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It is For Our Own Good
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
~1 John 1:9
We talk a great deal about God’s grace, and His willingness to forgive our sins. But we don’t talk much about our sins, and where we fall short. Sin can put a wall between us and God. When we know we have sinned, it becomes a burden to us. All sin hurts God, and that wall keeps us from being ready to receive his Grace.
But to feel ready to turn to God for help and comfort, we must first break that wall we built justifying our sin. We do this through confessing, and repenting - which means admitting to ourselves and God about where we have gone wrong, and being sorry and ready to live in a better way.
Why does God hate sin so much that we must confess it before feeling ready to turn to Him? Sin does indeed offend His holiness. But it is more than that. He knows our sins, but wants us to realize where we are going wrong. Our Loving God hates sin because it hurts us! It damages our mind, body, and soul! And He loves us too much to give us grace and forgiveness without confession and repentance.
It is like when my mom or dad would discipline me, they would say: “This hurts me more than it hurts you.” God is saddened by our sin and as much as He truly longs to have us back in a right relationship, He will not do it if there is sin holding us back! It is for our sake and well-being. He still loves us; He will still be watching over us; but without confessing our sins, we will not be able to experience the joy of living in His forgiveness and grace.
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