I went out and sinned,” a student told his campus chaplain, “be-cause 1 knew I could come back and ask God to forgive me.”
“On what basis can God forgive you?” the chaplain asked,pointing to 1 John 1:9.
“God is faithful and just,” the boy replied.

“Those two words should have kept you out of sin,” the chap-lain said. “Do you know what it cost God to forgive your sins?” The boy hung his head. “Jesus had to die for me.”
Then the chaplain zeroed in. “That’s right—forgiveness isn’t some cheap sideshow trick God performs.

God is faithful to His promise, and God is just, because Christ died for your sins and paid the penalty for you. Now, the next time you plan to sin, remember that you are going to sin against a faithful, loving God!” Cleansing has two sides to it: the judicial and the personal.

The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, delivers us from the guilt of sin and gives us right standing (“justification”) before God. God is able to forgive because Jesus’ death has satisfied His holy law.

But God is also interested in cleansing the sinner inwardly. When our confession is sincere, God does a cleansing work in the heart by His Spirit and through His Word.

King David covered his sins instead of confessing them. For perhaps a whole year he lived in deceit and defeat.

When should we confess our sin? As soon as we discover it! By walking in the light, we are able to see the “dirt” in our lives and deal with it immediately.

Today’s Scripture: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

Also read: 2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 51.

Action assignment: Confess to God any known sin in your life and ask Him to reveal other sins to you. Turn from your sin and thank God for His forgiveness.

WARREN W. WIERSBE
www.backtothebible.in