1 João 1

1 João 1:9

Ironside - 1 John 1:9 God will never refuse the plea of a seeking soul who comes to Him in the name of Jesus, confessing his sins and asking for forgiveness. The sin question has been settled to the divine satisfaction in the work of the cross. Now God can be just and the Justifier of all who believe in Jesus (Romans 3:26). To look for something worthy in ourselves, to endeavor to satisfy God by imagined works of righteousness, is to fail to recognize our completely lost condition. To acknowledge our sins and to trust His grace gives the happy consciousness of iniquity purged and guilt removed. God’s word to Israel of old was, “Only acknowledge your iniquity” (Jeremiah 3:13). This is ever the gateway to blessing (Hosea 5:15) because “the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Wash’d in Thy blood, from all my guilt made clean In Thee, my Righteousness, alone I’m seen: Thy home my home—Thy God and Father mine! Dead to the world—my life is hid with Thine; Its highest honors fade before my view— Its pleasures, I can trample on them too. Billy Graham - Confession and Cleansing 1 JOHN 1:9 Corrie ten Boom told a story of a little girl who broke one of her mother’s demitasse cups. The little girl came to her mother sobbing, “Oh, Mama, I’m so sorry I broke your beautiful cup.” The mother replied, “I know you’re sorry and I forgive you. Now don’t cry anymore.” The mother then swept up the pieces of the broken cup and placed them in the trash can. But the little girl enjoyed the guilty feeling. She went to the trash can, picked out pieces of the cup, brought them to her mother, and sobbed, “Mother, I’m so sorry that I broke your pretty cup.” This time her mother spoke firmly to her, “Take those pieces and put them back in the trash can. Don’t be silly enough to take them out again. I told you I forgave you, so don’t cry anymore.” Don’t keep holding on to your guilt. If you have confessed your sins to Christ, He has forgiven them and taken them away—forever. David Jeremiah - GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS (Your Daily Journey) We have all experienced going to bed with the weight of the world on our shoulders over a sin committed during the day. It’s certainly going to be a long night if we haven’t settled accounts with God and others quickly (Ephesians 4:26). But even if we have confessed our sin to God (1 John 1:9) and received His forgiveness, there is the discouragement factor. No one likes to disappoint a good friend, especially that Good Friend. How could we have been so arrogant/foolish/disobedient? How can we face the Lord Jesus in the morning after failing to be loyal to Him today? Feeling like Peter on the night of his three denials of Christ (Matthew 26:69-75), we toss and turn through a fitful night of little sleep. With the morning’s light it dawns on us —“The LORD is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails” (Zephaniah 3:5). All night, God has been true to His promise not to leave us or forsake us and to greet us with unfailing mercy with every new morn. Never forget: though we may fail Him, He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). His mercies never fail. Great is His faithfulness! Let God’s promises shine on your problems. CORRIE TEN BOOM The Sanity Of Confession If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. — 1 John 1:9 Today's Scripture : 1 John 1:1-10 In 1976, a psychiatric examination was ordered for a woman who admitted she “willfully and knowingly” attempted to kill President Ford. When she was informed that there was a possibility she could be sent to jail for life, she replied that she could see “no reasonably honest and honorable” way of avoiding it. “There comes a point,” she declared, “when we each have to answer to ourselves, and it is with our own conscience that we must make peace.” The woman’s sanity was questioned because she admitted her guilt. The judge ordered the tests after she had openly acknowledged her wrongdoing instead of offering the expected denial. This woman’s experience reminded me of the sanity of confessing our sins to the Lord. In our modern world, owning up to one’s guilt rather than trying to “beat the rap” may be considered a sign of instability, but in God’s sight it’s the only sensible thing to do. The Bible says, “He who covers his sins will not prosper” (Prov. 28:13). But remember that the Bible also says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 Jn. 1:9). I've wasted many precious years— Now I'm coming home; I now repent with bitter tears— Lord, I'm coming home. —Kirkpatrick Confession of sin is not an admission of weakness but a sign of strength. Breaking the Grip of Guilt - Can you think of anything too hard for God to do? Put yourself in the shoes of a fellow Christian who has committed a sin so awful that the person simply cannot imagine that God would forgive it. Think about what he or she considers to be impossible for God. In an article on forgiveness, Pastor Charles Stanley wrote about talking to a teenager who was having a hard time believing that