The Beauty of Confessing our sins
The beauty of confessing our sins…
I was recently asked to give my thoughts about a particular book on grace. While I found much good in the book, I was highly concerned with the assertion it made that Christians no longer needs to confess their sins. The author went so far as to say that the entire chapter of 1 John wasn’t written to Christians, rather unbelievers. The reason; 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The author could not reconcile this verse with other passages of the New Testament which speak of the Christian being totally cleansed from sin. Therefore, he reached this conclusion even though there is no historical evidence of this being taught in 2000 years of Church history. This assertion caused me to do some serious study on 1 John 1:9, and the result has been a deeper understanding that confessing our sins to God is good, necessary, and beautiful. Actually I am now confessing my sins and asking for cleansing more often.
What confessing our sins is not…
It seemed evident that the author had an extreme view of what confessing our sins meant based on legalistic experience. I know many can relate to his experience. These experiences seem to have led to his conclusion that 1 John 1:9 was not for the Christian. However, as much as experience shapes us, we must resist using experience to make sweeping conclusions. In that light, let us make clear what confessing our sins “is not:”
It is not groveling before God, seeking His acceptance.
It is not being in a constant state of guilt.
It is not being saved again and again.
It is not denying the finished work of the Cross.
It is not doing some kind of penance.
My research of 1 John 1 led me to a new understanding of a familiar story in the life of Jesus; His washing of the disciples feet. The most obvious lesson of the story is the high calling of being a servant, but there is another dimension which is equally powerful yet not often seen; the reality of on-going cleansing for the believer.
In John 13 the scene is this: Jesus was spending his final night before the Cross with His disciples. He got up from the table and put on the clothing of the house servant, and began washing the disciples’ dirty feet. He came to Simon-Peter who immediately protested; “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus responded, “If I do not wash you, you have no part of me.” Peter responded, “Then Lord, not just my feet, but my head and hands as well!” Now listen carefully to Jesus’ reply: Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
The ancient world was a dirty place, everywhere people walked they walked in dirt. A person could take a bath and basically be clean, but after walking to a friend’s house their feet would be dirty. Often this person would be greeted by a house servant who would wash their feet. They did not need a bath, they just needed their feet cleaned.
The ESV Study Bible study note says this: Jesus applies the foot washing in another way. Those who have been washed through Jesus’ once-for-all death also need daily cleansing of their sins (symbolized by their frequent need to wash their feet). It is apparent that Jesus applies the foot washing figuratively since he says not all are clean, referring to Judas, but clearly he cleaned Judas’s feet as well. Because Judas is not spiritually cleansed, unlike Peter, he does not have a “share” (v. 8) with Jesus.
Sometimes, before I go to bed I find myself stepping into my bathtub just to run the water over my feet. I am clean everywhere else, but by simply walking my feet are dirty. Do you see it? Peter and the other disciples (except Judas) were clean, but they needed their feet washed. My friend, if you are in Christ, you are clean! (Titus 3:5, 1 Corinthians 6:11,Hebrews 10:22). The death of Jesus has “once and for all” cleansed you of sin. However, we get dirty in two ways: one is we sin and the other is that we feel the effects of this world’s system.
I don’t know of one Christian who has completely ceased from sinning in terms of their lifestyle. We are foolish with our words, we have moments of jealousy, we cast lustful glances for too long, sometimes we lack compassion or we are selfish with our possessions, and sometimes our heads swell with pride when we do something for God. This is why 1 John 1:7 is so important; “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” To walk in the light is to be in such a place of closeness with God that we hide nothing from Him, and in turn God cleanses us from all sin. Also, have you noticed that when you try to hide your sin, it affects your relationships with others? This speaks of the fellowship we have with others, when we walk in the light.
I don’t know of one Christian who does not feel dirty from the sin around them. Like a non-smoker in a smoke filled room, they smell like smoke and some of it gets in their lungs. In like manner, the Lord wants to cleanse us from the affects of sin. This person does not need a full spiritual bath, they need their feet washed. This is what I meant by the statement above: “Actually, I am now confessing my sins and asking for cleansing more often.” As far as I know I have responded to the many times the Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to my sins, and I have followed 1 John 1:9 and confessed my sin. What has changed is this idea of cleansing, which I now understand better due to my study of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. I have found this to be a great enhancement to my relationship with Jesus. This should be the case, because if you carefully read 1 John 1 you will see that the purpose of confessing our sins is to maintain or deepen our fellowship with God. What a joy it is to have the God of all grace wash our feet, when we have either sinned or been muddied by this corrupt world.
The over-reaction of some in the modern “grace camp” seems to be a misunderstanding that confessing our sins is coming to God and saying… “I hope I am still saved.” Honestly, I have not thought that way in so long it is hard for me to relate. If that is your kind of thinking, my heart goes out to you because there is something missing in your understanding of the Gospel.
What confessing our sins is…
It is humbly coming before God as Children of God.
It is an awareness of His forgiveness.
It is thankfulness for your once and for all time salvation.
It is enforcing and applying the finished work of the Cross.
It is remembering that Jesus paid the full price for your sin.
Most of all, it is saying that my “walk” with God is more important than anything else.
This verse may capture the idea better than any other single verse concerning the truth that the Christian is completely cleansed and yet in need of having their feet washed.
Hebrews 10:14 “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”
Made perfect, yet still being sanctified. A mystery? Yes. The truth? Yes. A position and a process? Yes. Something beautiful? Absolutely.
Technical reasons why 1 John is for believers…
For those of you who like this kind of thing, allow me to give you other theological reasons why we know 1 John 1 is written to Christians, and why Christians have the opportunity to confess their sins.
Look at the pronouns:
Look carefully at the usage of the words we, us, and our in 1 John 1. This is not a message being preached to those who are lost, nor is 1:9 addressed to the lost. On the contrary, it refers to John and the believers to whom he writes: If we confess our sins”—not if you unsaved Gnostics confess your sins— He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness— not He is faithful and just to forgive you your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.
If some retort that John was “being kind” (yes, one author says this), then they need to look at other passages in 1 John where he is clearly talking about outsiders.
1 John 2:18–20 (NASB95) 18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.
1 John 4:4–6 (NASB95) 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Look at the original Greek of the chapter:
The Greek word for “confess” is written in a continuous present action. (Also used in 4:2,3,15) The words “we confess” (homologeō) also mean “to acknowledge;” an action verb in the present tense that tells us that it is referring to a continuous or habitual action, which often reflects a lifestyle. It is in the active voice, which pictures the subject (“we—believers) as the one who accomplishes, performs, produces or experiences the action, or exercises a certain activity (confession).
The word “forgive” (aphiēmi), which also means “pardon,” is also a verb in the active voice, telling us that it is God (“he”—the subject) who forgives or pardons. “Forgive” is in the subjunctive mood, which conveys something that possibility or potentiality will happen, and which is used in conditional sentences, such as here where John writes “If…” The action (forgive) is dependent upon a condition being met (confession of sin).
Finally, the verb “cleanse” (katharizō) also means “purify,” and describes an action that is not continuous or habitual. The subjunctive mood explains that the action is dependent upon a condition being met (confession of sin). Once again, this verb is in the active voice, which represents the action as being accomplished by the subject of the verb (“he”—God).
Greek authority, AT Robertson—the text literally says, “If we keep on confessing.”
It is not talking about a onetime cleansing, it is a continuous cleansing. A onetime cleansing would make sense for an unbeliever, but not a continuous one. Also, if it is a salvation passage as some insist, this would contradict the main salvation message which is to “believe.” (See John 3:16, Romans 10, etc.)