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If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. --- 1 John 1:9 Confession is supposed to free us to enjoy fellowship with Christ. It should ease our consciences and lighten our cares. But some Christians do not understand how it works. They feel so guilty that they confess the same sins over and over; then they wonder if they might have forgotten something. Other Christians believe that God forgives them when they confess, but if they died with unconfessed sins, they would be forever lost. These Christians do not understand that God wants to forgive us. He allowed his beloved Son to die just so he could offer us pardon. When we come to Christ, he forgives all the sins we have committed or will ever commit. We don’t need to confess the sins of the past all over again, and we don’t need to fear that God will reject us if we don’t keep our slate perfectly clean. Of course we should continue to confess our sins, but not because failure to do so will make us lose our salvation. Our relationship with Christ is secure. Instead, we should confess so that we can enjoy maximum fellowship and joy with him. True confession also involves a commitment not to continue in sin. We wouldn’t be genuinely confessing our sins to God, if we planned to commit them again and just wanted temporary forgiveness. We should also pray for strength to defeat temptation the next time we face it. If God has forgiven us for our sins because of Christ’s death, why must we confess our sins? In admitting our sins and receiving Christ’s cleansing, we are (1) agreeing with God that our sin truly is sin and that we are willing to turn from it, (2) ensuring that we don’t try to conceal our sins from him (He knows anyways) and consequently from ourselves, and (3) recognizing our tendency to sin and relying on his power to overcome it. --- Life Application Study Bible notes PRAYER Heavenly Father, I am weighed down with feelings of guilt and shame. I confess my wrongdoing before You and I hold onto Your promise of forgiveness. Thank you that through the blood that Jesus has shed on the cross, You have paid for every sin -- past, present, and future. I take comfort that You know my every action, and yet You still love me. Create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Help me now to see myself as You see me --- bearing the righteousness of Christ. In Jesus’ name Amen