Confession and Forgiveness
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
There are many versions of a similar story that date back thousands of years. One of the earliest tells of a Roman official who went aboard a galley where the oars were manned by prisoners serving sentences following their conviction for various crimes. As he walked past the rows of men, one by one they proclaimed their innocence. They told stories of failing to receive justice, being falsely accused, and being victims of cases of mistaken identity. Finally near the back of the ship, the official heard one man say that he was indeed guilty and deserved to be there. The official turned to the captain of the boat and said, “I want this man removed at once. It is not right for all these innocent men to be forced to spend time with such a criminal. Let him go free.”
We will never find forgiveness for sins we are not willing to acknowledge. As long as we are trying to hide our sin, make excuses for it, or blame others rather than taking responsibility, we will not turn to Christ for the pardon God freely offers. Solomon wrote, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). The problem for Christians whose sin has hindered their relationship with God is not that they cannot be forgiven, but that they have not yet reached the point of acknowledging it. The word “confess” does not mean just to say that we have done something wrong, but to say the same thing about that wrong that God does. Our natural tendency is to try avoid the blame for the wrong we have done. But there can be no repentance until we get to the point where we see our sin clearly, call it what it is, and ask for God's forgiveness.
Growth Principle:
Facing up to our responsibility for sin is the first step to restoring our relationship with God.