God could forgive her sexual sins. She told him she was a Christian and had asked Jesus many times to forgive her. Even though she knew the Bible says God had forgiven her, she still felt dirty in her heart. This teenager thought she had found something that was too hard for God to do—forgive her. When we tell ourselves that our sin is so bad God won’t forgive us, we are doubting His power. We are robbing ourselves of the great gifts of a clear conscience and fellowship with God (1Jn 1:5-10). Thinking It Over If you're struggling with accepting God's forgiveness for something you've done, meditate on these verses: Ps 32-note; Ps 51-note; Eph 1:3-8-note; Col 1:13-14-note. When God forgives, it's time for us to forget. Weeding Out Sins If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. 1 John 1:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 John 1:5–2:2 When I noticed a sprig budding next to the garden hose by our porch, I ignored the seemingly harmless eyesore. How could a little weed possibly hurt our lawn? But as the weeks passed, that nuisance grew to be the size of a small bush and began taking over our yard. Its stray stalks arched over a portion of our walkway and sprouted up in other areas. Admitting its destructive existence, I asked my husband to help me dig out the wild weeds by the roots and then protect our yard with weed killer. When we ignore or deny its presence, sin can invade our lives like unwanted overgrowth and darken our personal space. Our sinless God has no darkness in Him . . . at all. As His children, we’re equipped and charged to face sins head-on so we can “walk in the light, as he is in the light” (1 John 1:7). Through confession and repentance, we experience forgiveness and freedom from sin (vv. 8–10) because we have a great advocate—Jesus (2:1). He willingly paid the ultimate price for our sins—His lifeblood—and “not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (v. 2). How does knowing your sins are offenses against God change your view about repentance? What sins have taken root and need to be weeded out of your life? Loving Father, please uproot the sins from my life so I can grow closer to You and others. Here Comes The Boss! If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. —1 John 1:9 A number of computer games come with a special feature called the “Boss Key.” If you’re playing a game when you’re supposed to be working, and someone (like the boss) walks into your office, you quickly strike the Boss Key. Your computer screen changes immediately, hiding what you’ve been doing. Trying to hide from others when we’ve done something wrong comes naturally. We may feel guilty, but our desire to avoid admitting our responsibility is often stronger than our guilt. Achan tried to hide his sin. He had stolen silver and gold and hidden it in his tent (Josh. 7:20-21). But when the Israelites were defeated in battle, the Lord told their leader Joshua that the loss was due to sin in the camp (vv.11-12). The Lord identified Achan as the one who had sinned. And even though Achan confessed, he and his family were executed (v.25). We may not understand why God dealt so harshly with Achan’s sin, but we do know He was instructing His people in His holiness and their need for obedience to His commands (Ex. 20:17). If you’ve been disobedient, it’s time to come out of hiding. God is lovingly calling you and offering His cleansing, forgiveness, and restoration. O Lord, help me to come to You When I would rather hide my sin; Give me the courage to confess So I can be made clean within. —Sper Confession is the key that opens the door to forgiveness. Bouncing Back If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. —1 John 1:9 On January 18, 2012, the longest winning streak in US intercollegiate varsity sports history—252 consecutive victories—ended when Trinity College lost a squash match to Yale. The morning after the team’s first loss in 14 years, Trinity’s coach, Paul Assaiante, received an e-mail from a friend, a prominent professional football coach, who wrote, “Well, now you get to bounce back.” Ten days later, that football coach’s team lost in one of the most widely seen athletic events—the NFL Super Bowl. All of us must cope with defeat. The feeling of failure after an athletic loss mirrors our greater self-condemnation following a spiritual collapse. How can we recover from grieving God and others, along with disappointing ourselves? The apostle John wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). God forgives us because Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins (2:2). God’s pardon sets us free to begin again and focus on today’s opportunity rather than yesterday’s defeat. His faithful cleansing allows us to start over with a pure heart. Today, God invites and enables us to bounce back. When you’ve trusted Jesus and walked His way, When you’ve felt His hand lead you day by day, But your steps now take you another way, Start over. —Kroll Instead of living in the shadows of yesterday, walk in the light of today and the hope of tomorrow. Hidden