Confession is Good for the Soul
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9
As our kids grew up their was a parenting technique that we leveraged throughout the entire process. It was simply called “when, then.”For example, if their was a struggle with cleaning up their room we would say, “When you clean up your room, then you can have tv time.” It was so simple, yet so effective.
If you apply the “when, then” technique to our verse for today, I John 1:9, it would go something like this: when you confess your sins to our great God who is faithful and just, then He will forgive you and cleanse you from unrighteousness. This truth is part of the “New Covenant” God has made with us. It was ratified on the cross with every drop of blood that fell from the body of Christ onto the ground. We do not live in condemnation as believers, but their are those moments of conviction that should lead to confession of sin in our lives that provide freedom. That freedom was bestowed on us by a loving heavenly Father. As Jesus said to the Pharisees, “. . .if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36)
One of my favorite verses points to the Father’s heart in the process of redemption: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17) It is God’s faithfulness and justice that leads to forgiveness for those who believe in Jesus (The word justice refers to the cross, moments that provide great insight into the forgiving nature of God).
In our key verse for today, “the plural sins makes clear that we affirm our sinfulness by confessing our sins, and the forgiveness that comes is related to God’s faithfulness and justice.”1 The phrase ”he is faithful and just” includes God’s mercy and justice, and alludes to God’s light and love. David proclaimed, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1a) God’s light was a source of guidance and protection for the psalmist and a symbol of well-being.2 God’s mercy and justice assist us on the journey as we grow in our relationship with Him. Finally, the verb
used for “forgive” in John 1:9, speaks to moments where freedom is found: the cancellation of debts and the dropping of charges.
Is there some sin in your life where you need forgiveness? Has someone sinned against you and you need to forgive them? If so, get busy canceling debts and dropping charges. These actions reveal the heart of our heavenly Father at work in us. These actions lead to the freedom that only comes in right relationship with our great God! Confession is good for the soul!
– Pastor Chuck
1 Expositor’s Bible Commentary (accessed 9/17/2020 at biblegateway.com)
2 NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, Psalm 27:1, note (accessed 9/17/2020 at biblegateway.com)