When Christ said on the cross "Father forgive them, they know not what they do", He was asking the Father to extend forgiveness, however they would not receive the forgiveness unless they repented.
The same is true of believers, we must confess our sins to grow in grace through God's blessing. We don't lose our salvation if we do not confess, we simply lose rewards in heaven and blessings here on earth. We may have terrible consequences for our refusal to admit and ask for cleansing, God cares too much for His children to allow them to be dishonoring to His name.
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."
The 1 John passage was written to believers.
Acts 20:19-21 "19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; 20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
Christ will not save anyone who does not want to repent and become cleansed from their sin. He will not grow a believer who will not confess, but He will bring discipline to His children, sometimes very harsh discipline when they are stubborn.
Hebrews 12:6 "FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
Do we want to be spiritually blessed by God, with heaven to look forward to? Then obey the Word, repent if you are unsaved and confess if you are already born again.
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