At least to begin with, this afternoon I would ask you to open your Bibles to the book of Proverbs and the 28th chapter, Proverbs chapter 28. As you're turning, let me ask, do you confess your sins to God? How often? Do you ask for forgiveness of your sins? Again, how often? Our Lord's words in what's called the Lord's Prayer Presuppose, at least daily, right? Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts. But surely we've reason to confess to God far more than that. I mean, how many times a day do we sin? And do you confess and ask pardon for specific sins? Not just waiting kind of the end of the day and ask forgiveness and make confession, but even as we are aware of them. When we recognize we've sinned, do we then, there, confess it? Isn't this part of what Paul included in those words in Acts 24, 16, how he was laboring, striving to keep a conscience without offense toward God and men? Well, it does mean he's trying to do what's right, but it also means that when I've done wrong, well, before men, I would go and confess and apologize, but I keep this conscience without offense toward God. He keeps short accounts with God. So we've reason to confess, we've reason to ask fresh pardon, but could it be that Christians fail to do so? Well, it's safe to say that none of us do as we ought, but with some, they may be guilty of very greatly neglecting this. In fact, there can be a number of reasons for that. Notice the words of Proverbs 28 in verse 13. he who covers his sin will not prosper. But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. Well, the opposite of confessing and forsaking is to cover those sins. That is, The idea of hiding it out of view. It can be done in several different ways. Maybe just refusing to acknowledge the wrong done. Hiding it from others and forgetting that you can't hide it from God. That God's eyes are on you. Or maybe it's covering by way of justifying it. Well it's okay that I harbor ill will because after all look what this person did to me. And sure, I can cheat on my taxes because the government's just going to waste the money anyway. And therefore, we can justify wrongdoing. And well, that's a form of covering it, isn't it? Instead of recognizing and dealing with it. Or we play it down. Well, it's not really sin. It was just a mistake. And it's not that bad. After all, nobody's perfect. Well, and I didn't really mean to do this. Or maybe it's just confessing sin broadly. You know, nebulously, yeah, Lord, forgive my sins. I've sinned some way or another. Rather than going after specifics. Not wanting to go after specifics, because that makes us uncomfortable. And then if I'm willing to say this is wrong, I've got to deal with it. In fact, whatever form it takes, It's failing, if not refusing, to confess sin. We cover it, we ignore it, we're not really sorry for it, and again, maybe that comes from wanting to continue in the sin. I don't wanna face up to that, because if I do, then I'm gonna have to forsake it. I'm gonna have to say, this is wrong, I can't say, Lord, I'm sorry, forgive me, and then go on. Well, Proverbs 28, 13 shows the folly and the evil of that. You confess and forsake, so have mercy. What about the one who will not confess and forsake? Will not prosper? Quite the opposite. Sitting against God, defying God, not humbled before him, not even valuing pardon and mercy, therefore under God's frown. Failure to confess sin can result from a dulled conscience. Just not aware of the sin. conscience is not so sensitive to the law of God, to what God himself has commanded us. In fact, maybe so accustomed to sin, one sin or another, that we're not even thinking in terms of what's right and wrong, therefore we're dulled to it, and therefore we don't recognize that I have to be confessing this is wrong. And related to that, can't we fail to take sin seriously? Okay, we recognize sin, but then in one way or another, we treat it lightly. You know, no need to be bothered. No need for conscience to be troubled. It's not that big of a deal. I mean, after all, we all do that kind of thing. And we forget just how evil all sin truly is, that it's all against a holy God who's with pure eyes and to behold evil. That is to say, he cannot look upon it with approval. In fact, God cannot even look upon sin with indifference. It is a big deal. Think of what it took to atone for sin. nothing less than the God-man coming, and his true man suffering and dying in the place of sinners, the just one in place of the unjust, that him you who think of sin but lightly, nor suppose the evil great here may view its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate. Mark the sacrifice appointed, see who bore the awful load." Well, brethren, sin is a big deal, all sin. In fact, even the sin of Christians is so serious that it requires an advocate, you know, like a lawyer pleading the case. Well, that's what John says, and if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. It's the idea of Christ and his intercession, pleading his own blood and righteousness on our behalf. But John's not talking about, for the unsaved, you have an advocate. He's saying for us. If we sin, we have an advocate with the Father who pleads the merit of His blood and righteousness. Or Christians may be guilty of presuming on God's grace. I mean, come on. Our sins, our trespasses, remembered no more? So? No need to confess it. God's not even remembering it. Or the argument of, well, I'm justified in Christ. I'm regarded and treated as perfectly righteous in Christ. I have peace with God. I stand immutably fixed in God's favor, and my sins cannot undo that, and therefore, what need to confess those sins? What need do I have for further pardon? Or, the other end of the spectrum, maybe it's a case of shame, of guilt. I mean, conscience is sensitive, and I see my sin, but how can I go to God again? I'm guilty of so many