LEARNING TO CONFESS WITH HUMILITY—DAY 5 (Friday)

Jul 29, 2022
3 min read

I John 1:5-10

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

I don’t like darkness, mainly because it takes away my ability to see. I learn today that God is light, and He desires for me to see clearly. However, sometimes I say and believe things that just aren’t true. If I say I know Jesus when I really don’t, I’m missing something. This passage says I’m lacking LIGHT. That makes sense, since Jesus said He is the Light. His Light has a quality of purifying and cleansing dark areas of my life. That’s what Jesus does. However, if my life is dark and I say I know the Light, then I’m just lying to myself as well as others.

If I say I am pure and without sin—well, I know I’m just lying to myself. The passage says I am lacking TRUTH. Guess what? Jesus also said He is the Truth. The remedy for this state of mind is confessing the truth about my situation—I have sinned and am seeking forgiveness. What if I think I’m not to blame? Then I’m deceived and believe I couldn’t have sinned. According to the passage, if I say that, then I’m telling God He is lying. I should know better because the Truth never lies. When this happens, I’m missing the Word—a name that the Apostle John had for Jesus.

In all three instances, I’m missing Jesus. That’s because where sin is, Jesus isn’t. Jesus loves sinners, but He hates sin. He wants me to stop sinning, so I can fellowship with Him and enjoy the Light that purifies, the Truth that forgives, and the Word that instructs.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS: I catch the lies I have told in each of these scenarios. When I lie to myself, lie to others, and blame God, then I hide the Truth by displacing the Word of God and creating a huge void in my heart.

When I confess my sin, the Truth of God always sets me free from the lies I have been harboring in my heart and avoid telling others. When I confess these lies to God and those I’ve lied to, I receive forgiveness and am set free from the bondage the lies created.

Confession is the key to forgiving. I remember God forgave me, and I didn’t deserve it. I want the person who needs forgiving to feel that same freedom.

Lord, today I need reassurance that I’m walking with You. Please allow me to see Your Light shine brightly today in my life. Thank You for being my Light! Amen.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman