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

COMMENTARY PEARL

   For many years, I had a wall around my 
heart. I built it as a means of protecting myself. 
Keeping others at arm's length was painful, but it 
was better than risking being hurt when I let 
someone see my true self, mistakes and all. 
   This worked for me until one day, at 
Bible study, I dared to confess a dark, secret 
sin. Instead of looks of condemnation, compassion 
filled the women's faces. One by one, they each 
confessed hidden sins. None of us were perfect. 
   The understanding and grace those ladies 
extended to me allowed me to believe in Jesus's 
forgiveness and grace. My burden lifted, and I felt the 
wall around my heart begin to crumble. 
   My confession was news to my Bible study 
group but not to Jesus. He knew my dark sin and 
the other women's as well. He watched me build 
the unnecessary wall around my heart, waiting 
for the moment when I would feel strong and 
confident enough to break it down and let Him and 
others come in. 
   Sharing my true self, sins and all, with 
my group and seeing their compassion helped me 
realize that Jesus had that same compassion waiting 
for me. No sin was too big or dark for Him. 
Jesus would eagerly forgive me too. I need only 
ask. 
   Funny thing about that wall around my 
heart - I thought it blocked rejection by keeping 
others out. But by keeping others out, it also 
blocked what I craved most - love and acceptance. 
Tricia Gayer 
   Faith Step: Has unconfessed sin built a 
wall around your heart? Take a moment to confess 
it to Jesus. [Mornings With Jesus 2023 
Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan] 

COMMENTARY

   All people are sinners by nature and by 
practice. At conversion all our sins are 
forgiven--past, present, and future. