“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins…” – 1 John 1:9 

Scripture reading: 1 John 1:8-10; Psalm 32

As we continue to look at John’s theme of fellowship with God, sin is a topic that may not be ignored.  In fact, John mentions the word sin 27 times in his short epistle.  The bottom line is simply that our sin hinders our fellowship with God – always.  A true believer understands this clearly as well as the sad reality that though we desire to be free of sin in our life, we still struggle with it on a daily basis.  How do we reconcile the fact that sin hinders fellowship with God and the fact that we still sin?  In a word – repentance.

John tells us that if we look to Christ and confess our sin, God will forgive and cleanse us – every time!  It is for this reason that the Christian life can be described as a life of continual repentance.  It is not enough for us to begin our walk with the Lord asking for forgiveness and committing to new obedience, but because we continue to struggle with sin in our life, we must continue to confess and turn from those sins.  This is the path of continued fellowship with God.  Thomas Watson states, “There is no rowing to paradise except upon the stream of repenting tears.  Repentance is required as a qualification.  It is not so much to endear us to Christ as to endear Christ to us.  Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet.”

Suggestions for prayer

Pray that the Lord would teach you more and more to see sin as He sees it.  Take time to repent of particular sins particularly.

Rev. Brian Murray is the associate pastor at Grace ARP Church and the Director of Gillespie Academy in Woodstock, Ontario. He has been ordained in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church since 2003 and he and his wife Melissa have four children. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.