“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.”
1 John 1:8-10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.1.8-10.NLT
Self-Deception
The truth is, I am capable of self-deception. So are you. This has a profound impact, not only on me, but on every person and organization in life I have influence with.
In and of itself, it is a form of sin with far-reaching impacts if left unaddressed.
John also says a life of self-deception, where we think we are above wrong, is calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
This is nothing to mess around with.
Confession
We are invited to the honesty of confession.
In my life, the good news is that I have become someone who confesses shortcomings, blind spots, and mistakes much more easily and willingly now than I used to. How about you?
I come to God in confession, submission, and surrender, often asking for wisdom while enduring the challenges of life.
Good counsel of others is highly valued.
Forgive and Cleanse
This is what John is getting at when he says it is foolish of us to think we are doing this life without sin.
As sin occurs, John wants us to know that we can have confidence in Christ to address it in our lives: But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Confession results in Christ taking care of my sins through forgiveness and cleansing me from evil thoughts, behaviors, and actions. It is meant to be a regular and frequent aspect of our relationship with Christ.
Think of it this way: When I have worn some clothes that have become dirty and smelly, there is a point of confession: These clothes stink and need to be washed. Into the wash they go. With the combination of water, laundry detergent, high-speed spinning and rinsing, and the warmth of getting everything dry and fresh, the clothes are ready for another day of use.
It’s a simple way of thinking about the process of confession, forgiveness, and being cleansed by Christ.
By the way, if you ignore confession and live in self-deception about your clothes, you end up wearing clothes that smell bad. Everyone around you knows it and wishes you would do something about it. The same is true for your life.
Encouragement
Christ invites us to be free of all matters of self-deception.
I invite you to consider that self-deception is a form of what John refers to as wickedness. It is foolish at its core.
Christ cleanses us of this, not just once, but as many times as needed. He will lead us away from self-deception to a life of confession, trust, and wisdom.
Question
How would you evaluate yourself on self-deception or confession?
Prayer
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for the simple reminder that self-deception is like me wearing smelly clothes and going around as if everything is ok. You know it is not. So do the people within smelling distance of me.
Thank you for the gift of coming to you in confession. We can come directly to you. We can ask others to help us with our confession to you. Either way, you are right there, ready to receive us, no matter what we smell like.
In response to our confession, your gifts of forgiveness from sin and cleansing from evil thinking, behavior, and actions are incredible. What an opportunity you give us over and over again. Thank you.
Holy Spirit, please help us with all forms of self-deception and gently guide us into the truth of this free and abundant life in Christ.
Thank you.
In your name, Jesus, we pray,
Amen
-Ed McDowell