Need Forgiveness?

 ⁸If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

-First John 1:8-10 (KJV)

We've been studying about walking as Jesus would want us to walk. In yesterday's post, we looked at walking in light and walking in darkness. We concluded that darkness and light cannot coexist. The room is either dark, or it has light, it has not both. For the Christian, we either walk in the light of God on the paths He has laid out for us, or we walk in the darkness of sin. 

Verse 8 says, "If we say that we have not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." You can't go through life thinking you've never sinned. In fact, we are all sinners. Paul writes in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." All of us has sinned, and it's that sin that separates us from God. If you or I go on believing that we are not sinners in need of a Savior, then we are lying to ourselves. The truth tells us that we are sinners. 

Look at these words of Jesus in John 3:18-19, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Jesus is teaching that those of us who believe on Jesus is not condemned. This means that we have given our lives to Him, and He is now our Lord and Savior. For those who refuse to believe on Him, is condemned and will perish in Hell. Look closely at verse 19, "And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." The people who love darkness love sin and will reject the light because of their evil deeds. They don't want to admit they are sinners in need of a Savior, they want to remain in the darkness of their sin. They are afraid of the light. So, you see, that if we remain in sin, we remain in darkness. Do you love the light, or do you love darkness?

But, there is hope. Verse 9 of First John 1 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." When we realize we are living in darkness, apart from the light, and confess our sins, God will forgive us. This is one promise you can count on. When we humbly confess our sins, the light comes in and cleanses us from the darkness of sin. Do you need to confess your sins today, and make things right with God? 

There is a word of warning found in verse 10, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." If you refuse to admit that you are a sinner, then you make God out to be a liar. How? Because of Romans 3:23 where Paul writes that we are all sinners. Friends, don't call God a liar. Don't let the darkness of sin blind you to the Light. Confess those sins, and God will forgive you and make you clean. Will you do that today? Think About It.