Living With the Highest Level of Authenticity

Social media has numerous advantages—it’s an easy way to stay connected to friends and get information out quickly. One of the downsides, though, is that social media can lack authenticity. People tend to post the highlight reels of their lives and not the day-to-day realities. Take an unflattering picture? Crop the photo and put a filter on it. Have a lousy time on vacation? Post the one picture you got of everyone smiling and write a glowing recap. Not much going on in your personal life? Make it appear more exciting than it really is. Social media is a place where you can get away with a lack of transparency—and smoke and mirrors are the norm. So, how do you rise above the norm of filtered veneers, overly polished patinas, and false impressions? How can you live with the highest level of authenticity?

God intends for the Christian life to be genuine—and one of the ways He commands authenticity is through the act of confession. One of the greatest blessings of the cross of Christ is knowing you’re forgiven. But to receive forgiveness, you must confess your sins. In other words, you have to come clean with God. No filters, no half-truths, no projecting anything less than undiluted reality. Confession demands truth and authenticity, and it brings desired results. The apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

One of the mind-blowing aspects of the gospel is that sinners are free to approach God. You don’t need a third party to confess your sins—Jesus’s death on the cross granted you access to the Father. As Jesus drew His last breath at Calvary, the curtain in the temple that separated the holy of holies from the rest of the temple was torn in two and fell to the ground—signaling that Jesus’s death allowed sinners access to God (Matt. 27:50-51). Because of Jesus, you have full access to the Father (John 14:6),  a safe place to confess your sins, and the promise of forgiveness.

Why not take a few days and make it a point to prioritize daily confession? It’s a spiritual discipline that’s so beneficial that you’ll likely want to keep at it every day of the year. Take an inventory at the end of each day, tell God how you sinned, and ask for His forgiveness and ask Him to help you live in a way that honors Him. Remember, unconfessed sin can impact your relationship with God in a negative way, and nothing is worth that.  Confessing your sins allows you to keep a clean slate with God—meaning that as you continue to confess and repent, He continues to forgive and purify (1 John 1:9). In a world of smoke and mirrors, confession will keep you authentic and true.

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