Our pattern for relating is like all other things that we do - as Jesus did - what He saw the Father doing, He did. As we are to relate to God, we are to relate to each other.

When we confess to God, the whole point of God's offering forgiveness to us is restored relationship. He wants it. Much more than we do, or can imagine, even.

But I have found, through many years experience, that people that confess sins to others have done it not to achieve a restored relationship to that person or to restore the harm that they have done; but to clear their own consciences so that they can merrily continue onto other people who are not so troublesome to them.

What is the problem?

Basically, intimidation. We are scared of what the other person will say or do, when we confess sin to them. After all, we have injured them, and in confession, they have the power. So often, we wait to deal with a situation till our internal emotions have been so polluted by Satan (there is a reason for Ephesians 4:26-27) that we don't want to deal with the person we feel about.

In other words, we are cowards.

To all of us, Christ makes a promise, and a warning...

The promise -

"He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be My son."

The warning -

"But for the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers (see Matthew 5:22), sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." - Revelation 21:7-8