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1 João 1

William MacDonald · Citado em PreceptAustin

1 João 1:2

William MacDonald writes that "The following lines by an unknown author show the practical implications of these first two verses for our lives: I am glad that my knowledge of eternal life is not built on the speculations of philosophers or even theologians but on the unimpeachable testimony of those who heard, saw, gazed at, and handled Him in whom it was incarnate. It is not merely a lovely dream, but solid fact, carefully observed and an accurately recorded fact. (Borrow Believer's Bible Commentary) A DIVINE STEREOPTICON THE DIVINE AND THE HUMAN IN CHRIST - The picture produced in the stereopticon (depicted above) is fuller, rounder and more natural than the same picture seen without the use of that instrument. But to produce the stereoscopic picture there must be two pictures blended into one by the use of the stereopticon, and both the eyes of the observer are brought into requisition at the same time, looking each through a separate lens. Thus Christ is only seen in His true and proper light, when the record of His human nature and the statement of His Divine are blended. It is a flat, unfinished Christ with either left out. But it is as seen in the Word, with the moral and mental powers of our being both engaged in the consideration, and thus only, that we get the full and true result. Jesus came to proclaim (preach) Good News. He trained His disciples to do the same. John is doing what he was trained to do. Our mission today as His disciples is still the same -- to share the Eternal Life found in Christ with the lost world around us. Are you fulfilling your privileged duty (under grace not law, enabled by the Spirit, not your fallen flesh) of passing on the Word of Life, the Eternal Life, to those who live in spiritual darkness, with a sword of Damocles hanging over their head promising nothing but eternal spiritual death (Eph 2:1, 2)? Proclaim (518) (apaggello from apó = from + aggéllo = tell, declare from aggelos = messenger, one who speaks in place of one who has sent him) means to bring a message from any person or place. To bring tidings from a person or thing. To relate, inform, tell what has occurred. In the present context the idea is to announce openly. Apaggello summarized - (1) Carry back a message from a happening and thus give an account of something (to report, announce, tell, inform) (2) To proclaim or announce. To make something known publicly. It was used of a messenger, to bring tidings, report, announce Apaggello is the carrying of tidings or messages from the authentic source. As discussed above, proclaim in this verse is in the present tense. Note: Do not confuse apaggello with the similar word anaggello (see note). Alfred Plummer comments that apaggello "has merely the notion of proclaiming and making known, (anaggello) has the notion of proclaiming again what has been received elsewhere." (1 John 1 Commentary) Detzler comments on the root word aggéllo - We find echoes of this word in such English words as "angel" (one who brings a message from God), "evangelism" (a declaration of the Gospel), and "evangelical" (one who believes in the Gospel message). (New Testament Words in Today's Language) Apaggello - 45x in 45v in the NAS - announced(1), declared(1), declaring(3), proclaim(4), report(10), reported(22), take word(1), tell(1), told(3). Matt. 2:8; Matt. 8:33; Matt. 11:4; Matt. 12:18; Matt. 14:12; Matt. 28:8; Matt. 28:10; Matt. 28:11; Mk. 5:14; Mk. 5:19; Mk. 6:30; Mk. 16:10; Mk. 16:13; Lk. 7:18; Lk. 7:22; Lk. 8:20; Lk. 8:34; Lk. 8:36; Lk. 8:47; Lk. 9:36; Lk. 13:1; Lk. 14:21; Lk. 18:37; Lk. 24:9; Jn. 16:25; Acts 4:23; Acts 5:22; Acts 5:25; Acts 11:13; Acts 12:14; Acts 12:17; Acts 15:27; Acts 16:36; Acts 16:38; Acts 17:30; Acts 22:26; Acts 23:16; Acts 23:17; Acts 23:19; Acts 26:20; Acts 28:21; 1 Co. 14:25; 1 Thess. 1:9; Heb. 2:12; 1 Jn. 1:2; 1 Jn. 1:3 Wuest's note on apaggello in Mk 514: The word “told” (reported in NAS) is apaggellō “to bring tidings from a person or thing, bring word.” The prefixed preposition (apo) which means “off from” adds to the meaning already existing in the simple verb aggellō “to announce,” the idea being that what one announces, he openly lays, as it were, off from himself. The swineherds were charged with the responsibility of safeguarding the animals under their care, and to have two thousand hogs piled up in heaps in shallow water, all dead, was something to explain. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Apaggello is used 234x in the Septuagint (Lxx). Here are a few examples to study… Genesis 12:18 Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell (Hebrew = nagad = to be or make conspicuous; Lxx = apaggello) me that she was your wife? Genesis 37:5 Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told (Hebrew = nagad = to be or make conspicuous; Lxx = apaggello) it to his brothers, they hated him even more. Genesis 48:1 Now it came about after these things that Joseph was told Hebrew = amar = to utter or say; Lxx = apaggello), "Behold, your father is sick." So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. Ruth 2:11 Boaz replied to her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported (Hebrew = nagad = to be or make conspicuous; Lxx = apaggello- in Greek "apaggelia [noun] apeggele [verb]" = Literally "a report reported") to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. Ruth 2:19 Her mother-in-law then said to her, "Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who took notice of you be blessed." So she told (Hebrew = nagad = to be or make conspicuous; Lxx = apaggello) her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, "The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz." Ruth 3:4 "It shall be when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell (Hebrew = nagad = to be or make conspicuous; Lxx = apaggello) you what you shall do." 1 Samuel 3:15 So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. But Samuel was afraid to tell (Hebrew = nagad = to be or make conspicuous; Lxx = apaggello) the vision to Eli. Psalm 71:18 (In the last decade or so of my life, this verse is especially significant to me and motivates me to continue adding to this website!) And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare (Hebrew = nagad = to be or make conspicuous; Lxx = apaggello) Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come. (I pray these notes do just that - declare His strength and His power to all