Sin - Chuck had slowed to a stop when his car was hit from behind and was pushed into the vehicle ahead of him. A sickening, crunching sound indicated that additional vehicles had collided behind them. As Chuck sat quietly for a moment, he observed that the vehicle directly behind him was pulling out into traffic. Obviously hoping to avoid an encounter with police, the escaping driver neglected to notice he had left something behind. When the police arrived, an officer picked up the hit-and-run driver’s license plate from the ground and said to Chuck, “Someone will be waiting for him when he arrives home. He won’t get away with this.” Scripture tells us: “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23), as this man who fled the accident discovered. We may sometimes be able to hide our sin from the people around us, but nothing is ever “hidden from [God’s] sight” (Heb. 4:13). He sees each of our failures, thoughts, and motivations (1Sa 16:7; Luke 12:2-3). We cannot hide from God No matter how we try; For He knows all we think and do— We can’t escape His eye. —Hess Sin may be hidden from others, but never from God. Vance Havner - "If Any Man Sin" If any man sin... 1 John 2:1. If we confess our sins... 1 John 1:9. If we walk in the light... 1 John 1:7. We should not sin, but if we do sin we have an Advocate with the Father. We have a prosecutor, and an accuser, the devil; but we also have a lawyer to plead our case, Jesus Christ the righteous. If we confess our sins the Father will forgive and cleanse. There must be genuine repentance and confession, but we need not wallow in remorse. God is our Father, if we believe and we are His children. And like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. "It is not that we are not able to sin but that we are able not to sin. "If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another; and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Provision has been made for victory over sin. God's plan is to keep us from sin, not to keep us in sin. There is no ground for complacent living in iniquity just because we are "under the blood." "It is not that we are not able to sin but that we are able not to sin." But He also has made provision if we do sin, forgiveness and cleansing if we confess. The Sin Buildup - For hundreds of years, windmills around the world have been used to pump water and to process grains. But in the last few decades, as wind turbines producing electricity have become more prevalent, a “fly in the ointment” unexpectedly occurred. Researchers discovered that windpower generators worked fine at slow speeds, but at high-wind velocity, bugs on the blades reduced power output. Operators found that it was necessary to regularly wash off the buildup of dead insects to avoid having them slowly decrease the turbine’s power. A buildup of sin in a Christian’s life can be a problem as well. God has provided a way to clear the accumulation of sins from our lives. First John 1:9 reminds us: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” But unless we do that often, we’ll be running on diminished power. That’s because the power for living comes from God and not us (2Cor 4:7-note). When we try to live the Christian life in our own strength, we’ll feel defeated—like windmills robbed of their energy. The power in our Christian life Will be diminished by our sin; Confession will restore our strength— When we’re forgiven, cleansed within. —Sper Sin drains our spiritual power. Confession restores it! Dwelling Where God Doesn't - James Scudder If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 I John 1:9 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It is the most thorough expression of the forgiveness of God. It shows us how faithful God is to forgive our sins. It has been aptly called "The Christian Bar of Soap." (ED: PERSONALLY THAT IS A BIT IRREVERENTIAL, BECAUSE THE REASON THIS VERSE CLEANSES IS BECAUSE OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THE LAMB!) Often, though, we overlook God's forgiveness. What do I mean? I mean that we dwell on our mistakes rather than accepting God's forgiveness and moving on. God's promise to forgive is unconditional—He wipes away the record of our sin. Sure, there are consequences to face, but the guilt of our sin is gone from the memory of God. When we dwell on our past sins, we're dredging up old things that God has clearly forgotten. We're dwelling where God doesn't dwell. Satan would like nothing more than to convince us that we're no good—that God can no longer use us. He wants us to use our failures as a crutch. But, remember, Christian. God forgives. It isn't right to live in the memory of our sins. It undermines the promises of God. In effect, we're telling ourselves that God really hasn't forgiven us. We're listening to those subtle whispers of Satan that say, God's angry at you. He's through with you. You might as well chalk it up. Don't listen. Cling to the promises of God. The psalms say that God has removed our transgressions, "as far as the East is from the West." If we