“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)
Neither a rabbit’s foot nor a religious ritual can accomplish forgiveness. I John 1:9 is not a formula or magic wand to ward off sins. Only God can forgive sins.The scribes and Pharisees were right about one thing when they challenged Jesus in Luke 5. “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” They said a mouthful there. The message they rejected, of course, is that Jesus IS God and thereby qualified to forgive sins. Jesus would soon heal the man sick with palsy (5:24). The scribes and Pharisees, aflame with anger, said, “who is this which speaketh blasphemies?” (5:21). Jesus spoke truth, not blasphemy.
Scribes and Pharisees rejected Christ’s forgiveness. Maybe we believers underestimate and misunderstand it. I John 1:9 can help correct that. First, we must confess our sins. This means saying the same thing God does about sin. We can’t soft-pedal the matter. God hates sin, and our confession must reflect that we do, too. Second, the verse tells us that Jesus is faithful to forgive sins. He forgives consistently and repeatedly. His forgiving is applied fairly and is based on his forgiving nature, not on our merit. Third, he is just. Such justice makes him qualified to forgive sins. If I pronounced someone forgiven of sins, that would carry no weight. Why? I’m not just. Christ’s perfect justice means he can forgive sins. Fourth, he cleanses us from all unrighteousness. That means his forgiveness is ongoing and applies to our day-to-day cleansing. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross pardons us once for all. What’s to be done about sins committed after salvation? We confess such sins, and Christ is faithful and just to forgive AND to cleanse. (I John 1:9 doesn’t mention repentance, but it’s a separate and important element of our Christian walk–a topic suited for its own devotional.)
We dare not run to 1 John 1:9 lightly. Forgiveness is not cheap or trite. Calvary wasn’t. Likewise, we dare not shun that verse for fear that it’s too good to be true. Christ’s forgiveness is wondrous, and it is ours because we are in a relationship with God Himself through Christ Jesus. Isn’t that humbling and thrilling at the same time?
