March 3, 2025 - 1 John 1:9 - Confession of Sins

1 John 1:9

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

There are three parts to this important declaration of faith that the Spirit of God causes the child of God to acknowledge, before both God and men.

"If we confess our sins."

The "if" here may better be translated as "when" or "as." It is certain that the child of God does, and will continue to confess their sinfulness before the LORD. This is the ongoing work of the Spirit in their heart, from the moment of their first cry at their new birth to their last breath as they depart from this world in death, by God's appointment.

Confession of sin is not just about us admitting wrongs but coming before God with a humble heart, recognizing the sinfulness of our sin before a Holy God and our need for His continual grace in Christ Jesus, the only Advocate for sin between God and the child of God (1 John 2:1,2). The writer to the Hebrews wrote: "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14-16).

To confess means "to say the same thing as." Therefore, to confess one's sinfulness before God is to see our sinfulness as God sees it and not to hide any of it before Him. Whether we confess the sin or not, the LORD knows what we are already, and its just a matter of Him bringing us to confess it before Him. When the Spirit of God declares us to be what we are, our only response can be, "Yes, LORD!" When shown the truth of Christ by the Spirit of God, the child of God will despise and abhor their flesh. The apostle Paul declared, late in his converted life, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing" (Romans 7:18). Job was caused to confess, "Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:6).

When God grants repentance to the sinner, it is never a one-time act, and it has nothing to do with a supposed free will, which is not free but completely bound by sin. Only God, by His Holy Spirit, can and does give true repentance. And when true repentance is given, it is by the revelation of Jesus Christ in the soul first, from which repentance is the fruit. "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6).

"He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins."

Since forgiveness of sins is the effect of Christ having died and paid the sin debt, it is not the act of confessing sin that brings forgiveness. Rather, confessing sin is the result of having had our sins already forgiven in the death of the LORD Jesus at the cross. As the redeemed sinner is continually made to see and acknowledge the sinfulness of their sin, God is faithful to His Son and His accomplished work at the cross to continue forgiving (present tense). Because Christ has paid the sin debt, there can never be any sin for which God the Father cannot forgive.

"And to cleanse from all unrighteousness."

Here again, it is the blood that the LORD Jesus shed unto death at the cross that has cleansed and continues to cleanse from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7). So complete was the work of the LORD Jesus at the cross that there remained nothing but for God the Father to impute righteousness once and forever to the spiritual account of every one of God's children. He elected them from eternity and sent the LORD Jesus to die in their stead. Their sins, past, present, and future, were all put away at the cross. Every elect child since the cross has already had their sins put away, so all of their sins would still be future, yet to be committed, and yet already forgiven (Colossians 2:13). No one can ever call themselves just or justified before God outside the Person of Christ and His finished work at the cross.

Praise God for His gracious, justifying work of His elect, purposed from eternity, accomplished at the cross, and revealed in time in the hearts of each of them. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37).