Blessed forgiveness

'Blessed forgiveness'

— I John 1:9

‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ Any one sin, of the slightest degree, is enough to exclude us for ever from the presence of God in heaven and to drag us down into hell, But if we are united to Christ by faith we have no sin before God! When David realized this glorious grace, he exclaimed, ‘Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin!’ How can we enjoy this blessed forgiveness?

John tells us that we must confess our sin - our repentance, faith and confession of sin do not accomplish our forgiveness. That cannot be. The judicial ground of our forgiveness is the shed blood of Christ alone! But until a man confesses his sin, he cannot receive the forgiveness accomplished at Calvary. Our hearts must be reconciled to God and that reconciliation is begun in confession. Our confession must be made in humble sincerity towards God, with faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice. You cannot mention every offense, but you dare not hide one. Confess that you are vile by nature, wicked in practice and evil in heart. Lie down as low as you can at the footstool of mercy. ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.’

God’s forgiveness of such sinners is both faithful and just. God has promised to forgive repenting, believing sinners for Christ’s sake. And he is faithful to his Word. But he can only forgive us in a way consistent with his justice. In holy justice God slew his Son as our Substitute. With that one sacrifice, justice is fully satisfied. And now, upon the ground of the finished work of Christ, the justice of God pleads as strongly as his mercy for our forgiveness! Our forgiveness is complete! If we confess our sins, trusting the blood of Christ alone for cleansing, God will not impute iniquity to us. This is blessed forgiveness.