A Cure For My Own Racism Was Just Found

 I don't want to be manipulative so I would like to, again, leave this post as a more free flowing "confessional" type of a post.  I was racist towards black people by inferring that since their noses are bigger, they must have been sort of like Jewish people who have big noses also since we were both enslaved for a lengthy period.  I have learned the error of my ways.  Both peoples are just seemingly known to have, when speaking in generalities, bigger noses.  I'm sorry for sinning even if it might seem minor to some based on what they are used to in this world.

me: where does it say in the old testament that one should confess their sins to one another

Google Gemini:

You're likely thinking of the New Testament when it comes to the explicit instruction to "confess your sins to one another." However, the Old Testament lays the groundwork for the concept of confession and reconciliation with God and sometimes with others in the context of wrongdoing.

While there isn't a direct command in the Old Testament that says, "confess your sins to one another," there are instances and principles that suggest a practice of acknowledging faults and seeking reconciliation within the community:

Leviticus 5:5: "So it shall be that when anyone becomes guilty in one of these, he shall confess that in which he has sinned." This verse primarily focuses on confessing sin when one has unintentionally broken certain laws related to holy things or sworn oaths. The confession is made in the context of bringing a sin offering, implying it's directed toward God in the presence of the priestly system.

Numbers 5:6-7: "When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person is guilty, he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it, and give it to him to whom he did the wrong." This passage highlights confession in the context of wrongdoing against another person. It emphasizes both acknowledging the sin and making restitution to the wronged party.

Joshua 7:19-21 (The story of Achan): As we discussed earlier, Joshua urged Achan to confess his sin publicly after the defeat at Ai. While not a general command, it illustrates the importance of acknowledging wrongdoing when it affects the community.

Psalm 32:3-5: While a personal psalm, David describes the torment he experienced while concealing his sin and the relief that came with confession to the Lord:

"When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away

Through my groaning all day long.

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;

My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.

I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I did not hide;

I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord';

And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah."

While directed to God, it underscores the principle of acknowledging sin.

Proverbs 28:13: "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion." This proverb highlights the benefit of confession in finding mercy.

Key Takeaway from the Old Testament:

The Old Testament emphasizes the importance of confessing sins primarily to God, especially in the context of ritual cleansing and sacrifices. When sins involved wrongdoing against another person, confession and restitution to that person were also required. While a direct command to confess sins "to one another" in the same way as the New Testament isn't present, the principles of acknowledging wrongdoing, seeking forgiveness, and making amends within the community are evident.

The more direct instruction to confess sins to one another for the sake of healing is found in the New Testament, specifically in James 5:16: "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."

My response to Google Gemini: "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."-(James 5:16)