generations yet to come, however long the Lord should tarry. In His Name and for His glory. Amen) Psalm 78:6 (Context = Ps 78:5) That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, That they may arise and tell (Hebrew = saphar = recount, relate; Lxx = apaggello) them to their children Comment: Here is the NET Bible rendering which is somewhat clearer - "so that the next generation, children yet to be born, might know about them. They will grow up and tell their descendants about them." Is there not inherent in this great passage the charge by our Lord to make disciples? What better disciples than our children, who follow hard after Christ! THE EPISTLE OF ETERNAL LIFE The Eternal (aionios) Life (zoe) - Literally this reads "the Life, the eternal." This descriptive phrase functions in this context as virtually a name of Jesus. It is notable that John's letter begins (1Jn 1:2) and ends (1Jn 5:20) with the theme of eternal life! John desires that his readers have full assurance of eternal life (1 John 5:13). Jesus Christ is Himself “the resurrection and the life (zoe).” (John 11:25+). A T

1 João 1:8

William MacDonald - to deny that we have a sinful nature means self-deception and untruthfulness. Notice that John makes a distinction between sin (1Jn 1:8) and sins (1Jn 1:9). Sin refers to our corrupt, evil nature. Sins refers to evils that we have done. Actually what we are is a lot worse than anything we have ever done. But, praise the Lord, Christ died for our sin and our sins. Conversion does not mean the eradication of the sin nature. Rather it means the implanting of the new, divine nature, with power to live victoriously over indwelling sin. (BORROW Believer's Bible Commentary) Jamieson - Observe, "sin" is in the singular; "(confess our) sins" (1John 1:9) in the plural. Sin refers to the corruption of the old man still present in us, and the stain created by the actual sins flowing from that old nature in us… "They who defend their sins, will see in the great day whether their sins can defend them." (1 John 1 Commentary) Vincent on the other hand interprets hamartia in this context differently writing "Sin (Hamartia) is not to be understood of original sin, or of sin before conversion, but generally (Ed: Which basically agrees with comments by W. Hall Harris above).(

1 João 1:9

William MacDonald - 1 John 1:9 Without the assurance of this verse, it would be practically impossible to go on in the Christian life. As we grow in grace, we have a deepening awareness of our utter sinfulness. We must have some provision for instant cleansing for sins, otherwise we are doomed to perpetual guilt and defeat. John tells us that, for believers, provision is made through confession. The unbeliever receives judicial forgiveness from the penalty of sins through faith in the Lord Jesus. The believer receives parental forgiveness from the defilement of sins through confession. Sin breaks fellowship in the life of the child of God, and that fellowship remains broken till the sin is confessed and forsaken. When we confess, God is faithful to His Word; He has promised to forgive. He is just in forgiving because the work of Christ at the Cross has provided a righteous basis on which He may do so. What this verse means, then, is that when we confess our sins, we can know that the record is clear, that we have been completely cleansed, that the happy family spirit has been restored. As soon as we are conscious of sin in our lives, we can go into the presence of God, call that sin by its name, repudiate it, and know with certainty that it has been put away. But how do we know for certain? Do we feel forgiven? It is not at all a question of feelings. We know that we have been forgiven because God says so in His Word. Feelings are undependable at best. God’s Word is sure. But suppose someone says, “I know that God has forgiven me but I can’t forgive myself”? This might sound very pious but actually it is dishonoring to God. If God has forgiven me, then He wants me to appropriate that forgiveness by faith, to rejoice in it, and to go out and serve Him as a cleansed vessel. Simply quoting 1 John 1:9 in a glib manner is not true repentance. That promise is not an excuse for sin; it is an encouragement to believers who want to get rid of sin. Tape the words of 1 John 1:9 to your computer to remind you to watch out for dirt … and to wash up often. The price of purity is high, but impurity is dirt cheap. Put a small bar of soap by your Bible to remind you of the importance of scrubbing up regularly in your walk with God. If God had wanted a permissive society, He would have given us the Ten Suggestions. James Smith - The Remedy for Failure in the Christian Life. A— 1. CONFESSION OF SIN (1 John 1:7). If we have failed, then we have sinned. "If we confess, He is faithful and just to forgive" (1 John 1:9). 2. SURRENDERING OF THE WILL (Hosea 14:1-4). Return and yield. Commit thyself to Him. "Not My will, but Thine be done" (Luke 22:42). 3. CONSECRATING OF THE LIFE (Rom. 12:1, 2). Consenting that Christ should live in us, and work out the purpose of His will through us. "To me to live is Christ" (Phil. 1:21). 4. LAYING ASIDE OF EVERY WEIGHT (Heb. 12:1). What may not be a sin on our conscience may be a weight on our life. 5. RECEIVING OF GOD'S PROMISES (2 Peter 1:4-8). By these we are made partakers of the divine nature and enabled to add to faith, virtue, etc., that we be neither barren nor unfruitful. 6. STEADY ABIDING IN HIMSELF (John 16:1-5). This we may do by a continual and implicit trust. 7. WALKING HUMBLY BEFORE HIM (Mal. 2:6). The purpose of the golden candlestick was to shine before the Lord. Is this the purpose of your life? Restoring Relationships 1 John 1:9 - J Oswald Sanders In order to restore right relationships, we may need to confess to others as well as to God, for we cannot be right with God and wrong with others. The sincerity of our confession may need to be evidenced by restitution. Apology may need to be made, a quarrel settled, a debt paid, a relationship terminated, if we are to enjoy renewed fellowship with God and people. Here arises the question of what we should confess and to whom we should confess it. As all sin is against God, obviously we should confess to Him every sin of which we are conscious, and we should do it without delay, as soon as we realize we have sinned. Some sins are against God alone, but others are against our fellow humans and thus require confession to them. The scriptural principle involved would seem to be that the confession should