.”  The human psyche does a wonderful job of glossing over our own faults and shortcomings.  We may be quick to point out how others are at fault, but we can usually find a convenient explanation for our own actions.  Or, we simply forget about the error of our ways or the faults of our character.  We surround ourselves with people who will puff up our ego and make us feel good about ourselves.

Confession gives us a healthy correction.  When we become aware in worship of the majesty of God, our self-pretension becomes exposed for the fraud that it is.  Confession reminds us, each week, that we are not holy and perfect.  We are not as wonderful as we think that we are.  Confession knocks down our pride, especially when it is based on an over-inflated view of ourselves.

On the other hand, Paul encourages us to think of ourselves “in accordance with the faith God has distributed” to each of us.  Just as our human nature may blind us to our faults, it can also magnify them to the point that we are overwhelmed by our inadequacies and faults.  Confession, if it is not balanced by an assurance of pardon, only drives us more deeply into the pit of self-doubt and shame.  Voices around us and from our past far too often accuse us of our sinfulness, and the guilt that we bear.

The Assurance of Pardon helps us to see ourselves in a different light: in the light of the faith that God has given to us.  The assurance declares that we are valued and honored in God’s eyes.  We are precious and beloved by the Creator of all things.  There is so much to us that fills God with delight and joy when he considers us.  The assurance reminds us of the great lengths to which God went so that we may enjoy the fullness of his love.

The Confession of Sin and Assurance of Pardon steer us safely between the dangers of pride on one side and of shame on the other.  If you think too highly of yourself, the Confession of Sin will humble you.  And if you believe you are worthless, the Assurance of Pardon will proclaim the goodness that God finds in you.