In Our Confession, God Is Faithful

1 John 1:9 | October 15 - 21, 2023 

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

The message we share of the gospel of Christ is that you are sinful, that you’ve fallen away from your Creator, and that you need a Savior. That’s not always pleasant to hear, nor is it easy to tell someone. The same could be said of confession. When someone confesses something to us, we might not like it. And we might not feel comfortable if we’re the one confessing.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary defines confession this way: To acknowledge; to admit; to concede. In other words, to reveal something about yourself you might not otherwise disclose.

Let us confess to one another in love.

The Bible has a lot to say about confessing. It’s an important part of speaking the truth and walking in Christ. Though we often think of confession in terms of our sin, it also applies to our belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Throughout history, confessing belief in Jesus could result in persecution, sometimes death.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:32, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 10:9-10, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Let us confess to one another in love. In our confession, God is faithful to forgive, to cleanse, and to save. And in that we can rejoice!

Lord Jesus, we confess that we love you, and that we are sinners
in need of a Savior. Thank you, Lord, that in you we find forgiveness, that in you we are cleansed from all unrighteousness, and that in you we are saved for all eternity.
AMEN.

Sermon Reference