be related to the sin. Where the sin is against God alone, the sin needs to be confessed only to God. There may sometimes be therapeutic value in sharing a problem with another trusted friend, but there is no necessity to do so. Where the sin is against a fellow person, it should be confessed to the one who has been injured by our sin, and need be confessed to no other. Nothing is gained merely by giving someone else, who is not involved, knowledge of your sin. Where the sin is against a church or group, the sin should be confessed to the church or group in an appropriate manner, probably to the leader, who could decide what action, if any, should be taken. What about public confession? In some cases that may be called for, but such cases would be rare. Meetings at which there is intimate public confession of personal sins should not be encouraged, as they are often definitely harmful. On some occasions, however, especially during times of revival and under the pressure of the Holy Spirit, a person can find relief only by confessing specific sins in prayer, and I have seen that several times. But it has always been accompanied with deep humility and brokenness. Anything that savors of exhibitionism or illegitimate interest should be abjured. Paint Specks Read: 1 John 1:5-2:2 | Bible in a Year: Nehemiah 10-11; Acts 4:1-22 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 Pushing a paint roller high overhead had produced a shower of fine droplets that left tiny white specks on my glasses. Although they were noticeable to others, I was not aware of them. But one morning as I came to work, the angle of the bright sunlight through the lenses of my glasses suddenly made those tiny specks visible and annoying. So it is with some of our small moral imperfections. Others can see them, but we can’t. Then, as we study God’s Word, the true light of the Lord Jesus Christ shines on us, and our moral flaws become alarmingly visible. His pure character, genuine love, and unmixed motives reveal specks of sinfulness in everything we do. Little white lies, selfish anger, small hypocrisies, and muddy motives stand out vividly. And they are in all of us to some degree. How perceptive was the apostle John! He wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (1 John 1:8). But thank God, “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (2:1). When we confess our sins, He intercedes with the Father on our behalf. When we confess our shortcomings, God cleanses us—even those tiny specks we don’t always see. Search out in me all hidden sin, And may Thy purity within So cleanse my life that it may be A temple wholly fit for Thee. —Swallen Detecting sin is the first step to deliverance from sin. Slow-Walking Sin Out the Door Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 28:13-18 Winston knows he’s not supposed to chew them. So he’s adopted a sly strategy. We call it slow-walking. If Winston spies a discarded, unguarded shoe, he’ll casually meander in that direction, grab it, and just keep walking. Slowly. Nothing to see here. Right out the door if no one notices. “Uh, Mom, Winston just slow-walked your shoe out the door.” It’s apparent that sometimes we think we can “slow-walk” our sin past God. We’re tempted to think that He won’t notice. It’s no big deal, we rationalize—whatever “it” is. But, like Winston, we know better. We know those choices don’t please God. Like Adam and Eve in the garden, we may try to hide due to the shame of our sin (Genesis 3:10) or pretend like it didn’t happen. But Scripture invites us to do something very different: to run to God’s mercy and forgiveness. Proverbs 28:13 tells us, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Are there any ways you’re sometimes tempted to “slow-walk” your sin? What barriers keep you from confession? Heavenly Father, thank You that my sin doesn’t have the last word. Help me to remember, as I tell You and others the truth, that I can be confident of Your mercy and forgiveness. CHRISTINGLE - That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. —John 1:9 Christmas celebrations often include Christingles. A Christingle is an orange, representing the world, with a candle placed in the top of it to symbolise Christ the light of the world. A red ribbon encircles the orange, symbolising the blood of Jesus. Four toothpicks with dried fruits are placed through the ribbon into the sides of the orange, representing the fruits of the earth (or, God’s provision on the earth). This simple visual aid vividly represents the purpose behind Christ’s coming—to bring light into the darkness and to redeem a broken world by spilling His blood. In John’s account of Christ’s life, the disciple describes Jesus as the Light of the world. He wrote of Christ: “That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world” (John 1:9). Not only did Christ the Light come to light up our world’s darkness, but He is also “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (v.29). Think of it! The baby of Bethlehem became the living, risen Christ who has rescued us from our sin. And so John instructs us to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). May all who have experienced His rescue find in Jesus the peace of walking in His light. THE NEWBORN CHRIST-CHILD BECAME THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD AND THE LAMB OF GOD. Pardon Me! - Hijackers terrorized the passengers aboard an Indian Airlines jet for 8 days. Then, on December 31, 1999, the gunmen issued a final demand before releasing their hostages. “Sorry, but everyone has to say that I am forgiven,” said the hijacker code-named “Burger.” When the disbelieving passengers stared back at him, he ordered them to say, “I forgive you.” After hearing the words, the hijackers disappeared into the desert. Not many of us would be so arrogant as to insist that someone forgive us. And we certainly wouldn’t demand that of God. Why? Because most people sense that His mercy and pardon can be received only by a humble, sincere, and repentant heart. The apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9). The word translated “confess” means “to speak the same thing or agree with.” When we confess our sins to God, we agree with Him about our sin, our need to be cleansed, and our need to forgive others who have wronged us (Matthew 6:15-note). We cry out, “Pardon me!” Forgive me, O Lord, for all of my sin, Please make my heart pure and cleanse me within; Confessing to You what I have done wrong, Restore now my joy—to You I belong. —Fitzhugh Confession