Page 32 - June 2025 - Truth & Tidings

" f we confess our sins, he is faithful and and said, “Remember me when you come
just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
into your kingdom.” The Lord Jesus replied,
Ius from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9). “Today, you will be with me in paradise” (Luk
1
First John chapter 1 is a very special Bible 23:39-43). Christ forgave this guilty thief of
chapter to me. Verse 7 states, “The blood of every one of his sins!
Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son cleanses us from “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
all sin” (NKJV). God used this verse to bring me just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
to understand this precious truth: Jesus died from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9). The thief
on the cross and shed His blood to cleanse on the cross did not have the time to confess
me, a guilty sinner, of every one of my sins every one of his sins. He confessed his guilt
– past, present and future. I will never forget before the Lord, recognizing his sins rightly
that day! Are your sins forgiven? deserved punishment. The Bible tells us that
In the Bible, God speaks of His love for you “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). This
and for me. In 1 John 4:8, we read that “God is death goes far beyond mere physical death.
love.” Dear friend, God knows you. God loves It is spiritual death, eternal death resulting in
you. And He wants to forgive you of your eternal separation from God. Every sin, at its
sins so that you can spend eternity with Him. core, is rebellion against God and a rejection
of Him as God. And our sins cannot be in the
Have you ever had a moment in your life sinless presence of our Sinless God.
when you realized your sins needed to be
forgiven? “If we claim we have not sinned, we We must be forgiven of our sins if we want
are calling God a liar” (1Jn 1:10 NLT). You and to be in heaven with God forever. God’s
I must realize we have sinned against God. forgiveness is obtained instantaneously the
And because we sin, we are rightfully guilty. moment that any human being trusts Christ
for salvation. The Bible says that Jesus Christ
Think of the two thieves who were crucified “bore our sins in his own body on the tree
on either side of Jesus. One of the thieves [cross]” (1Pe 2:24), and that “all we like sheep
mocked Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? have gone astray; we have turned – every
Save yourself and us!” The other thief rebuked one – to his own way; and the LORD has laid
the first, saying, “We are receiving the due on him the iniquity [sin] of us all” (Isa 53:6).
reward of our deeds; but this man [Jesus] has Take God’s Word as true, recognize your
done nothing wrong.” He then turned to Jesus
guilt, and trust Christ and His atoning blood
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the as sufficient to forgive your sins and “cleanse
ESV unless otherwise noted. you from all unrighteousness.”