If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
The word “confess” means “to agree with.” John states that those who confess sins are both forgiven and cleansed. When we confess our sins to God, we are agreeing with God that we were wrong and that we have sinned. God forgives us, through confession, on an ongoing basis because He is “faithful and just.”
How is God “faithful and just”?
He is Faithful by forgiving sins, which He has promised to do for all those who receive Christ as Savior. He is Just by accepting Christ’s payment for our sins, recognizing that our sins have indeed been atoned for. When the Lord Jesus said, “It is finished,” He meant it.
Though we are forgiven at the point of salvation, there is also an ongoing sense in which we need to confess sin and experience forgiveness and cleansing. Our need for confession is important for our relationship with God. A proper fellowship with God cannot happen with unconfessed sin in our lives. Therefore, we need to confess our sins to God as soon as we are aware that we have sinned so that our fellowship with God is not affected.
Today, let us pray and ask God if there are any unconfessed sins that are obstructing our fellowship with Him. If God reminds us of something, let us confess our sins and accept God’s forgiveness and thank Him for paying the price for our sins.
