The phrase “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” comes from 1 John 1:9 in the New Testament. It expresses two key ideas about God’s character and our relationship with Him. Direct answer
- If we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This means He can be trusted to respond to honest repentance with forgiveness and purification, not because of anything we do to earn it, but because of who He is and His promises.
Context and implications
- Faithful: God remains reliable and true to His word; He will act on our confession by offering forgiveness. This underscores God’s steadfast love and commitment to restoring fellowship with His people.
- Just: God’s justice ensures that sin is addressed properly, yet His grace meets us in confession. The forgiveness is not a cheap pardon but a righting of the underlying broken relationship through God’s standards.
- Confession: The act of acknowledging sin openly is a personal turning toward God, aligning with His will, and receiving His mercy. It’s often described as agreeing with God about what is true regarding one’s actions and attitudes.
If you’d like, I can provide brief study notes, multiple Bible translations of this verse for comparison, or a short devotional based on 1 John 1:9.
