The First Epistle of John

Feb 6, 2011 Bob Eckel 1

Confession of Sin - I John 1:9,10• I John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful

and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”– ‘If’ or ‘Since’?

• A conditional participle– which makes reference to time and to experience– introduces something future– but not determining before the event, whether it is certainly to take place.

» Therefore – ‘if in case’ here• But I thought our sins had already been forgiven?

– we confess – present active subjunctive• When we keep on declaring or admitting that we are guilty.• Notice ‘sins’ not ‘sin’.• The same Greek verb, homologeō, is almost always used in the NT to

mean profess (say the same thing), not confess.– Why do you think that this is the only time in the epistles that confess is

used?

The First Epistle of John

Feb 6, 2011 Bob Eckel 2

Confession of Sin - I John 1:9,10• Of what are we guilty and what is the consequence?

– Our sins and broken fellowship.» One of many roles of the Holy Spirit» Never forget your position – that’s where He has us!

• Perhaps ‘profess’ or ‘tell it like it is’ is more positionally correct here?– We see our sins as God sees them; therefore the emphasis is on fellowship!

– He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins• He is – present indicative• To forgive or dispense or put away – 2nd aorist active subjunctive

– Typically not a process but a single act in time» How is this verb tense relevant here?

• To what is God faithful and just?– Faithful to His word.

» Heb 10:23 ‘Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.’

– And just.» Rom 3:26 ‘to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might

be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.’

The First Epistle of John

Feb 6, 2011 Bob Eckel 3

Confession of Sin - I John 1:9,10– And it’s all wrapped up in Christ! – To forgive us our sins – removing the guilt

» Which is His gracious pathway of restored fellowship.» Yet already accomplished - I Cor 15:3, Gal 1:4, Heb 1:3, I Peter 2:24, I John

2:2, I John 3:5, I John 4:10, Rev 1:5

– and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.• Cleanse – to make clean, physically and/or morally.• What is unrighteousness?

– Being offensive to Him, who "is just" and righteous– Sin (source of unrighteousness) sins (acts of unrighteousness)

• Titus 2:14 ‘who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.’

• And in context, let’s return to I John 1:7.• Constable – ‘Conversion (forensic) forgiveness, makes us acceptable as

members of God’s family. Continual (family) forgiveness enables us to

The First Epistle of John

Feb 6, 2011 Bob Eckel 4

Confession of Sin - I John 1:9,10• experience intimate fellowship as sons within God’s family.’

• I John 1:10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”– Verb tenses are critically important here!

• If we say – 2nd aorist subjunctive again• we have not sinned – perfect active indicative• we make - perfect active indicative• is – present indicative

– I John 1:8 revisited. – Rom 3:10 ‘As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not

one;’• Thus, we make God a liar.• Does the believer really need to be reminded of this?

– 1 John 5:10 ‘He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.’

Sin nature denied

The First Epistle of John

Feb 6, 2011 Bob Eckel 5

Confession of Sin - I John 1:9,10

– and His word is not in us.• You mean we’re not saved?

– John 5:38 ‘But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.’

• The contrast:– Truth from 1 John 1:9 – confession restores fellowship with God.

– False claim from I John 1:10 – we have not sinned.

• Is this simply ignorance (One Naturist) or the absence of salvation?

– The perfect tense, and particularly when in the negative, implies all past time up to the present.

» This would indicate then that one never sinned!

– Your final conclusion?