is the key that opens the door to forgiveness. God Wants Your Garbage - Once a week, a truck moves slowly down our street, pausing at every house. Full and sometimes overflowing garbage containers are picked up, emptied into the truck, and returned to each house. During the next week, as the rubbish accumulates and the odor increases, we become eager for the return of the garbage truck. More repulsive than this is the personal trash that accumulates in our hearts and minds. Some of our garbage— hatred, gossip, bitterness, lust— obviously foul. But even what looks like good deeds or upright behavior can reek like garbage if contaminated by our selfish pride. The Bible calls our inner garbage “sin.” In 1John 1:9, God’s disposal system is outlined: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confession means calling our sins what God calls them. We needn’t fear revealing them to Him, for He already knows them. He has buried them there— Where no mortal can see! He has cast all our sins In the depths of the sea! —Anon. The best eraser in the world is an honest confession to God. Repenting and Rejoicing - A Christian woman asked another believer how he was doing. With a broad smile he replied, “Repenting and rejoicing, sister!” I believe this man was walking in a spirit of repentance—daily confessing and turning from sins and rejoicing in God’s forgiveness. Because honest repentance involves sorrow, we may forget that repenting leads to rejoicing. When we first repent and become new believers, we experience great joy. But if we then choose to live with unconfessed sin, our joy is lost. David believed his joy could be restored. After pouring out his prayer of repentance to God, he made this humble plea: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Psalm 51:12-note). As David turned back to the Lord, his sense of purpose returned: “Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You” (Psalm 51:13-note). Through his faith in a forgiving and merciful God, David began rejoicing again in his salvation (Psalm 51:14-15-note). When we confess our sins to God, We're washed as white as snow, And He keeps on forgiving us Each time to Him we go. —Sper Conviction makes us sad— confession makes us glad. The Sanity of Confession - 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” (Pr 28:13-note). 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 River Of Forgiveness 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 According to Greek mythology, King Augeus owned a stable with 3,000 oxen. Their stalls had not been cleaned out for 30 years—hence our English word Augean, which refers to something exceedingly filthy from long neglect. Hercules, the mythical strong man, was commanded to clean the Augean stable in a single day. When Hercules first saw the stable, he was dismayed by its size, filthiness, and stench. Then he noticed that it was located between two great rivers, the Alpheus and the Peneus. He put his great strength to work and diverted the rivers so they flowed through the building. Within a short time the stable was rinsed clean. The story is a myth, of course, but myths by their very nature preserve the yearnings of the cultures that embrace and perpetuate them. The story reflects, I believe, our own longing for someone to wash from our lives the accumulated waste and filth of the years. There is a powerful river of forgiveness that flows from the cross of Christ. No defilement, even though Augean, can withstand its cleansing flow. When we humbly confess our sins, all of our unrighteousness is washed away (1 John 1:9). We can be sure that our “sins, which are many, are forgiven” (Luke 7:47). Lord, give me courage to confess, To bare my sinful heart to Thee; Forgiving love You long to show And from my sin to set me free. —D. De Haan Confession to God always brings cleansing from God. God’s Arms Are Open 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 1:5–10 I frowned at my cellphone and sighed. Worry wrinkled my brow. A friend and I had had a serious disagreement over an issue with our children, and I knew I needed to call her and apologize. I didn’t want to do it because our viewpoints were still in conflict, yet I knew I hadn’t been kind or humble the last time we discussed the matter. Anticipating the phone call, I wondered, What if she doesn’t forgive me? What if she doesn’t want to continue our friendship? Just then, lyrics to a song came to mind and took me back to the moment when I confessed my sin in the situation to God. I felt relief because I knew God had forgiven me and released me from guilt. How does forgiveness create peace? What steps will you take in God’s power toward reconciliation with someone this week? Dear God, remind me of Your unending grace. Help me to be more humble and to commit all my relationships to You. For further study, read What Do You Do with a Broken Relationship?. Returning Rocks TODAY’S READING: 1 John 1:5–10 If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. -1 John 1:9 Karina and her family visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which spans two southern states in the United States. In a letter to the park’s rangers, she expressed her particular enjoyment of Tom Branch Falls. She loved it so much, she had taken a rock home with her as a memento. As a young girl, Karina may not have known it was illegal to do so. At some point she realized her error and sent a letter apologizing and included the rock so it could be returned to the falls. Karina’s apology—and the gracious response of the rangers—models for us how to turn from our sins and ask for God’s forgiveness. The apostle John encourages us that “if we confess our sins” God will forgive us (1 John 1:9). The act of acknowledging what we’ve done wrong, to Him and to those we’ve wronged, is the first step back in the right direction. Even though we don’t always want to admit our mistakes, pretending we’re perfect or “without sin” is simply self-deceit (v. 8). What unconfessed wrongdoing exists in your life? How can you seek forgiveness today? Father God, I admit my many sins and shortcomings to You. I’m sorry for each of them and humbly ask for Your forgiveness. Thank You for Jesus’ sacrifice on my behalf. Paint Specks 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 Today's Scripture : 1 John 1:5-2:2 Pushing a paint roller high overhead had produced a shower of fine droplets that left tiny white specks on my glasses. Although they were noticeable to others, I was not aware of them. But one morning as I came to