Our Father and God, You have established Your Church as a royal priesthood in this world, and so we intercede for the nations of men now, confessing on their behalf so that the grace of Your forgiveness will soon be extended to them all.
Father, we confess that we have become an earthbound people, a nation that no longer recognizes the transcendent glory of Your enthroned Son. We confess to You that we have dragged sovereignty down to our level, which has turned it into tyranny, instead of following Your way and pattern—which is death and exaltation. Humble us, Father, so that we might be lifted up. We confess our pride and insolence. Forgive us, 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. Father, we confess that the Church has too often worshiped as though we were a religious club of like-minded spiritual hobbyists. Father, we have lost our sense of an incarnate transcendence, and thus it is that we cannot proclaim this good news to the unbelieving world. Forgive us, we ask.
And Father, we now confess our own sins to You—and Selah . . . We do this in the strong name of Jesus, and amen.
God loves you. God has called you. God has given you the name of His Son to bear. You have confessed your sins. Why would He not forgive you? As a minister of Christ, I declare to you that your sins are forgiven through Christ.
Congregation: Thanks be to God!
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