What is your view on people who have confessed, but whose sins have not been forgiven, like Pharaoh, who confessed his sin to Moses (Ex. 9:27), and Achan son of Carmi, who confessed to Joshua (Josh. 7:20), and King Saul who confessed to Samuel the prophet
The sacrament of confession in the Church is also called the sacrament of repentance. A person must show himself repentant before coming to confess his sins. Confession without being sorry for your sins is of no value. And one who confesses cannot obtain forgiveness unless he is repentant.
Those whom you mentioned confessed, but were not repentant. Pharaoh cried out: “I have sinned”, but his heart was still hard within. He was not motivated by remorse, but by fear of the plagues, for as soon as each plague was lifted, he revealed himself in his true nature.
Achan the Son of Carmi didn’t go to Joshua confessing and repentant, but God revealed his sin against his will, so he was forced to admit his fault. The whole nation was defeated, but Achan did not confess. The Lord said: “Israel has sinned.. they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived ” (Josh. 7:11), yet Achan did not own up. Then began the casting of lots and the threats, but still he would not admit it. Even when the finger was pointed on his own tribe and on his own clan and on his own household, Achan did not confess. So in the end the Lord exposed him by name, and he was forced to own up. Was he then, in spite of all this, repentant?
King Saul was not repentant, even when he said: “I have sinned”. His only object was to get Samuel to go back with him. He did not act out of regret at what he had done, but for the sake of keeping his honour, so that he could lift up his face before the people!! This is why he said: ” yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel. ” (1 Sam. 15:30).
