I Must Confess…

Later this month, the Clarence Church of Christ youth group will host our sister churches in an event called “MERGE Madness.” It’s an opportunity for our students to be encouraged to walk with Jesus and realize they’re not alone in their journey. The theme for the event is “Timeless;” God is unchanging in a changing world. Why is this good news? It is good news because it means God’s love for us and faithfulness to us will never change. In a world where people break promises, hearts, and relationships, followers of Jesus take heart in knowing that He has overcome the world. He has a perfect batting percentage regarding His promise-keeping and sacrificial love.

One particular aspect of God’s faithfulness has spoken to me recently: His promise to forgive us. Yes, we receive forgiveness in the waters of baptism, but as John writes to the church of Christians (people who had already been baptized), he has the following to say (1 John 1:9-10): “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”.

We all need these words because, as you’ve probably figured out, we are not sinless, even after conversion. However, even in our faithlessness, He remains faithful to forgive and cleanse us. Of course, the problem is whether we claim to be without sin. Many of us identify ourselves as sinners with our words, but do we confess our sins to God and one another? Is our struggle with sin a big secret immersed in the darkness? Paul does not describe himself as a hero of the faith, as he calls himself the “worst of sinners” (1 Tim 1:15). Are we willing to do that? I hope that we will humble ourselves and confess our faults, that God might perfect us in our weakness. He is faithful, just, and loving to forgive us!