Strength for the Journey – Day 38
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
Strength for the Journey
40 Scriptures to Shape Your Faith
Day 38 | 1 John 1:9
Strength for the Journey
40 Scriptures to Shape Your Faith
Day 38 | 1 John 1:9
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (NASB)
John is writing to BELIEVERS here, not unbelievers… and that matters. Christians still SIN. We mess up and fall short. But Christians have a REMEDY: confession. We don’t need to be saved all over again; we just need to get cleaned up a little.
The word means to AGREE… to say the same thing God says about our sin. No excuses. No "it wasn't that bad." Just HONEST acknowledgment. "God, I sinned. I was wrong. I OWN it."
Notice this… it may be a little different from what you’ve memorized. God “is faithful and RIGHTEOUS.” Not "just," but RIGHTEOUS. That word encompasses everything: His character is right, His promises are right, and the way He forgives is right. He forgives because Christ's sacrifice SATISFIED what sin demanded. Forgiveness isn't leniency; it's RIGHTEOUSNESS applied through the cross. Someone paid. JESUS paid. And because He paid in full, God can forgive fully without compromising His character.
And CLEANSING goes beyond pardon. It PURIFIES and removes the stain. You're not just forgiven… you're CLEAN.
I've noticed something about longtime Christians: we sometimes become so familiar with this verse that we forget its POWER. I call it the “Christian’s bar of soap.” Many just mumble a quick "forgive me" and move on. But CONFESSION is meant to be a HEART transaction… honest, humble, and transforming.
If you're carrying unconfessed sin today, DEAL with it. Right now. The provision is COMPLETE. He's waiting. Get completely clean.
Quote: "Confession is not telling God what He doesn't know; it's agreeing with God about what we've done."
— A.W. Tozer
Prayer: Faithful and righteous God, I CONFESS my sins honestly — no excuses. Thank You for forgiving me and for CLEANSING me through Christ. Please restore to me the JOY of my salvation! Amen.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (NASB)
John is writing to BELIEVERS here, not unbelievers… and that matters. Christians still SIN. We mess up and fall short. But Christians have a REMEDY: confession. We don’t need to be saved all over again; we just need to get cleaned up a little.
The word means to AGREE… to say the same thing God says about our sin. No excuses. No "it wasn't that bad." Just HONEST acknowledgment. "God, I sinned. I was wrong. I OWN it."
Notice this… it may be a little different from what you’ve memorized. God “is faithful and RIGHTEOUS.” Not "just," but RIGHTEOUS. That word encompasses everything: His character is right, His promises are right, and the way He forgives is right. He forgives because Christ's sacrifice SATISFIED what sin demanded. Forgiveness isn't leniency; it's RIGHTEOUSNESS applied through the cross. Someone paid. JESUS paid. And because He paid in full, God can forgive fully without compromising His character.
And CLEANSING goes beyond pardon. It PURIFIES and removes the stain. You're not just forgiven… you're CLEAN.
I've noticed something about longtime Christians: we sometimes become so familiar with this verse that we forget its POWER. I call it the “Christian’s bar of soap.” Many just mumble a quick "forgive me" and move on. But CONFESSION is meant to be a HEART transaction… honest, humble, and transforming.
If you're carrying unconfessed sin today, DEAL with it. Right now. The provision is COMPLETE. He's waiting. Get completely clean.
Quote: "Confession is not telling God what He doesn't know; it's agreeing with God about what we've done."
— A.W. Tozer
Prayer: Faithful and righteous God, I CONFESS my sins honestly — no excuses. Thank You for forgiving me and for CLEANSING me through Christ. Please restore to me the JOY of my salvation! Amen.
Recent
Categories
Archive
2026
February
40 Days with Jesus - 0140 Days with Jesus - 0240 Days with Jesus - 0340 Days with Jesus - 0440 Days with Jesus - 0540 Days with Jesus - 0640 Days with Jesus - 0740 Days with Jesus - 0840 Days with Jesus - 0940 Days with Jesus - 1040 Days with Jesus - 1140 Days with Jesus - 1240 Days with Jesus - 1340 Days with Jesus - 1440 Days with Jesus - 1540 Days with Jesus - 1640 Days with Jesus - 1740 Days with Jesus - 1840 Days with Jesus - 1940 Days with Jesus - 20
March
40 Days with Jesus - 2140 Days with Jesus - 2240 Days with Jesus - 2340 Days with Jesus - 2440 Days with Jesus - 2540 Days with Jesus - 2640 Days with Jesus - 2740 Days with Jesus - 2840 Days with Jesus - 2940 Days with Jesus - 3040 Days with Jesus - 3140 Days with Jesus - 3240 Days with Jesus - 3340 Days with Jesus - 3440 Days with Jesus - 3540 Days with Jesus - 3640 Days with Jesus - 3740 Days with Jesus - 3840 Days with Jesus - 3940 Days with Jesus - 4040 Days in the Book of John - 0140 Days in the Book of John - 02
April
40 Days in the Book of John - 0340 Days in the Book of John - 0440 Days in the Book of John - 0540 Days in the Book of John - 0640 Days in the Book of John - 0740 Days in the Book of John - 0840 Days in the Book of John - 0940 Days in the Book of John - 1040 Days in the Book of John - 1140 Days in the Book of John - 1340 Days in the Book of John - 1240 Days in the Book of John - 1440 Days in the Book of John - 1540 Days in the Book of John - 1640 Days in the Book of John - 1740 Days in the Book of John - 1840 Days in the Book of John - 1940 Days in the Book of John - 2040 Days in the Book of John - 2140 Days in the Book of John - 2240 Days in the Book of John - 2340 Days in the Book of John - 24
May
40 Days in the Book of John - 2540 Days in the Book of John - 2640 Days in the Book of John - 2740 Days in the Book of John - 2840 Days in the Book of John - 2940 Days in the Book of John - 3040 Days in the Book of John - 3140 Days in the Book of John - 3240 Days in the Book of John - 3340 Days in the Book of John - 3440 Days in the Book of John - 3540 Days in the Book of John - 3640 Days in the Book of John - 3740 Days in the Book of John - 3840 Days in the Book of John - 3940 Days in the Book of John - 4040 Days Pondering Heaven - 0140 Days Pondering Heaven - 0240 Days Pondering Heaven - 0340 Days Pondering Heaven - 0440 Days Pondering Heaven - 05
June
40 Days Pondering Heaven - 0640 Days Pondering Heaven - 0740 Days Pondering Heaven - 0840 Days Pondering Heaven - 0940 Days Pondering Heaven - 1040 Days Pondering Heaven - 1140 Days Pondering Heaven - 1240 Days Pondering Heaven - 1340 Days Pondering Heaven - 1440 Days Pondering Heaven - 1540 Days Pondering Heaven - 1640 Days Pondering Heaven - 1740 Days Pondering Heaven - 1840 Days Pondering Heaven - 1940 Days Pondering Heaven - 20