⁹If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we walk in the light (vs. 7), if the truth is in us (vs. 8) and His Word abides in us, then we will confess our sins. This wonderful verse has many applications, both for nonbelievers coming to faith and also for believers. At the core is the character of God, who forgives sins, no matter who is the sinner!

For the unbeliever, who is unrighteous and tainted to the core with sin, this verse can be wonderful news. Isaiah captured this amazing truth:

“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.” (Isa. 1:18)

The initial confession of our sin (following which repentance is assumed here) involved coming to believe that God will forgive. Of course, in a sinner’s mind, this may be entirely selfish; there is a realization of the offense of our sin against God and the consequence of judgment it holds for us. As Paul writes, God is “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). A nonbeliever who steps into the light, confessing his sin, discovers the beautiful righteousness of God and cleansing from sin. This is the beginning of his walk in fellowship with the Lord (vs. 7).

But it is the character of God that John extolls here and that all believers understand when they walk in the light. His very nature is to forgive and justify sinners, whether as judicial forgiveness or parental forgiveness. We mean by this that we as believers need to continue leaning on the Lord’s character as a forgiving God, more so now that we are part of the family of God, walking in fellowship with Him. Confession of sin becomes our way of life. As one commentator puts it, “Walking in the light is demonstrated not by the denial of sin but by confessing and abandoning it” (EBC).

God’s character remains the same, whether He deals with nonbelievers in need of justifying forgiveness or believers in need of family forgiveness. God is faithful and just. But the believer’s experience is overwhelming. The Lord’s grace is greater than all my sin. We are wonderfully forgiven; we are cleansed from the dirtiness of sin. The psalmist, David, knew this well when he wrote, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!” (Ps. 32:1). We have an amazing God who will always forgive us when we come to Him and authentically confess our sins. He is faithful and righteous to forgive and cleanse us. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Prayer: Lord, I confess the sin that comes to my mind right now.