What Is Confession: Facing Sin, Finding Forgiveness

What does it mean to truly confess? In this episode of Sermons of My Father, Landon Shaw explores a 1986 message from his father, Pastor Lee Shaw, on 1 John 1 and the meaning of confession.

Too often, Christianity has been framed as “victorious Christian living,” where sin is ignored, perfection is claimed, or faith is inherited without question. This sermon confronts those ideas head-on. John’s words are blunt: if you say sin doesn’t matter, if you say you are perfect, or if you say you’ve always been a Christian, you are lying to yourself.

Through scripture and Greek word study (hamartia — sin, homologeō — confession), Lee Shaw defines confession not as ritual but as honesty. To confess is to speak in agreement with fact and truth.

Landon weaves in his own reflections, wrestling with guilt, accountability, and the paradox of forgiveness. Along the way, he brings in Carl Jung’s idea of the shadow, Socrates’ daimon, and the story of Peter’s denial and restoration.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What 1 John 1 teaches about sin and truth
• Why confession is central to Christian faith and spiritual growth
• How the Greek words hamartia and homologeō deepen our understanding
• Why guilt, far from being destructive, is often a sign of light breaking in
• How philosophy and psychology (Jung’s shadow, Socrates’ daimon) parallel the biblical call to confession
• Why accountability matters in faith, family, and life

Confession is not groveling. It is truth-telling. It is accountability. And without it, there is no light.

Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and iHeartRadio.