Spheres of Repentance

This graphic titled “The Spheres of Repentance” presents a critical biblical framework for understanding how to rightly address sin. Repentance is not just about smoothing things over or getting past the awkwardness. It’s a God-centered process that requires precision, intentionality, and reverence. There is a holy sequence to repentance, and this model helps us visualize and apply it rightly.

The Sphere of Offense: Who Have I Sinned Against?

We begin with the Sphere of Offense—represented by the large green circle in the graphic. This circle encompasses everyone impacted by your sin, beginning with God. All sin is ultimately and always vertical. As David rightly declared in Psalm 51:4, “Against You, You only, have I sinned…” even though he had sinned grievously against others. God is always the first and most offended party.

Then we identify all horizontal relationships affected—perhaps a spouse, a child, a friend, or even bystanders who overheard or were indirectly impacted. If your sin touched someone—even emotionally or verbally—they are inside that sphere. You must name them and include them in the repentance process.

The Sphere of Confession: Who Should I Confess To?

The Sphere of Confession must always match the Sphere of Offense. If you sinned against God, your wife, and your child, then those are the ones you confess to. No more, no less. This avoids two errors: under-confessing (leaving someone out) and over-confessing (dragging others in unnecessarily).

Confession means agreeing with God’s Word about your sin. It is not just saying “I’m sorry.” It is saying, “I have sinned against you in this way. I was wrong. Will you forgive me?” You call sin what God calls it using biblical categories, not vague emotional terms.

The Sphere of Forgiveness: Who Do I Ask for Forgiveness?

Finally, the Sphere of Forgiveness mirrors the first two spheres. Once you’ve identified your offense and confessed it biblically, you then seek transactional forgiveness from all parties involved. This is not just a ritualistic phrase. It’s a solemn request to be released from the debt your sin created.

• With God: “Father, I have sinned against You by… Will You forgive me?”
• With others: “Mable, I was harsh and impatient with you last night when I dismissed your opinion. That was sinful. Will you forgive me?”

Case Study: Biff’s Incomplete Repentance

Biff recently lost his temper and spoke harshly to his wife, Mable, and later snapped at his son, Biffy, over a minor issue. The next day, under conviction, Biff approached both and said, “I’m really sorry for how I talked to you yesterday. That wasn’t right. Please forgive me.” On the surface, it seems like a decent confession: polite, brief, and seeking reconciliation.

But Biff never once went to God. He confessed and sought forgiveness horizontally, but skipped the vertical transaction, the one that matters most. In God’s eyes, Biff’s guilt remains. While the conversation with his wife and son may have led to some emotional relief or surface-level peace, there was no forensic removal of guilt before the holy Judge. This makes the repentance incomplete and ultimately invalid from a biblical standpoint.

The danger here is that Biff thinks he’s reconciled, but in reality, he hasn’t dealt with the core offense: sin against God. As a result, his conscience may remain unsettled, his growth stagnant, and his relationships vulnerable to repeat offenses.

What Should Biff Do?

1. Return to the Vertical Offense: Biff needs to go before the Lord and say, “Father, I have sinned against You by being harsh, selfish, and unloving to my wife and son. I did not honor You. Will You forgive me?” This is not a formality; it’s a real transaction of grace.
2. Go Back to Mable and Biffy: Once he has made things right with God, Biff should revisit his earlier confession and clarify it: “I want to circle back to our conversation. I realize now that I didn’t confess my sin fully. I talked to you, but I hadn’t even talked to God yet. I’ve done that now, and I want to confess to you more clearly. What I did wasn’t just ‘not right;’ it was sinful. I was angry and selfish, and I spoke to you both in a dishonoring way. Will you forgive me?”
3. Practice Ongoing Awareness of the Spheres: Biff should begin to think in terms of spheres going forward. Every time he sins, he can walk through:
   1. Who was affected?
      1. Have I confessed vertically and horizontally?
      2. Have I asked each person for forgiveness?

This model is one aspect of a broader repentance process — but it’s foundational. Without properly identifying the sphere of offense, the rest of the steps will be shallow or incomplete.

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Peace,
Rick