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Question on Confessing to Cheating

February 24th, 2015

Lori DeGrazia
February 23, 2015

Good morning, friends, I could really use your help. The questioner is a college student who recently recommitted to Christ. The student has been taking online classes and cheating on the tests. They want to know if they should confess to the professor. The student has three semesters left for a degree and is concerned about losing it. Does anyone know the consequences of admitting to cheating on college exams? I would appreciate any comments or advice. Thank you!

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  • Seen by 33
    Ed Chait likes this.
  • Sarah Van Baale The consequence for cheating on exams is usually dismissal.
    Yesterday at 7:07am · Like
  • Michael Karpf It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. I became a Christian after my first year as a university student (I had previously attended another university and flunked out. I enlisted in the Navy, then went back to school to finish my degree). …See More
    Yesterday at 7:17am · Like
  • Lori DeGrazia Thank you, Sarah. I’m trying to answer this as if it were one of my own children, in which case, I would tell them to confess….
    Yesterday at 7:21am · Like
  • Sarah Van Baale Perhaps, another idea would be to withdraw from the class first. Then go and tell the professor that he/she had recently committed their life to Christ, was convicted that he/she had been dishonest, and would have felt it wrong to continue on this semester. Not that I promote trying to skirt consequences, but self imposed consequences/discipline might prevent the worst.
    Yesterday at 7:27am · Like · 2
  • Lori DeGrazia Michael, thank you, really appreciate your open honesty. I agree, this is a decision the student must pray about and seek God for direction.
    Yesterday at 7:28am · Like
  • Lori DeGrazia Sarah, that’s a great suggestion…
    Yesterday at 7:30am · Like
  • Steve Ray Webb I second Sarah’s suggestion.
    Yesterday at 7:38am · Like
  • Tim White Part of our testimony is the difference Christ makes in our lives. Rebirth is the opportunity to step into a fresh day as a new creation. Every time this one would benefit from the ill-gained degree, he will be dragging his shame into what is to be a shameless life. God has a plan for this one’s life and it does not include a degree in which he cheated to obtain, but the testimony that Christ makes a difference in the most important areas of our lives and in the smallest areas.
    Yesterday at 7:59am · Like
  • Lori DeGrazia THank you, Tim, well said.
    Yesterday at 8:19am · Like
  • Carol Coleman For whatever help it may be, I thought of the story of Zaccheus. A tax collector who cheated people when they paid their taxes. However, he confessed when he met Jesus, and God honered that. Just a thought.
    23 hrs · Like · 1
  • Lori DeGrazia Thank you, Carol, good point.
    23 hrs · Like
  • Marilyn Mcclintock Amen, Carol.
    23 hrs · Like
  • Stuart Mattfield Lori, I have thought about your question all day…and I’m not sure I’m any closer to an answer…so my prayers go out to you! Here are some thoughts I’ve had…1) First and foremost, the consequences for this decision are the questioners and his alo…See More
    20 hrs · Like
  • Sarah Van Baale I agree in part with Stuart. I’m also not convinced that God calls us to confess our sins to everyone. This article may be helpful to the questioner: http://www.gotquestions.org/confess-sin-against.html However, new Christians often need guidance beyond “stop sinning and pray”. For people who have not walked in the faith, many times they are unsure of what is right and what is wrong and how they should proceed after they’ve sinned. While I agree that we shouldn’t advocate a specific course of action, and I agree that we should encourage the questioner to seek God, I think we can all agree that staying in a class where we have “earned” a grade under false pretenses is wrong. It would be like stealing, and at the very least the grade/class should be abandon. Some direction is warranted. Stealing is wrong. To proceed in the class would amount to stealing. The confession part is a matter of personal conviction and God’s leading.

    Do we need to confess our sins to those we have sinned against?
    Do we need to confess our sins to those we have…
    GOTQUESTIONS.ORG
    18 hrs · Like · Remove Preview
  • Lori DeGrazia I really can’t thank all of you enough for the time and thoughtfulness you’ve put into responding. Your answers have helped tremendously. I’m still working on the response – encouraging doing the right thing but not stating a definite recommendation; Referring to facing the consequences of sin, God’s loving discipline, and eternal judgment and reward. Still open to comments and advice…
    18 hrs · Unlike · 1
  • Lori DeGrazia Sarah, thank you for the article, I actually had it book marked:)
    18 hrs · Like · 1
  • Dwight Payne re: Stuart’s comment, “The implications here for this person are grave and these decisions are not always black and white. I’m far from a moral relativist, but this one is not easy.”

    I agree with Stuart. It is very easy to tell him to “do the right th    ing” and confess but it really is more complicated than that.

    I am a full-time college professor who teaches online classes. Trust me, most professors know that a lot of students cheat while taking online courses. That’s nothing earth-shattering and I’m betting that most professors take that into consideration when making assignments, calculating grades, etc. But if a student comes along and admits to cheating, now the professor is placed into the mode of “having to do something.” This creates more time, effort, and energy for the professor (writing reports to Deans and Vice Presidents, attending disciplinary hearings, etc.) and the professor is also torn with the possibility that one of their students could be suspended or even expelled from the school. (Plus, the professor is also thinking that this hardly seems fair when considering all the others who have cheated but haven’t come forward.)

    Just saying that it is not an easy call. I used to teach ethics to Police Officers. Most people believe they are ethical but I have come up with some really crazy scenarios that leave you scratching your head and that have divided classes in half as to what “the right thing to do” is in a particular situation.
    18 hrs · Like · 1
  • Lori DeGrazia Very interesting, Dwight. Great to get a professor’s perspective. I’ve tried to think of any scripture that would allow a ” moral relativism” perspective in this situation. As stated, this student is in a very serious situation. But of course, sin is sin. The Ten Commandments are clear. No lying. I’m still praying but I believe when we honor God he will take care of us; maybe with consequences, maybe not? I agree completely, this is a tough call, and it impacts others. I had not thought about the difficult position for the professor.
    17 hrs · Like
  • Dwight Payne It puts the professor in a difficult position and also the school. In today’s society, the school can hardly forgive the student just because he has been saved and is now living for Jesus. That would discriminate against the atheist or pagan who confesses to cheating.

    Ultimately, the student is the one who has to live with it and sleep at night. It’s really not our call as to what he should do. There are several options available to the student and, like I said, they are the one who has to live with their actions (and the consequences of whatever they decide to do next).

    When David put Uriah in position to be killed in battle, he later admitted his sin to God. See Psalm 51:1-4 below:

    Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
    according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
    Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.
    For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
    Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;

    David made his peace with God by admitting his sin and asking for forgiveness. He did not quit being King and he did not leave Bathsheba. In fact, scripture is silent as to whether David ever asked forgiveness from Bathsheba or Uriah’s family.

    The most important thing here is for the student to get this right with God. HOW he does that is between Him and God. It might involve a full confession to the professor, it might involve dropping the course, or it might involve a promise to God that the cheating will stop and never happen again. Tough call.
    17 hrs · Edited · Like · 1
  • Lori DeGrazia Once again, good points! I’ve included 1John 3:21-22 in my response regarding our conscience.
    17 hrs · Like · 2

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