This week we will study a well-known verse, 1 John 1:9, which says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
In 1 John 1:5-10 John compares fellowship with Jesus to walking in the light. One way we do this is by admitting our sin. Just before verse 9 he says: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (verses 8 & 9).
God’s awesome holiness shines into the darkness of this sinful world. Those who desire to have an authentic relationship with Him must obey His Word and live in His light. But, to do this, the problem of sin must be dealt with openly and honestly before the Lord. John explains, “If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us” (verse 10). So our verse, about confessing sin, is sandwiched between two verses about the foolishness of claiming that we have not sinned.
The way to deal with sin is to confess it as soon as we become aware of it. Otherwise, guilt will weigh us down and ruin our relationship with God, as it did with David, who said: “Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone” (Psalm 32:5 NLT). When he tried to cover up sin, he was miserable, but when He got real with God that burden of guilt was washed away.
The word confess means to agree with God that we have broken His law and therefore deserve punishment. Confession recognizes that we are personally guilty. We must be humble enough to say, “Lord, I have sinned against you.” Believers who want to walk in God’s light must be willing to let Him deal radically with their lives, even if it hurts.
But weren’t all our sins forgiven when we were Born Again? Yes, at the point of salvation, all our sins were forgiven. We were justified, meaning we were placed in right-standing with God. On the cross, Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, once and for all (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:6-11). All our sins – past, present, and future – are forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ.
BUT: In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught that we must continue to seek forgiveness daily (Matthew 6:11-12). Knowing that God’s children frequently miss the mark , John said: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Sins that are not confessed to God will prevent us from walking in the light of genuine fellowship with Jesus.
So, first, we must be willing to admit our sins to ourselves. David prayed: “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:3). We hinder our relationship with God if we try to hide or deny our sins. Listen to Proverbs 28:13 – “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy”. If we are honest with ourselves, we can confess our sins to God, turn away from them, and experience His forgiveness and cleansing.
As every married couple knows, maintaining a healthy, loving relationship requires the giving and receiving of forgiveness. Sometimes we need to admit that we’ve wronged a family member, a co-worker, or a brother in Christ. Scripture teaches us to confess our sins to other believers and seek forgiveness from those we have hurt (James 5:13-16; Ephesians 4:32).
What do we mean by God is FAITHFUL and JUST?
FAITHFUL means that God is consistent in His love for us. God does not give up on us because we sin. We can always count on His steadfast love and forgiveness. When we turn to the Lord, He will have mercy on us and freely pardon our sin (Isaiah 55:7). JUST means that God is legally and ethically right. He is free from bias, favouritism, or deception. God has promised that if we confess our sins, He will forgive us. Therefore, we can trust Him to do just that. In Romans 3:26 Paul writes: “God is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus”. Hallelujah!
Let me conclude with an illustration:
When a child is naughty or disobedient, their bad behaviour spoils the loving relationship between him and his parents. They may be angry with him and he may be upset and feel rejected. But no matter how angry his parents are, no matter how uncomfortable the relationship might feel at that moment, they never stop being his parents. As soon as he says he is sorry and accepts the consequences of his actions, the warmth of their relationship is restored. When you stumble and sin you do not stop being a child of God, but until you confess your sin and receive His mercy you will not enjoy a loving relationship with Him. Just being aware of your sin will keep you away from Him. Admit your sin and forsake it, receive His cleansing, and enjoy the warmth of His embrace.