1 John 1:9 KJV
[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John has a lot to say about sin in this one verse. He first mentions the confession of sin. Secondly, he highlights the comfort about sin. Finally, he emphasizes the cleansing from all sin. As believers, we should note that there is a responsibility on both our part and the Lord’s part to deal with our sin. However, there is only one thing you and I can do about our sin. We read this in the first phrase of the verse. Whenever we sin, all we can do is confess it before God. I want us to consider our part in this text.
This is a pivotal statement. This verse begins with the word “IF” which is a conditional word. God will not act until we first decide what we are going to do about our sin. Whenever a believer chooses to hide their sin, God will then reprove and punish the believer. But, whenever a believer confesses their sin, God is ready to respond in mercy.
This is a personal statement. Each individual must be willing to confess their sins before God. It is very easy to point out the sins of others and not our own. God wants us to put the spotlight on ourselves, not on others. He wants us to confess our sins daily before Him.
This is a practical statement. John is not asking us to do something that is beyond our capability. In fact, it’s not that hard to confess if we will humble ourselves before God. Man can be so prideful that many times he would rather try to pay some form of penance rather than come clean and confess his sins. Forgiveness and cleansing are available if we will obey this verse. When we sin, confession is the only thing we can do to fix the situation, and it’s the only thing we have to do. God will do the rest.