sins. I'm guilty of, and I have confessed this one sin time after time after time after time, and I can't, I just can't go to God again. Therefore, it results in neglect. going around under a sense of condemnation, not going and confessing, running to the fountain open for sin and uncleanness? Well, brethren, I'm not trying to give an exhaustive list. I'm just giving a few illustrations of ways that Christians, us, we, may fail to confess sin to God. Can you relate to any of these? Or maybe I should put this, are you guilty of any of these? Can you see that each of these illustrations shows this is wrong? In fact, even the one where I can't go to God again, I've confessed that, I keep on going, I keep on, I can't do it again. No, that's wrong too. You do go, where else are you gonna go? Well, the sin that we should confess is bad enough, but doesn't failure to confess it compound The guilt? Somebody's done you wrong, and they won't acknowledge it, leave alone apologize, they won't even acknowledge that they've done you wrong. Does that not compound the problem of what they've done? Well, how much worse, before God, we sin and don't bother confessing, don't bother bringing it to Him. Well, brethren, failure to confess sin is in itself sin, because it's required of us. As we can see right here in Proverbs 28, 13, this is not written just for information's sake, just to let you know that those who don't confess and forsake, they'll not prosper. Rather, it's given as an admonition with a motivation. What reason to confess? What reason to go? again, with a motivation to it. Confess sin, have mercy. Yeah, what do you choose? Not to prosper or to have mercy from God? And really to mean it because it says confess and forsake. It won't do, just say, Lord, I'm sorry, but I'm going to keep on Right? So, really mean that confession, and truly sorry for it, wanting to be done with that sin, because seeing the need for God's mercy, and seriously wanting mercy, seriously wanting Him, and therefore, not the sin, but it's Him, confess and forsake. Well, obviously, this is not just an Old Testament thing, though I'm appealing to an Old Testament passage. Perhaps in your mind, you're already thinking in terms of 1 John 1, 9, so I would ask you to turn there, please. 1 John 1, 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Well this is clearly in contrast to the refusal to acknowledge and deal with sin. Like the guy in verse 8, we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, the truth is not in us. Verse 10, if we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, he said we have, and his word is not in us. So the point is that confessing is in contrast to those guys. And it's also part of that which John has set before us in verse seven. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son cleanses us from all sin. Walking in the light, well it will mean endeavoring to do that which is right before God. In contrast here, verse 9, of those who walk in darkness, who walk in their sin in their own way. But wait a minute, even in walking in the light, there's still sin from which to be cleansed, right? If we walk in the light, the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. Walking in the light doesn't mean sinless, doesn't mean perfect. There's still sin which needs to be cleansed. Well what does it mean then? Well, it speaks of transparency. It speaks of honest dealings with God. Those who, like the Apostle Paul, I keep short accounts. I keep a conscience without offense toward God and man. I confess and do so quickly. Well, that's the idea of being honest before God about our sin. And that's why in verse 9 he says, if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And if we do not, if we will not confess our sins, then what? If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And if we will not confess our sins, he's still faithful and just to forgive us our sins. Is that what we're to understand from that? Is this not saying much the same as Proverbs 28, 13? Those who cover their sin will not prosper. Those who confess and forsake will have mercy. But if we would have mercy, if we would prosper before God, then we need to take this seriously. If we confess our sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But that begs the question. In Christ, we are treated as righteous forever. That's what the word justified means. means. Because the one who knew no sin was regarded and treated as sin, that we should be regarded and treated as the perfect righteousness of God in Him. And by that one offering, we have been perfected forever. Hebrews 10.14, that means in our standing before God, 10 million years from now, 10 million years of sinlessness after the Lord comes, it cannot improve upon that perfect acceptance that is now yours. One offering, perfected forever. And therefore, he does indeed remember our sins, our iniquities, no more. Therefore, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. It's God who justifies who can condemn. So we never come under the wrath, the condemnation of God. That is, dear Christian, our unchanging status for all of those who believed on Christ. