Confess it, Receive it, Walk Free
- Bishop Keith Butler
- Jun 3
- 2 min read
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)
The Greek word for confess here is homologeo—it means to agree, acknowledge, and say the same thing. God is looking for you to say the same thing He said. This means recognizing His perspective on the situation and acknowledging areas of wrongdoing while accepting His forgiveness and cleansing. You can never overcome what you continue to hide, and He will never cleanse what you do not surrender to Him.
John made a promise in this epistle about what God will do.
First, He will forgive. This means He cancels the debt you owed from your sin altogether. This is God’s mercy. You didn’t deserve it, but He gives it out of His love.
Second, He promises to “cleanse,” which means to remove the stain entirely. You aren’t called to ask for forgiveness and walk away feeling better; you are called to be completely restored and transformed.
God is not a man; He is neither petty nor passive-aggressive. Some people may claim to forgive you, but later bring it up five or ten years down the line. God does not revisit what He has forgiven you for. Once He forgives, forgiveness is written in stone. It is forever done.
You need to let go of it, too.
When you hold onto bitterness, regret, or shame, it destroys your body. Medical science has proven that unforgiveness raises stress hormones, anger kills brain cells, and resentment weakens your immune system. God wants you healthy and knows that confession and acceptance of forgiveness are beneficial for your soul and your whole body.
Practical Application
Have you felt you’re carrying the weight of your mistakes? You are not meant to bear the burden of guilt and shame. Whatever issue from your past continues to trouble you, confess it aloud before God, and receive the forgiveness He has already granted.
