[1 John 1:9 KJV] “If we confess our sins, He is FAITHFUL and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
When God forgives sins, He is definitely being merciful. But here, God’s Word says He is “faithful” to forgive our sins. The significance is huge. God says in Romans 9:15 & 18, “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” And, “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.” God is a merciful God, but He can still choose, at His discretion, whether or not to have mercy.
When God says here in 1 John, that He is “faithful” to forgive our sins, it means that there is absolutely NO doubt that He WILL. “Faithful” means that there is some commitment… some promise, or guarantee, that He is being faithful TO. “Faithful” means EVERY time, ALL the time. One who keeps a vow “most” of the time, is NOT called faithful.
Yes, God is honoring a promise… actually a covenant… to take away our sins. The Word of God says in Hebrew 10:16-17, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”
You don’t have to beg and persuade God to honor His covenant. God IS faithful! He keeps His Word! You don’t have to cry and plead with Him over, and over, and over. You don’t have to strike any new deal with Him. The covenant… the contract… the promise… has already been spelled out in His Word. And it’s not complicated! Just write your name in the blank where it says, “whosoever will.”
You don’t even have to wonder whether you’re one that God will have mercy on, or one that He hardens. If the Spirit of God is dealing with you, and convicting you… that is the mercy of God. Just receive it, and surrender.
Surrender is our part! From the heart. With a broken spirit, and a contrite heart… rending our hearts, not our garments. Total surrender… withholding nothing. Yielding… with your whole heart. Do you think God is doing His part half-heartedly… kinda holding back, not sure if He really wants to forgive our sins, totally and permanently? God HATES sin! He doesn’t want to see it in His children for even a moment. He LOVES us! He wants us to know how it feels to be FREE! Now!
What God requires on our part, is something we can do instantly! Confessing your sins does not take long. You can say, “God, I have sinned. I’m sorry. I repent.”, in a few seconds. You can humble yourself, and break before God, just as quick. You don’t need time to prove to God that your repentance is real, before He can forgive you. He already sees your heart. He knows! The fruits of repentance will follow, but you can KNOW that you’re whiter than snow, WHILE your fruit is developing.
The truth is, that you won’t even be able to fully bring forth the fruit, if you don’t know FIRST that you’re already washed whiter than snow! How could you ever please God, or do the works of God, if you don’t even believe that He is FAITHFUL… to forgive your sins, and cleanse you from all unrighteousness!
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