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. He goes on to say, and it's this grace in which we stand. You're immutably fixed in that favor. We can never become unjustified, right? Our good works didn't justify us, it was all Christ. Therefore, our less than good works, our contrary works, our sin, cannot unjustify us. But if that's so, and it is, How is it that the Lord's justified people have sin which needs to be forgiven? If we confess our sins, he's faithful just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from our... Wait a minute, I'm already justified by one offering, perfected forever. Why do I have sins that need to be forgiven and therefore need to be confessed? Well, it's true that we will never again stand before God as a condemning judge. But such is the evil and defiling nature of sin that it most certainly can hinder our fellowship with God as our Father. And that's the subject at hand. back in verse three. He's always said, that which we've seen and heard, we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship was with the father and with his son, Jesus Christ. And so too, when he says in verse seven, we have fellowship one with another, it doesn't mean Well, we as Christians have. No, it means in this context, we're having fellowship with God and with Christ. In fact, in verse six, he's already talked about those who walk in darkness and yet say they have fellowship with him. Well, they're lying. They do not practice the truth. So we're talking about our fellowship with God, walking with God in the light and in that shared life. Listen to the words of our confession, similar language from the Westminster Confession. There in Chapter 11, Paragraph 5, we read, God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified, and although they can never fall from that state of justification, Yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure. And in that condition, they have not usually the light of his countenance restored unto them until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance. It's in that sense that we need forgiveness, our sins to be cleansed. For the sake of our fellowship with the Father. That's the confessing and that's the cleansing that is in view in verse seven and verse nine of first John. Do we Christians sin? Even knowingly? We've recognized it? Yes we do. Is God indifferent to our sin? No, he is not. We need an advocate. Bless God, we have an advocate, but the point is, God's not indifferent. Therefore, known sin, impenitence in any sin, covering that sin, instead of confessing and forsaking that sin, it hinders fellowship, it hinders our delight in God, right? Right? We recognize that. Therefore, we all need to confess our sins before and to God, and really mean it, like confessing and forsaking. To do exactly what we're told here, to walk in the light as he is in the light. Endeavoring to do right, but oh, when we see that we've done wrong, when we know, then we are transparent, we're honest before God, we call it what it is. Like again, Paul, endeavoring to keep labor and he keep that conscious without offense. Lord, I see I've done this, please forgive me. Cleanse me anew in the blood of Christ. recognizing sin, honest and real dealings with God about that sin, seeking mercy and trusting in Christ. Lord, I see in me still sin. And what hope for me? Here's my hope. It's the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses. from sin and seeking that trust in Christ, especially because as Proverbs 28, 13 underscores, God is willing to show mercy to all such. Confess our sin, forsake our sin. God shows mercy, and what mercy it is. Though all sin is so serious, though all sin is against him and deserves damnation, yet he is willing and ready to fully pardon that sin. And you notice how that is stressed here in 1 John 1, how John repeats himself, even using different words to drive the case home. When he says, all sin, he cleanses us from all sin, not just some of it, not just most of it, All, it's all cleansed, entirely washed away so that we're no more defiled. We've walked in the light. And again in verse nine, it emphasizes, in the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin, all unrighteousnesses. In fact, notice the wording again in verse nine. He's not simply saying, if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive the sins we confess. the sins we recognize and confess, he'll forgive those but no others. No! Those sins that we recognize and confess, he will end to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, even those that we fail to recognize. And there are a plenty, right? No, he cleanses even from these. Cast into the sea, sins removed from us as far as the east is from the west. God forgives. at John's point in verse nine, well, he won't leave it at just that. He gives us the reason why God forgives and cleanses those who have sinned against light and sinned against grace. Yet, he assures that, no, God will, because he's faithful. That is, he's given his word, he'll do his promise. But what does it mean, and because he's just? I mean, just? Well, justice, that means sin must be punished. Right? That's just. How can he say he's faithful and just to forgive since justice requires punishment? Well, you know the answer. It's because the sin was punished. And justice was satisfied. And therefore, it's now perfectly just. It's only just that God would cleanse us from all unrighteousness. All because of Christ. Well, that's what John says. He's faithful and he's just to forgive us. His very character makes it so because of who he is, because of what Christ has done. It's entirely certain. So that person says, I can't go again. I've sinned again. I've done this again. I can't go back. Oh, you must. But see, it is to whom you go, the one who's faithful and just to forgive sin, to cleanse it away. And verse seven shows how truly and thoroughly all sin is forgiven and cleansed is that fellowship. When he says fellowship with one another, I've always said it doesn't just mean with Christians. It means with God himself in Christ. Real association, real shared life. Not unlike what we enjoy together, only far, far beyond it. A real and experiential communion. Walking with God in that blessed relationship. He goes on in chapter two to use the language of knowing God, right? Here's how we know that we know him. We actually know him. As our blessed reality day by day, Well, that is how truly and thoroughly all sin is entirely cleansed, entirely removed, whatever the sins may be, so that we who still sin could actually know and enjoy and walk with