Scripture
Introduction
1We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning,[1] whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.[2]
Living in the Light
5This is the message we heard from Jesus[3] and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
8If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
Translation notes (3)
- 1:1 Greek What was from the beginning.
- 1:4 Or so that our joy may be complete; some manuscripts read your joy.
- 1:5 Greek from him.
9But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
What comes to mind when you think of the word confession? Maybe you immediately think of the fear that many people think about when it comes to confessing wrongdoings. Perhaps you are thinking of a time you had to confess a sin. Maybe you are thinking about someone you know who needs to confess a sin. Or perhaps the idea of confession brings relief. The truth is confession does bring relief because when we confess, we can make things right and receive forgiveness.
John urges us to confess our sins in 1 John 1. He writes in this chapter that "if we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth" (verse 8). We only fool ourselves when we ignore our sin and pretend it does not exist. After all, the Bible teaches that we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). There is no person without sin. Instead of refusing to acknowledge sin, there is a better way. John continues teaching in 1 John, "If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness" (verse 19). God is ready, willing, and able to forgive us when we acknowledge our sins. While confessing our sins can seem scary, confession is what brings peace and makes us right with God.
Confession brings peace because God is faithful and forgiving. When we were lost and caught in sin, He went to extravagant lengths to offer forgiveness and peace with Him. When we come to Him and confess our sins, we can be confident that He will forgive us. We do not have to wonder and question His response when we confess our sins. We can confidently go to Him, knowing He will forgive us. There is no room for shame when our God offers such extravagant, undeserved forgiveness. There is only running straight to Him.
Moving toward action
Is there something you need to confess today? Maybe there is a sin you have been giving in to. Confess that sin today to God and the people you have hurt by your sin. Maybe you are struggling with temptation. Find a trusted person to confide in today and tell them your struggle. Ask them to pray for you in your fight against this temptation and to help keep you accountable. Remember, when we confess, we receive restoration and forgiveness.
Going Deeper
1 John 1:1-10 (NLT)
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