Confession And Forgiveness?
25023 N
1John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Read the context: 1John 1
Ponder
? What precedes "if we confess?"
? Is there a difference between “admitting” and “confessing?”
? What are the consequences if I do not confess my sins to God?
? In contrast to God’s faithfulness, what does my “confession” demonstrate?
JNE: 1John is describing having true fellowship with God and each other. He will discuss several barriers to our fellowship. Failing to "confess our sins" is probably the root of them all. Confess means to say the same thing. As the source and standard of all truth, God is the One Who determines what sin is. Our human nature seeks and chooses to do our own will even if it does not conform to God's will. God says this is sin. John said "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." This says that the basis of our neglect or refusal to "confess our sins" is "deception." And it is not just being deceived by someone or something in our environment, it is self-deception, "we deceive ourselves." Few people would say "I have no sin." But we all say, "I don't sin as bad or as often as a lot of other people." This attitude alone reveals that we are willingly deceived about what sin really is, about our own basic nature. To be sure there are behaviors that are "sin." But the root of those behaviors are our attitudes. Our basic attitudes are described by the phrase that is opposite to the attitude Jesus had when He said to God the Father: "not my will but Yours be done." Our basic human nature, without even thinking about it says: "not Your will but mine be done." To be rescued, forgiven, of that attitude, that self-deceived idea of independence, self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, is what John says requires our "confession." Confession says, about everything, "God, You are right, I am wrong; God, please forgive me of my arrogant pride that thinks I know better than You; please forgive me for thinking and behaving as if my ways are wiser, better and more important than Yours; please forgive me for thinking that Your patience with my sin is an indication that You don't think it is very bad; and dear God, thank you that Jesus paid the penalty of all my sin; thank you that you faithfully applied Jesus sacrifice to me in such a way that it "cleanses me from all unrighteousness."
Dear God, I confess that I am too often too distracted, too deceived, to ponder the awful consequences of my self-righteousness and the wondrous reality of Your Grace that forgives my sin and welcomes me to fellowship with You. In all of this I must continually be reminded that it is God's Faithfulness, not my confession that is the gateway to fellowship with God and with each other. My confession knocks on the gate but God's Faithfulness opens it and welcomes me in.
1John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Read the context: 1John 1
Ponder
? What precedes "if we confess?"
? Is there a difference between “admitting” and “confessing?”
? What are the consequences if I do not confess my sins to God?
? In contrast to God’s faithfulness, what does my “confession” demonstrate?
JNE: 1John is describing having true fellowship with God and each other. He will discuss several barriers to our fellowship. Failing to "confess our sins" is probably the root of them all. Confess means to say the same thing. As the source and standard of all truth, God is the One Who determines what sin is. Our human nature seeks and chooses to do our own will even if it does not conform to God's will. God says this is sin. John said "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." This says that the basis of our neglect or refusal to "confess our sins" is "deception." And it is not just being deceived by someone or something in our environment, it is self-deception, "we deceive ourselves." Few people would say "I have no sin." But we all say, "I don't sin as bad or as often as a lot of other people." This attitude alone reveals that we are willingly deceived about what sin really is, about our own basic nature. To be sure there are behaviors that are "sin." But the root of those behaviors are our attitudes. Our basic attitudes are described by the phrase that is opposite to the attitude Jesus had when He said to God the Father: "not my will but Yours be done." Our basic human nature, without even thinking about it says: "not Your will but mine be done." To be rescued, forgiven, of that attitude, that self-deceived idea of independence, self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, is what John says requires our "confession." Confession says, about everything, "God, You are right, I am wrong; God, please forgive me of my arrogant pride that thinks I know better than You; please forgive me for thinking and behaving as if my ways are wiser, better and more important than Yours; please forgive me for thinking that Your patience with my sin is an indication that You don't think it is very bad; and dear God, thank you that Jesus paid the penalty of all my sin; thank you that you faithfully applied Jesus sacrifice to me in such a way that it "cleanses me from all unrighteousness."
Dear God, I confess that I am too often too distracted, too deceived, to ponder the awful consequences of my self-righteousness and the wondrous reality of Your Grace that forgives my sin and welcomes me to fellowship with You. In all of this I must continually be reminded that it is God's Faithfulness, not my confession that is the gateway to fellowship with God and with each other. My confession knocks on the gate but God's Faithfulness opens it and welcomes me in.