work, the angle of the bright sunlight through the lenses of my glasses suddenly made those tiny specks visible and annoying. So it is with some of our small moral imperfections. Others can see them, but we can’t. Then, as we study God’s Word, the true light of the Lord Jesus Christ shines on us, and our moral flaws become alarmingly visible. His pure character, genuine love, and unmixed motives reveal specks of sinfulness in everything we do. Little white lies, selfish anger, small hypocrisies, and muddy motives stand out vividly. And they are in all of us to some degree. How perceptive was the apostle John! He wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (1 John 1:8). But thank God, “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (2:1). When we confess our sins, He intercedes with the Father on our behalf. Search out in me all hidden sin, And may Thy purity within So cleanse my life that it may be A temple wholly fit for Thee. —Swallen Detecting sin is the first step to deliverance from sin. Cleansed by Christ He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us. 1 John 1:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 John 1:5-10 My first short-term missions trip was to the Amazon jungle in Brazil to help build a church by the river. One afternoon, we visited one of the few homes in the area that had a water filter. When our host poured murky well water into the top of the contraption, within minutes all the impurities were removed, and clean, clear drinking water appeared. Right there in the man’s living room, I saw a reflection of what it means to be cleansed by Christ. When we first come to Jesus with our guilt and shame and ask Him to forgive us and we receive Him as our Savior, He cleanses us from our sins and makes us new. We’re purified just like the murky water was transformed into clean drinking water. What a joy it is to know we are in right standing with God because of Jesus’ sacrifice (2 Corinthians 5:21) and to know God removes our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). But the apostle John reminds us that this doesn’t mean we’ll never sin again. When we do sin, we can be assured by the image of a water filter and be comforted by knowing that as “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). Why is it vital to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins? How does it feel to know you don’t have to be a prisoner of sin? Dear God, thank You that You’re faithful and just to forgive me if I confess my sins to You. John 1:9 CONFESSION Estelle Fusco couldn't believe what her cousin was saying. Her cousin's husband is a Naval officer with a new duty station in Italy. When the movers delivered their belongings to their new quarters they smelled a terrible odor. Finally, after opening several boxes they found the source of the odor. The movers had packed up their garbage into a box instead of throwing it out. —Reader's Digest, April 2002, p 52 That is exactly what we do in our lives when we don't confess our sins. Instead of "throwing them out," we box them up and carry them around with us. And before you know it, our life begins to stink. Instead, we should confess our sins, so God can forgive us and cleanse our life. Jim Wilson – Fresh Illustrations 1 John 1:9 – Sin – Anthony Phillips In 1982 an unusual work of modern art went on display. It was a shotgun affixed to a chair. The artwork could be viewed by sitting in the chair and looking directly into the gun barrel. The problem was that the gun was loaded and set on a timer to fire at an undetermined moment within the next hundred years. Amazingly enough, people waited in lines to sit and stare into the shell's path, although they knew that the gun could go off at any moment. Talk about tempting fate! Unfortunately, people do the same thing with sin, thinking that they can stare it in the face and still get away unharmed. Unlike the gun, however, sin—unless dealt with—definitely will kill them. And for believers failure to confess sin will "stunt your spiritual growth" and communion with your Father. And if you find yourself never confessing your sins, then you need to examine yourself as to whether you are truly a believer. Believer's continually confess their sins! They might not confess them immediately (King David waited almost 9 months but paid a dear price - Ps 32:3-4 and believers will also - Hebrews 12:5-11) 1 John 1:9 – No Short Cuts I said, ""I will confess my transgressions to the Lord""-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. - Psalm 32:5 Bible teacher Chuck Swindoll warns us that our society's message of "instant gratification" holds a danger for believers, the way an undertow in the surf can sweep away an unsuspecting swimmer. The danger is that our ""instant"" society can lead us to believe there are shortcuts to getting where we want to go. The fact, Swindoll writes, is that "there are no shortcuts to anything meaningful." This observation really rings true when it comes to the issue of confession, forgiveness, and restoration. We all want peace of heart and a clear conscience before God. These blessings are available on a daily basis to every believer--but there is no shortcut to achieving them. David found that out the hard way. For about a year after his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband (2 Sam. 11), David tried to find peace in his kingly activities and his family. But the poison leaked out of the sin he had worked so hard to cover, eating away at his body and spirit. The pain didn't stop until David fell on his face before God in confession and repentance. 