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. 1 John 1:8-9
From the moment sin entered the world in Genesis 3, humanity had a sin problem. We were lost entirely without hope. But God had greater plans. He did not leave us alone in our sins. He made a plan to send Jesus at just the right time to rescue the world from sin.
Matthew lets readers know in the genealogy of Jesus that He was the long-awaited Messiah they had been waiting for. After listing many unexpected people in the genealogy, he ends the genealogy by saying, "Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah" (verse 17). With this announcement, we can make no mistake that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah who had come to rescue the world from sin and death. Everyone in Jesus’ timeline was leading straight to Him.
If we want to experience freedom from sin and death, we have to acknowledge our need for a Savior. Like all of the people, especially the seemingly “broken branches” in Jesus’ family tree, we desperately need the saving, healing, forgiving, and rescuing power of Jesus. John says it this way in the book of 1 John, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” (verse 8). It is so easy to see the sins of others and cast judgment. It is far more difficult, but so necessary, for us to acknowledge our own sin. When we do, however, acknowledge our sins and "confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness" (verse 9). When we confess our sins to Him, He offers forgiveness and eternal life forever with Him.
What a Savior we have! He came to this earth to pay the price for our sins. Because of Him, we can walk in healing, peace, and freedom. May we always turn to Him for help and hope.
Take a few moments now to worship Christ for all He has done. Listen to your favorite worship song and praise Him for all that He has done for you. Let this attitude of praise carry you throughout the rest of your day. He is so worthy of your praise!
1 John 1:1-10
1We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.
5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 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. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
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