Beginning with Christ: Part 2 (Assurance of Forgiveness)
Why unconfessed sin no longer keeps me awake at night
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If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 (ESV)
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I love this verse.
It speaks to the ongoing relationship we now have with God. That whenever we stumble, falling into sin, we can always turn back to Him and seek forgiveness … AND God promises to clean us from all unrighteousness.
I used to always worry about forgetting a sin I committed.
Wondering, “what if I didn’t confess every sin I did today? What if I sinned without even knowing it?!”
Truth be told, it kept me awake at night.
But one day God’s Holy Spirit revealed a truth in this verse that I hadn’t seen before: yes, my “job” is to confess my sin, and God’s promise is forgiveness and cleansing from ALL unrighteousness.
Suddenly I saw that my worry was foolish.
Right there, God promises to clean me back up from all my sin. Even the ones I forgot to confess. Even the ones I didn’t even know about.
I think God does this because the attitude of my heart is more important than getting all the facts straight. He knows when I come to him with a humble attitude seeking forgiveness … or … with an attitude of “checking the box” to feel good about myself.
Mega difference between the two.
Anyway, I hope this encourages you today.
And I strongly urge you to add this verse to your memorized list.
— Ricky Ketchum
P.S. If you want a deeper dive in the Lessons on Assurance, NavPress publishes a book by that name. I’ve found it helpful and encourage you to grab a copy for yourself.
Copyright © 2025 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
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