1 John 1:9 TODAY IN THE WORD When we imagine “confession,” many think of a movie scene where a man mutters to a priest behind a screen (ED: NOTE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLE AND IS DIFFERENT THAN James 5:16+!). In other words, personal confession may be a foreign concept. Confession was not unfamiliar to the psalmists. It was a regular practice of both individuals and the community in ancient Israel and early Christianity. Psalm 32 was included among seven “Penitential Psalms” or songs of confession (Psalm 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143). “Blessed is the one” who lives life according to God’s design and is forgiven before the Lord (vv. 1-2). Psalm 32 does not presuppose a sinless person, but rather one whose sins are forgiven. This psalm employs three key words: sin, transgression, and iniquity (vv. 1-2, 5). The psalmist does not intend for each word to convey a precise distinction from the two other words, but instead for the group of words to be parallel in meaning, reflecting different aspects of the same idea. Sin is an offense, a turning from God’s way. Transgression is willful defiance against God by crossing the boundaries He sets for us. Iniquity is a distortion or gross injustice, an absence of respect for God’s will. The psalmist declares that blessed is the one who experiences God’s forgiveness of sin in all its manifestations. Verses 3 through 5 are the psalmist’s personal testimony of confession. Prior to confession, his spiritual life was weakened. He groaned, bearing the guilt. Though he had an awareness of his need to repent, he was stubborn, and God’s hand was heavy upon him. “Then” marks the contrast of life before confession and after. The psalmist acknowledged his sin to the Lord, and immediately God “forgave the guilt” of his sin (v. 5). After reflecting on his deliverance, the psalmist calls others to the same course of action (v. 6). Do not be stubborn and resist confession, he pleads (v. 9). Psalm 32 ends with the chasm between the wicked and the righteous (vv. 10-11). The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds those who trust in God’s deliverance and choose to walk on His path. APPLY THE WORD Our sin creates barriers between us and God and between us and others. Genuine confession accepts God’s righteous judgment and His power to forgive and restore. It takes honesty, vulnerability, and courage to confront our sin and bring it to God, but we approach God confidently because of His promise of forgiveness and restoration in Jesus (Rom. 8:1-4). Make it a practice to confess your sin before God and others, perhaps with a spouse, friend, or pastor. 1 John 1:9 ILLUSTRATION Connie Mack, who managed the Philadelphia Athletics from 1900 to 1950, once said, "I've seen boys on my baseball team go into a slump and never come out of it, and I've seen others snap right out and come back better than ever. I guess more players lick themselves than are ever licked by an opposing team. Many troubled Christians don't know how to handle the haunting memory of their past sins. Although confessed, these sins cling to their minds as barnacles adhere to the hull of a ship. They go into a spiritual slump and can't seem to pull out of it. But as long as 1 John 1:9 stands, we never need to say, "I'm licked!" - 6000 Plus Illustrations for Communicating Biblical Truths 1 John 1:9 Deuteronomy 9:1-10:11 TODAY IN THE WORD 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 John Steinbeck once observed that failure is often a catalyst for spiritual growth. “If everything is coming your way,” he wrote, “you are probably in the wrong lane. Adversity and defeat are more conducive to spiritual growth than prosperity and victory.” But what if the defeat we experience involves more than a setback in our circumstances? What if we have experienced defeat because of our own sin? As Israel prepared to take possession of the land God had promised them, it was vital that they keep in mind their defeats as well as their victories. The Lord commanded, “Remember this and never forget how you provoked the Lord your God to anger in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord” (Deut. 9:7). A healthy awareness of their past failures was intended to be a remedy against spiritual presumption. More importantly, it would bring to mind how God had been faithful to discipline and forgive them. The Bible is filled with stories of people whose mistakes and failures were redeemed by God. Some–like Jacob the deceiver, Judah the father of an illegitimate child, David the adulterer, and Rahab the prostitute–even appear in the lineage of Jesus (Matt. 1:2–5). Peter denied Jesus three times, and Thomas questioned whether Jesus had truly risen from the dead. Paul persecuted the church. All of these were used by God despite their past failings. APPLY THE WORD Why not take Paul’s advice and do some “spiritual calculating?” Think of three or four instances where you acted contrary to God’s commands. What were some of the consequences you suffered as a result? How did your sin affect those around you? Think also about the lessons God taught you as a result of these experiences. Conclude by reading 1 John 1:9. If you have never claimed God’s promise of forgiveness through Christ, do so today. Thank Him for His promise to cleanse you from “all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 – Sin – Jim Wilson Authorities in Uganda continue their efforts to control the recent outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus. They fear the disease may spread into neighboring Kenya through seven relatives of a woman who recently died from the virus. Sadly, this same woman unknowingly spread the virus when she fled a hospital and returned to her home region hoping to escape the disease. The woman died and spread the disease to at least three other relatives, who also died. There is no cure for the Ebola virus, which is spread through personal contact Ebola is frightening because there is no known cure, and the disease itself is not fully understood. So far the outbreak has claimed 113 lives in Africa. Officials insist the key to managing the disease is isolation of the victim, which breaks the cycle of transmission. No one knows how far the current outbreak will spread, or how many lives it will claim. Like Sin, Ebola spreads through personal contact, but sin is harder to control than the Ebola outbreak and impossible to escape. Though it infects everyone's heart, many people don't realize they are contaminated. Sin becomes a death sentence buried deep inside our being. The more we try to clamp down on sin, the more it tightens its grip. In a moment of pressure, or careless thought, sin gains a tighter hold on us. The ultimate result of sin is death, and isolation from God. Running from sin is not the cure, nor is controlling it. Jesus is the cure for this devastating illness. We no longer have to die from sin. Jesus has already died for us. Confession is the first step of the cure. The apostle John wrote that if we confess our sins, confess our inability to control the illness, Jesus will forgive us. He removes all evidence of our sin sickness. