"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
Is there any hope for those who, after having accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, have fallen back into sin? No sin is too small or too big that it does not need forgiveness. Perhaps you were rude to a clerk at the store; maybe you told a little ‘white lie’; or maybe you have a sinful habit like looking with lust toward others either in the movies or on your computer. The reality is that sometimes Christians may still sin; even though John says our spirits can never sin (1 John 5:18), if we are not careful - we can sometimes walk back in darkness. What hope do we have?
First, realize that disobeying God is not inevitable. This verse does not say “when we confess our sin”, but “IF we confess our sin”. As a child of God, we should not go looking for sin or assume that we can’t help but fall every now and then. This verse is not a license to do wrong, but rather a help for those who are truly struggling to be godly in this evil world.
Second, we ought to know we are not alone in fighting the flesh. Sin affects all of us in different ways. As we strive for the holiness that Christ Jesus has asked of us - you may catch the attention of the evil one who will do all he can to place enticing, worldly pleasures before you. But understand we are all struggling with our sin nature and the way to overcome it is to choose not to be conformed to this world, but rather to be transformed by the renewing of our mind by reading the Bible! (Romans 12:1-2)
Third, confess your sins to God and God alone. No one, not a priest, a pastor, a parent, a friend, or a spouse can act as a mediator and forgive your sins. Only Jesus can forgive your sins, but you must first confess each one of them to Him. To confess means to acknowledge we have done wrong according to God’s word and recognize we may have hurt people along the way. When we agree with God that we have done wrong, He forgives us and cleanses us! Hallelujah!
To learn more about God’s forgiveness, listen to the sermon below!
First, realize that disobeying God is not inevitable. This verse does not say “when we confess our sin”, but “IF we confess our sin”. As a child of God, we should not go looking for sin or assume that we can’t help but fall every now and then. This verse is not a license to do wrong, but rather a help for those who are truly struggling to be godly in this evil world.
Second, we ought to know we are not alone in fighting the flesh. Sin affects all of us in different ways. As we strive for the holiness that Christ Jesus has asked of us - you may catch the attention of the evil one who will do all he can to place enticing, worldly pleasures before you. But understand we are all struggling with our sin nature and the way to overcome it is to choose not to be conformed to this world, but rather to be transformed by the renewing of our mind by reading the Bible! (Romans 12:1-2)
Third, confess your sins to God and God alone. No one, not a priest, a pastor, a parent, a friend, or a spouse can act as a mediator and forgive your sins. Only Jesus can forgive your sins, but you must first confess each one of them to Him. To confess means to acknowledge we have done wrong according to God’s word and recognize we may have hurt people along the way. When we agree with God that we have done wrong, He forgives us and cleanses us! Hallelujah!
To learn more about God’s forgiveness, listen to the sermon below!
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