There is great need today of just such sincere, heartfelt repentance and confession. Those who have not humbled their souls before God in acknowledging their guilt have not yet fulfilled the first condition of acceptance. If we have not experienced that repentance which is not to be repented of, and have not confessed our sin with true humiliation of soul and brokenness of spirit, abhorring our iniquity, we have never sought truly for the forgiveness of sin; and if we have never sought we have never found the peace of God. The only reason why we may not have remission of sins that are past is that we are not willing to humble our proud hearts and comply with the conditions of the word of truth. There is explicit instruction given concerning this matter. Confession of sin, whether public or private, should be heartfelt and freely expressed. It is not to be urged from the sinner. It is not to be made in a flippant and careless way or forced from those who have no realizing sense of the abhorrent character of sin. The confession that is mingled with tears and sorrow, that is the outpouring of the inmost soul, finds its way to the God of infinite pity. Says the psalmist: “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” {5T 636.2}

»Kom, lad os gå i rette med hinanden, siger Herren. Er eders synder som skarlagen, de skal blive hvide som sne; er de end røde som purpur, de skal dog blive som uld. Lyder i villigt, skal i æde landets goder; står i genstridigt imod, skal i ædes af sværd. Thi Herrens mund har talt.« Her er løfterne klare og definerede, rige og fulde; men de er alle på betingelser. Hvis du går ind på betingelserne, kan du da ikke stile på at Herren opfylder sit ord. Lad disse velsignede løfter, sættes i troens ramme, sættes på erindringsstederne. Ikke en af dem vil svigte. Alt som Gud har sagt vil han gøre. »Trofast er han, som gav forjættelsen."