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. —AP 11-15-2000, Reuters 11-14-2000,11-13-2000, Submitted by Jim Sandell 1 John 1:9 – Unconfessed Sin - Scientists know that extended space travel has definite effects on the human body. Astronauts aboard the Skylab grew between one and two inches taller while in space due to the lengthening and straightening of the spine in the weightless atmosphere. Their waistlines decreased several inches as their internal organs shifted upward. And their calves became smaller as leg muscles forced blood toward the upper part of the body.Sin has distorted the human spirit in much the same way that space travel distorts the body. The difference is that the damage caused by sin is infinitely greater, and longer lasting. 1 John 1:9 SIN/CONFESSION – Jim Wilson Mina, a 36-year old Iranian woman is seeking a divorce from her husband of eight years because, "nobody, including me, my children and his colleagues, can stand him," she said. "My husband says he does not like water and does not want to take a shower—he doesn't even wash his face when he wakes up in the morning." When they were first married, he was obsessively clean, taking up to three showers a day, but now he is obnoxiously filthy. —http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=609&id=233822005 I can only imagine what it would be like to live with someone who never bathes, it must be unbearable. The only thing I can think of that would be worse, would be to live with someone who never confesses their sins, and allows the gunk of their sin to build up until they emit a spiritual stench from their souls. A LITTLE HUMOR ON A SERIOUS TOPIC - 1 John 1:9 – For Giving us Our Sins! In the Moody Press book Little Minds With Big Hearts, editor Ramona Cramer Tucker collects amusing stories submitted by Christian moms to the 'Heart to Heart' page of Today's Christian Woman magazine.One child asked his mother if he could stop at the library to borrow the Lamb's Book of Life. Another prayed, 'Dear God, thank you for giving us our sins.' Still another sang, 'Goats tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born!' And one little girl told a friend, 'Only God has crayons big enough to make rainbows.' 1 John 1:9 CONFESSION Traveling from Europe to other parts of the country isn't as easy as it used to be. Because of the spread of Foot and Mouth disease throughout the UK, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) is disinfecting traveler's footwear as they pass through point-of-entry airports in the United States. The disease can easily spread onto people's clothing and be transmitted by the wind to other animals. —http://www.cnn.com/2001/HEALTH/03/05/usda.foot/index.html It is nearly impossible for a Christian not to come into contact with sin and become infected with it. Confession is the way God disinfects our souls, and makes us pure again. 1 John 1:9 KJV "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Jim Wilson – Fresh Illustrations 1 John 1:9 For the Coach Until the time of my conversion, I was totally involved with sports. But as I attended church and followed my spiritual coaches, God purified my mind and ego in a process called sanctification. In 1 John 1:9-10, the Bible says that if we confess our sins, God will forgive us from unrighteousness—the habits of sin. Many Christians are forgiven but don't get cleansed, so they stay in old habit patterns. My mind had to be renewed by daily Bible reading and attending church. My ego had to be humbled. I couldn't go out on the court using God's power, then take the credit for myself. I began to see victory not as a stroke to my own ego but as a witness for God, something that proved how great He was within me. A new, purer desire for winning branched out in other areas as well. I wanted to win academically not just for myself, but also to show people what the power of God could do inside a person. After all He was doing for me, I wanted to do all I could for Him. I had the feeling players have when playing for a great coach. I didn't want to disappoint God. I wanted to achieve all that He had created me to achieve. True mercy is, so to speak, the most profound source of justice. 1 John 1:9 FORGIVENESS – Jim Wilson Actor John Voight has taken his private family feud with actress-daughter Angelina Jolie public. In an interview with a syndicated TV show, Voight said he is “broken hearted” that Jolie will not talk to him. He says when he tried to approach his daughter at a recent party; a security guard turned him away. Voight said, “ I’ve been trying to reach my daughter and get her help, and I have failed, and I’m sorry.” Voight believes he is to blame for much of the problem, acknowledging that when she was young, he had an affair and subsequently left his wife and family. Jolie refused to respond to her father’s remarks. In a statement, she said, “ I don’t want to make public the reasons for my bad relationship with my father.” She said she has determined that it is not healthy for her to be around her father, especially since she was now responsible for her own child. Father and daughter did manage to put aside their differences when they worked on a film last year, but apparently the rift has widened again. —Associated Press, August 2, 2002, Submitted by Jim Sandell Seeking the forgiveness of people we have wronged is risky. There is no guarantee they will respond. The good news is God’s forgiveness is unconditional. He forgives anyone who comes to Him asking for forgiveness. FORGIVENESS – Jim Wilson The United States Postal Service hopes to save millions of dollars by offering amnesty on its white plastic tubs used to deliver bulk mail to businesses. Over the last two years the “flat tubs” have disappeared from Postal Service Centers. Originally there were 20 million tubs, but last fall only 20,000 could be located. The replacement cost of the tubs would be almost $65 million. USPS spokesman, Mark Saunders says, “We need those tubs back—can you help us out?” He adds, “ Please bring these back in—no questions asked. You’ll probably get a big thank you.” Saunders says the Postal Service has faith in their customers that they will do the right thing and turn the tubs in. As an added incentive, The Postal Service points out that the tubs are federal property, with each one carrying a warning that there is a maximum fine of $1,000 and three years imprisonment for misuse or theft.