cover our sin, God will uncover it. If we uncover our sin, God will cover it. Adrian Rogers - The word "confess" as used in the New Testament is made up of two words: homos and lego. It means "to say the same thing." To admit your sin is not to confess your sin. You may admit your sin in a courtroom, but a confession of sin means to say the same thing God says about it. He says, "This is wrong." And I say, "God, I agree with You. I come over on Your side. I say about that sin what You say about it." No excuses. For as the Scripture says, "The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy" (Prov. 28:13). Accept the Pardon - Peter Kennedy - George Wilson From Generation to Generation: Devotional Thoughts "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."—1 John 1:9 In 1829 George Wilson was indicted in Philadelphia for robbing the mail and putting the life of the carrier in jeopardy. He was found guilty of the crime and was sentenced to hang. But President Andrew Jackson granted Wilson a pardon. However George Wilson refused the pardon and the case went to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Marshall wrote the opinion for the majority of the court: "A pardon is an act of grace proceeding from the power entrusted with the execution of the laws which exempts the individual, on whom it is bestowed, from the punishment the law inflicts for a crime he has committed. A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance. It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered; and if it be rejected we have discovered no power in a court to force it on him." George Wilson was hanged for his crimes. Sin separates us from God. But God has pardoned us in Christ. The only requirement is that we accept this pardon in order to regain our relationship with God. Christ died for sin. Therefore confess, turn from sin, and accept full pardon in Christ. "Fellowship with God and the forgiveness of sin are never separated in Christian experience."—Dale Moody Heart Exam - James Scudder If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 A year or so ago, my doctor put me through a series of tests to check out my health. One of the tests showed that my heart was very healthy. Going though that experience made me reevaluate something even more important, the state of my spiritual health. Sin is a cancer that starts out small. Many times people don't realize the disease is there until they experience some unexplained pain and go to the doctor about it. Or they go to the doctor for a routine checkup and instead find out bad news. But as Christians, it is important that we regularly examine our spiritual lives. The Bible says to "confess our sins..." Since we sin daily, this is an ongoing process. And it is important that we closely evaluate our lives for those hidden sins of greed, envy, and malice toward others. These usually only show up in a sudden angry reaction or a snide comment about another's evident blessings. C.S. Lewis said, "Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is. If there are rats in a cellar, you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats; it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way, the suddenness of the provocation does not make me ill-tempered; it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am." So take some time to confess your sins to the Father today... remember He is ready to forgive! Sin causes the Christian's cup of joy to spring a leak. The Promise of Remission - Puritan Daily Readings 1 John 1:9 The promises of God are flowers growing in the paradise of Scripture; meditation, like the bee, sucks out the sweetness of them. The promises are of no use or comfort to us, until they are meditated upon. Roses hanging in the garden may give a fragrant redolence, yet their sweet water is distilled only by the fire. Just so, the promises are sweet in reading over—but the water of these roses, the spirits and quintessence of the promises, are distilled into the soul only by meditation. The incense, when it is pounded and beaten, smells sweetest. Meditating on a promise, like the beating of the incense, makes it more fragrant and pleasant. The promises may be compared to a gold mine, which only enriches when the gold is dug out. By holy meditation, we dig out that spiritual gold which lies hidden in the midst of the promise, and so we come to be enriched! There is the promise of remission: “I, even, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember your sins” (Isa. 43:25). Whereas the poor sinner may say, “Alas, I am deep in debt with God, I fear I have not filled his bottle with my tears—but I have filled his book with my debts!” Well, but meditate on His promise, “I am he who blots out,” etc. The word there in the original to blot out, is a metaphor alluding to a merchant, who when his debtor has paid him, he blots out the debt, and gives him an acquittance. So says God, “I will blot out your sin, I will cross out the debt-book!"…This is indeed a sweet promise to meditate upon; it is a hive full of the honey of the gospel.