What You Need To Know About Confession Of Sins From 1 John 1:9

(1Jn 1:9)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Unlike what is popularly believed out there, this verse isn’t saying you need to go to a priest, a pastor or even a fellow brother/sister in church and tell them every evil thing you have done within the week before God would ever forgive you.

It is also not saying you need to make an itemized list of your sins and verbally pour them out to God one by one while begging Him to have mercy on you and give you a second chance to act right.

The Greek word translated as “we confess” in 1 John 1:9, is the word “homologomen.” When properly translated, “Homologomen” means “to say the same thing as another, i.e to agree with, assent.”

In this context, “homologomen” would mean “to say the same thing God has said concerning our sins” or “to agree that what God has spoken concerning sin is true.” That is, if we assent to what God has already said concerning sin, then we’ll receive the forgiveness of sins for all times.

So what is it that God has said that we are to agree to? Let’s see the previous and next verses together.

(1Jn 1:8)  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

(1Jn 1:9)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(1Jn 1:10)  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

From the above verses, we are to agree that.

1. Sin exists (verse 8)

2. We have sinned (verse 10)

Else we make God a liar and His free gift of forgiveness does not apply to us seeing that we have rejected it by our unbelief and refusal to acknowledge our need for it.

Reading from verse 1, we see that the author was throughout the chapter talking to a set of people who were in the church but refuse to accept the divinity of Jesus, the existence of sin and their need for God’s forgiveness.

So the author having taken the time to explain the divinity of Jesus and our fellowship (oneness) with Him by Faith, invites this set of people to acknowledge these things including the existence of sin and their need for forgiveness so all their sins could be forgiven them. It is just as simple as that.

The verse isn’t asking you to wake up in the morning or even before you go to bed at night to cry, roll on the floor and list out every evil thing you have done before God or man. It was written to those who have NOT fully accepted what God has said and done concerning sin, imploring them to do so.

For the man who had already believed and received all that Jesus has done, 1 John 2:1-2 now points him to the cross every time he sins, to see the one who is the sacrifice for his sins. It is through that one (Jesus) that we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Not through our openly or privately verbalizing them one by one.

(Col 1:13)  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

(Col 1:14)  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

(Col 2:13)  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

If you decide to still continually list out your sins one by one and ask the Lord to forgive you of them every time you sin, feel free. If you decide not to but trust in His Word that He has already forgiven you, better. As long as you know that you are forgiven not according to your listing or not listing them out but according to the riches of His grace, then you are good.

I hope this blesses you.

Glory to God!