So let it be clearly known and understood by you, brethren, that through this Man forgiveness and removal of sins is now proclaimed to you. – Acts 13:38
I don’t know about you, but there was a time in my life where my prayers were only about confessing all the things that I did wrong. I would name all the things I could possibly think of and then just at the end add, “and I also ask You to forgive me for all things I can’t remember, amen.” I thought that it was my confession of my sins that brought me forgiveness.
There is only one scripture after the cross, that speaks about the confession of sins as a condition in order to obtain forgiveness, and it is found in the first letter of John. Verse 9 in the first chapter says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Now let us look at this. First of all, you need to understand that John wrote this letter to a group of believers, and he says in the letter the following words, “I write this to you in reference to those who would deceive you,” (1 John 2 verse 26). He spoke of them (the deceivers) and said, “they were never part of us,” and even referred to them as anti-Christ. So, throughout the whole letter you will see that one moment he refers to “you/we/the believers” and the next moment to those who are of the world/the group of unbelievers/the anti-Christ/those not born again. This group of deceivers were once part of their gathering, but they never came to Christ; they were never really part of them (1 John 2:19).
In writing to the group of believers he constantly establishes them in their forgiveness (1 John 2:12) and that they are living in the light (1 John 1:7). BUT in 1 John 1 verse 8, 9 and 10 he points out the deception of those who were deceiving them. These guys, that were anti-Christ, claimed to be in no need of forgiveness or a Saviour, because they believed they were without sin. By stating in verse 8, “if we say we have no sin, the Truth is not in us” and in verse 10, “if we say we have not sinned, we make God to be false and a liar,” John addresses the deception. In between those two verses he says, “if we confess our sins, God will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There are two things you need to see here. Firstly, he is referring to those deceivers in that context, even though he uses the word “we”. Secondly, he is not speaking of confessing sins or the deeds of sin but confessing sin in context of being born in sin, a sinner. These guys, that were anti-Christ, had to realise they were born in sin, and that they were in need of a Saviour. This is the context of these 3 verses. Go and read the first letter of John, the whole letter (1-5), and see where he speaks directly to the church and where he refers to the “deceivers.” Remember it is one letter and in the same letter he says: “I am writing to you, LITTLE CHILDREN, because for His name’s sake your SINS ARE FORGIVEN.” 1 John 2 verse 12.
We that came to faith in Christ can boldly believe that all our sins have been removed from us and that we are therefore completely forgiven from our past, present, and future sins. Jesus came to die for our sins, and He was successful in what He came to do. We were washed by the precious blood of Jesus, completely cleansed. In fact, the New Testament says in Ephesians 4 verse 32: “…forgiving one another, as God IN CHRIST FORGAVE YOU.” Christians, we now live to Know Him more and to reveal Him to the world as He transforms us from the inside out. We become Christ like.
Hebrews 10 verse 10,14:
“10 And in accordance with this will [of God], we have been made holy (consecrated and sanctified) through the offering made once for all of the body of Jesus Christ (the Anointed One).14 For by a single offering He has forever completely cleansed and perfected those who are consecrated and made holy.”
When we believe that we are forgiven, it gives us freedom to know Jesus more and go to Him with boldness.
1 John 3 verse 21 “And, beloved, if our consciences (our hearts) do not accuse us [if they do not make us feel guilty and condemn us], we have confidence (complete assurance and boldness) before God,”