1John 1:9
‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’(NIV)
This is one of those scriptures we quote off so very easily. But let’s take time today to really read it again.
According to Wikipedia, a confession is a statement made by a person or group of people acknowledging some personal fact they would prefer to keep hidden.
Just like Adam in the garden, we generally don’t like our wrongdoing exposed for all to see. Our tendency is to cover up, and pretend we’ve got it all together or think we can handle our struggles on our own. God expects differently from us. He says, if we confess our sins i.e. if we will admit that we have a problem. If we will admit we can’t do it all, or that we messed up, or that yes we struggle with envy and greed and lust and pride . . . If we would admit to Him our inadequacies . . .
I’ve found that it’s hard for people who have been saved for a long time to admit to sin. We want to be seen as having it all together, and understanding the things of the Spirit at all times…
Pride keeps us from acknowledging our sin, from facing up to our mistakes and our mess. Pride keeps us from admitting that we need God and asking Him for help.
But if we will take the bold step to confess (to open up our sin and struggle to God) He assures us that:
In Christ we will be forgiven. He is faithful; He can be trusted and relied upon to forgive us. There are no ‘on and off’ days with God. He’s the same all the time. Doesn’t matter when you confess, God’s faithful and just, to forgive you! He’ll go beyond that and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and filth.
Praise God that He can be trusted at all times. Praise God that He is faithful and just. Praise God that if and when I confess my sin to Him, He cleanses, forgives and purifies.
