Father, we acknowledge that You are the holy God, and that we have somehow believed that we could rest in Your favor without being holy, and without appealing to the name of Jesus Christ, the only name capable of making men holy. We confess that our nation thinks of itself as amiable and well-meaning, and sometimes blundering, but always in an understandable way. We confess that our nation does not think of itself as unholy, and we do not see our need to separate ourselves from iniquity. Forgive us for this, we pray.
We know, Father, that if we in the Church regard iniquity in our own midst, or in our own hearts, this prayer will be ineffectual.
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And so we confess that we have not lived as a separated people. We have not shown an unbelieving world what holiness in this world looks like. We confess that we in Your Church have accommodated ourselves to the world in far too many ways. Forgive us for this spirit of creeping compromise.
And Father, we confess our private sins to You now—and Selah . . . We do this in the strong name of Jesus Christ, and amen.
God in His goodness promises His people peace, quietness, and assurance forever. You have confessed Your sins, and on the basis of His promise, I now declare that your sins are forgiven through Christ.
Congregation: Thanks be to God!