Confession brings forgiveness and guards God’s character.

认罪带下赦免并护卫神的品格。

Confessing your sins means you agree with God that you have offended His holy character, are worthy of punishment, and in need of forgiveness. That's exactly what we see Daniel doing in verses 5-16. Verse 20 summarizes his prayer: "I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God."

承认你的罪意味着你认同神，你冒犯了神的圣洁，应当受到惩罚，需要被赦免。这正是我们看见但以理在5-16节中所做的，20节总结他的祷告：“我说话，祷告，承认我的罪和本国之民以色列的罪……在耶和华我神面前恳求。”

Unlike some who suffer God's chastening, Daniel didn't shift the blame for Israel's calamity. Instead he admitted that his people had willfully disobeyed God's Word and ignored His prophets, thereby bringing judgment upon themselves. Once they were a nation blessed by God; now they were aliens and captives in a foreign land. God had kept His promise to curse them if they disobeyed Him (Deut. 28:15).

不像有些被神惩诫的人，但以理没有将一切怪罪于以色列的不幸。他反倒是承认他的民有意违背神的话，不听从祂的先知，因而给自身带来审判。他们一度是神祝福的民，现在他们却是在他乡的土地上寄居的，被掳的。神持守了祂的承诺，如果他们违背神，就会招致咒诅（申28：15）。

In verses 12-15 Daniel analyzes the consequences of Israel's sin, which included her captivity and the guilt she bore for her arrogance and reluctance to repent.

在12-15节中，但以理分析了以色列罪带来的后果，包括她的被掳，以及她的自大、不肯悔改所犯的罪过。

Verse 14 reflects perhaps the most important aspect of confession: Daniel's affirmation that "the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done." The Gentile nations knew that the Israelites were God's chosen people. Surely the fall of Jerusalem raised questions about God's character: What kind of God would stand idly by while His people are ravaged and His Temple plundered? What is the benefit of having a God like that? This, in effect, is Daniel's response: "God is righteous in everything He does. We deserve this punishment, so don't accuse Him of acting unjustly."

14节反映出可能是认罪最重要的方面：但以理认定“耶和华我们的神在他所行的事上都是公义。”外邦诸民知道以色列人是神的选民。耶路撒冷的倾覆无疑引发对神品性的质疑：什么样的神会在他的百姓被蹂躏、他的圣殿遭掠夺时无所事事，袖手旁观？有这样一位神有何益处？事实上，这是但以理的回应：“神一切所行都是公义，我们当受惩罚，因此不要责怪神行事不公。”

Confession therefore serves a dual purpose: it brings forgiveness and frees God to chasten us without bringing accusations of inequity or injustice upon Himself.

因此认罪有双重目的：一，它带下赦免；二，神责罚我们，我们不能怪神不公平或不公正。

Daniel's prayer came at a special time in Israel's history, but undoubtedly confession was a regular part of his life. That should be your pattern as well. Don't wait until disaster strikes before you confess your sin. Make it a daily practice.

但以理的祷告是在以色列历史上的特殊时刻发出的，然而，毫无疑问，认罪是他生活的一个常规。你也应当这样。不要等到大祸临头才想起认罪，让它成为一个日常操练。

If you have not developed a systematic approach to prayer, the "ACTS" format is a good way to start.

如果你还没形成一个系统的祷告方法，“ACTS”是一个很好的开始。

• Adoration—praising God

• Confession—confessing sin

• Thanksgiving—thanking God

• Supplication—praying for others

• A 崇拜—赞美神

• C 认罪—承认你的罪

• T 感恩—感谢神

• S 恳求—为他人代祷

Read about David's sin in 2 Samuel 11:1—12:25 and his confession in Psalm 51. What are the similarities and differences between David's confession and Daniel's?

阅读撒母耳记下11：1-12：25中大卫的犯罪，以及他在诗篇51中的认罪。大卫的认罪和但以理的认理有何相似与不不同？