Yesterday we learned the importance of confessing our sins, and without the admission of sins a person cannot have fellowship with God. To deny that there is a sin nature within, and somehow believe that a person has never done anything wrong is to deny a relationship with God. However, if a person confesses, turns from and repents of the sins he or she has done, there is a promise that John makes that accompanies that decision. John writes:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
When a person chooses to confess his or her sins, John says that God is “faithful and just” to forgive and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God awaits the admission and repentance of our sins. He desires to have fellowship with us, but being a Holy and Righteous God, He cannot have fellowship with man until there is repentance from sins. It's the reason that He sent His son Jesus in the first place. Consider another place where John wrote in his gospel of John chapter three verse sixteen:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God loves every person, and God knows the perishing condition of man. He doesn't want anyone to perish, and He desires to have a relationship with all who are willing. He will not force anyone to have a relationship with Him, but He has made the provision to forgive and to cleanse a person from the very point of separation – sins. John knew that everyone sins and violates the law of God, and therefore they are separated from God.
The Apostle Paul also knew about sin. He wrote it this way in the book of Romans chapter three verse twenty-three:
“For all have sinned; and come short of the glory of God.”
Paul also wrote in Romans chapter three and verse ten through twelve:
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one.
When a person confesses his or her sins, the doorway to God's faithfulness and justness is released, and their sins are forgiven and cleansed no matter how bad those sins may be. Of course, that is a topic for tomorrow's lesson.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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