Confession Comes First

1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

"IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS"

What is hard to understand about "IF" we confess our sins?

We are not suppose to forgive someone who is not sorry, this only empowers bad behavior.

Psychology has taught for years to forgive for our selves, but the Bible teaches that we forgive someone who is sorry to show mercy and to reconcile the relationship.

We don't become bitter just because someone else is not sorry and we can't pass our forgiveness to them.

We pray for them and keep our distance so as not to be drawn into their evil. When they confess and are truly sorry, then and only then can the relationship be reconciled.

Someone who is not sorry will keep doing the same things and get worse. The world believes that if we excuse the sin, then the forgiven one will be soft hearted and change, that just is not true in most cases.

Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD."

One case in which someone came to the Lord after someone forgave them when they were not sorry, is not the measure of truth. Yes, God can work on people in spite of our disobedience, but that does not mean the disobedience was approved of by God.

Proverbs 28:13
"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy."

Matthew 12:36
"I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,"

Those who are not sorry for their sins will not be forgiven by God nor should they be forgiven by man.

Psychology has managed to make people feel guilty for not forgiving the unrepentant heart, but coddles and messages the heart that remains in their sin and even demonstrates rebellion against truth.

This mentality is backward as is so much of what we have been taught in the modern humanistic Christian religion of our day.

God is more interested in our obedience to do things His way than He is in our results. He is in charge of the results, we are obligated to just obey.