Topic: You can be forgiven
Text: 1 John 1: 9
“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness”
God promises forgiveness to all those who confess their sins.
Forgiveness means wiping the slate clean, it gives you a fresh start, an opportunity to start over.
It can be hard to admit your fault and accept God's forgiveness. You may be embarrassed to realize that you have been stuck in a particular sin for a long time or you may be unwilling to let go of anger over the things that has gone wrong in your life.
Believe it or not there are actually some who enjoy their sinful state and are unwilling to accept God's forgiveness. Oftentimes the reason for this is because such people do not see their lifestyle as sinful, rather they see it as pleasure, just as Eve back in the garden of Eden did not see the fruit that God commanded them not to eat as something that brings death but rather as something that is beautiful, delicious and brings wisdom (Gen. 3: 6). This strategy of viewing sin wrongly is a strategy that the devil has used consistently from the time of Adam and Eve till today to keep many in the bondage of sin.
Think about for awhile, no one in his right mind will take poison, but when poison is repackaged and served as Chivita, 5-alive or non-alcoholic wine many will take it. And this what the devil has been doing to keep people all over the world in the bondage of sin. He keeps improving his skill of repackaging sin such that it does not appear as sin anymore but as something desirable, pleasurable and necessary. As evidence of the devil's success in this regard, if you look around you today, a lot of things that we generally know and recognize as sin today as been repackaged and made to look as a necessity, with some of them even going through a “re-baptism” and getting a name change. For instance prostitutes or harlots are now referred to as commercial sex workers and it is perhaps the cheap ones that hang around street corners looking for customers many are now operating as single and highly successful ladies in the society who do not see what they as prostitution but a necessary remedy to the problem of loneliness in their lives due to their not being married.
Confession of sin however is very necessary. Why is this so? Because it gives you the sure and guaranteed way out of whatever problem or challenges you may be confronted with – whether it's a family or marital problem, a job that has become a pain, sickness and disease or a mounting pile of financial debt. The sacrifice of Jesus covers all manner of brokenness. It is a one stop shop that brings to solution all manner of life challenges but you only gain access to these solutions when you confess your sins.
Confession of your sins makes you right with God and thereby positions you to receive His favor, His grace and His help in every area of life where you need it.
Today, take an inventory of your life, make a mental note of the sinful lifestyle you are still holding on to, you can even list them down as many as you can remember and then take them to God in prayer and ask for His forgiveness, our text give us assurance that when we do so , God will forgive us our sins and that positions us to begin a new life in Him. The life that God intends for you to live.
A new life awaits you today – a life filled with the love of God, the grace of God, the blessings of God, but will this sin problem ever let you walk into it? You know what to do and the choice is yours. Have a great weekend. Shalom
Prayer
Jesus thank you that you have forgiven me, let me walk in your forgiveness today. Help me live the sin free life that you have packaged for me and please use means an instrument on your hand to bring this message of forgiveness to others in Jesus name. Amen.