—http://washingtonpost.com, Cost-Conscious Postal Service Wants Its missing Tubs back, January 20, 2003. In effect, the government is saying, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way…we’d prefer you do it the easy way.” Which is a similar choice we have. We can pay for our own sins, or accept the forgiveness God offers. Yes, the penalty for sin is harsh, but the Lord offers forgiveness to anyone who will come to Him. Totally Clean 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 friend was updating me on his past year—a year in which he had been receiving ongoing medical treatment for cancer. The smile on his face was a powerful testimony to the good news he had just received. He said that at his one-year checkup the doctor announced that the test results all pointed to one thing: “You are totally clean!” What a difference two words can make! To my friend, totally clean meant every trace of the disease that had threatened his life only months before had been wiped from his body. We rejoiced to hear that he was totally clean! King David, after his moral failure with Bathsheba, longed for a similar thing to happen in his heart. Hoping for the stains of his sin to be washed away, he cried out, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10). The good news for him and for us is that our sins can be taken care of. When we need cleansing, John’s familiar words bring hope: “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). We can’t cleanse our own hearts; only God can do that. If we confess our sins to Him, He promises to make us totally clean! Search me, O God, and know my heart today Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray. See if there be some wicked way in me; Cleanse me from every sin and set me free. —Orr Confession to God always brings cleansing from God. The Big Comeback 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 Chad Pennington is a former American football player who has suffered multiple career-threatening injuries. Twice, his injuries forced him to endure surgery, months of physical therapy, and weeks of training to get back onto the field. Yet, both times he not only returned to playing but he also excelled at such a high level that he was named Comeback Player of the Year in the National Football League. For Pennington, his efforts were an expression of his determination to return to football. Spiritually, when sin and failure break our relationship with God and sideline our service, determination alone is not what restores us to rightness with God and usefulness in His kingdom. When we are sidelined because of sin, the path to a comeback is confession as well. “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). For us to be able to recover from our spiritual failings, we are absolutely dependent on the One who gave Himself for us. And that gives us hope. Christ, who died for us, loves us with an everlasting love and will respond with grace as we confess our faults to Him. Through confession, we can find His gracious restoration—the greatest of all comebacks. Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. —Elliott Confession is the path that leads to restoration. Why Can't I Forgive? The anguish in the caller’s voice revealed her pain. It wasn’t the first time she had called. The reason was always the same. She had said and done some things that hurt her sister badly, and now she was having trouble feeling forgiven. Oh, it’s not that she hadn’t done everything the Bible tells us to do. She had. She confessed her sin to the Lord—repeatedly—and went several times to her sister to ask for complete forgiveness. But she could not accept it. She simply could not believe that she was truly forgiven. Why can’t some people accept God’s forgiveness? The cause is often their unbelief. God has promised to forgive us when we confess our sins (1Jn. 1:9). To doubt His forgiveness is to doubt His integrity. We are forgiven because He declared it, not because we feel it. We have no reason to let unbelief block the joy and peace and freedom that we have every right to experience. Perhaps you are feeling unforgiven. Ask God to help you accept His forgiveness. Believe His truth and reject the lies your feelings are telling you. Your trust will glorify Him, and your inner joy and peace will return. The vain regrets of yesterday Have vanished through God's pardoning grace; The guilty fear has passed away, And joy has come to take its place. —Ackley When God forgives, it's time for us to forget. Taking Out the Trash My wife usually has to remind me to take out the garbage on trash pick-up days. It’s not one of my favorite jobs, but I muster up the determination to get it done and then just do it. Afterward it’s a nice feeling to have it out of the house, and I forget about it till the following week. Just as we need trucks to pick up the garbage that accumulates in our homes, we need to let Jesus remove the “trash” that inevitably accumulates in our hearts. When we forget to take out the trash, it’s not a pretty picture. Jesus wants us to dump it regularly at the foot of the cross. In fact, He has promised to remove it and forget it. But wait a minute! Could we be rummaging through the cans, trying to find that thing we weren’t quite ready to part with? A sinful habit we don’t want to give up, a fantasy we want to cling to, a revenge that we still want to ignite? Why are we wanting to hang on to the garbage? Taking out the trash begins with confession, and then counting on Jesus to get rid of it. “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). Lord, help me not to cover sin, Those secret wrongs that lurk within; I now confess them all to Thee; Transparent I would always be. —D. De Haan Confession is the key that opens the door to forgiveness. Inside Out During an international publishing conference, a young Frenchman described his experience at a book- signing event. A woman picked up one of his books, browsed through it, and exclaimed, “At last, a story that’s clean!” He replied gently, “I write clean because I think clean. It’s not an effort.” What he expressed in print came from within, where Christ had altered the very core of his life. John 15 records Jesus’ lesson to His disciples about abiding in Him as the only means to a fruitful life. In the midst of His imagery of the vine and the branches, Jesus said: “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (v.3). Bible scholar W. E. Vine says that the Greek word for clean means “free from impure admixture, without blemish, spotless.” A pure heart is the work of Christ, and only in His power can we remain clean. We often fail, but “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to … cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9). Renewal is an inside job. Admitting that we’re guilty, Acknowledging our sin, Then trusting in Christ’s sacrifice Will make us clean within. —Sper Confession to God brings cleansing from God.