this holy God, our Father in heaven, this God who is light, who's our Father in heaven, who's made a way for us to walk in the light, to have fellowship with him. How effectual is the atoning work of Christ that the blood entirely cleanses not just the sins we confess, but all those that we fail to even recognize. All unrighteousness cleansed indeed. Well, I hope you can see how this is so very relevant to that which we now come to do as we come to remember our Lord in this supper of remembrance. We come to remember him especially with reference to that body that was broken, that blood that was shed. And can I say that remembering that broken body and shed blood should impress upon us the seriousness of sin. This God who is full of mercy, God who is love, disposed to show mercy to sinners. But he couldn't sweep sin under the carpet. It had to be dealt with. Sin requires judgment, punishment. And God couldn't just say, well, let bygones be gone. But no! Justice must be satisfied in order for sins to be forgiven. And it took nothing less than this. Christ, the one who knew no sin, regarded and treated as sin itself. That's why the body's broken. That's why the blood is shed. as Christ making atonement, as Christ receiving in his own holy person all that justice required for the sins of those for whom he came to redeem. See the seriousness of sin, it took nothing less than this. How dare we not confess and forsake our sin? We've been shown such mercy, we've been shown such grace, We are so loved. Well, then see your sin as it is. It's serious. And will we prefer our sin to fellowship with God? Will we prefer refusing to acknowledge it? Will we put off walking in the light, dealing transparently? Supposed to go on and that in sin? Dear brother, dear sister, since God could not sweep our sin under the carpet, neither dare we confess forsake and go to Christ. Do you do that? When you see sin, what do you do? What do you do right away? Are there specifics? You can, right now, give it a few moments time, you could actually name them. Yeah, I did this and I did that and I didn't bother and I don't want to. God forbid. No, as we come to remember our Savior, the body broken, the blood shed, see the seriousness of sin, again, you who think of sin but lightly, nor suppose the evil great. Here may view is guilt or rightly, here is nature, here is guilt may estimate. Mark the sacrifice appointed. But the supper of remembrance should also impress upon us the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice. How effectual. Full pardon for all sin. price was paid in full, therefore justice, justice is that we should be forgiven. Perfected forever and so much so that this sin that would stain and blot the relationship, no, it's taken completely out of the way by the blood of Christ that we might have fellowship. with God in Christ, even all those sins that we fail to recognize, all unrighteousness, so that we're able to walk with and delight in God, our Father, fellowship with nothing to hinder. Do you believe that? Christian, do you believe that? Do you really believe if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins? We walk in the light as he is in the light. If we really believe that, what are we gonna do? We're gonna confess our sins, we're gonna walk in the light. And we do so with confidence in the blood of Jesus Christ and Christ himself. Not in our confessing, oh, I've confessed my sin now. Not trusting some decision in the past or some good that we think we've done, no, no. Look into Christ and Christ alone for pardon for acceptance, for that ongoing cleansing, that ongoing fellowship with God. That's exactly what John does. I write these things to you, you do not sin. If anyone sins, we, me and you both, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous, the propitiation. Well, dear brother, dear sister, come to remember our Lord. Again, seeing sin as it is, but then seeing him. and His work, and what He has secured for sinners like us. And thus come to meet with Him, have real dealings with Him, even to examine ourselves, to deal with those sins, and then to partake that fresh sense of the Father's smile, and to be benefited by the supper as a reminder, not just now for the moment, but for later today, and the next day, and the next day, and the next. Now help us that we might walk in blessed fellowship with God, our Father, because we are that accepted in Christ. If it took nothing less than Christ coming into this world to save sinners, if you're without Christ, let me ask you, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? That's what the writer of Hebrews himself says. And what about you? You know you've sinned. You're a sinner before God. Well, how will you escape condemnation, eternal damnation? There's only one answer, it's Christ. Go to Christ. Believe on the Lord Jesus, you will be saved. Dare you neglect this? You may not reject it, but would you neglect it? How should we escape if we neglect so great? It's there, I'll put it off. Later, maybe, no. Today is the day of salvation. Flee to Christ. be forgiven, be saved, be made a new creature in him. May God grant mercy. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we do thank you for the gospel. We thank you for Christ our Savior. Lord, that we are justified, that we stand perfectly righteous, always in Christ's righteousness. Oh, but also, Lord, that the blood cleanses so that that blessed justification is very experiential by way of our walking in fellowship with you, our Father in heaven, walking with Christ day by day. Well, grant that we would be quick to recognize sin, and to hate it, and to confess it, and to forsake it. Please give us grace, and grant that our lives should indeed be marked by walking in the light as you are in the light, that we might have fellowship with you. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.