If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9)
Expanded Passage: 1 John 1:9-10
Imagine the following situations: A friend borrows your car and has an accident with it. Would you rather they tell you they had an accident, or would you rather the police show up at the door to investigate? Would you rather a student reveal they cheated on a test, or would you rather catch them cheating? Would you prefer an employee confess they had stolen from your business or discover the theft on a video tape? Would you prefer that your spouse self-reveal a gambling problem or realize the problem by examining the credit card statement?
I think there is little doubt, most of the time, we would rather the person just step forward and own up to what they did rather than have the problem revealed in some other way. It is hard to stay angry at a person who, on their own initiative, “fesses up” to something they have done. When a person is caught covering up, hiding wrongdoing, or lying about misbehavior, it usually results in a harsh response. On the other hand, those who humbly take responsibility and self-reveal the problem are far more likely to receive mercy and forgiveness.
John’s letter reminds us by restating the amazing promise of God from Proverbs 28:13: “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
Humbly confess and renounce any hidden sin in your life.
Stephen Elliott serves as the national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church of Canada and program director of pastoral ministries and church planting degree programs at Kingswood University in New Brunswick. He and his wife, Helen, have three adult children.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
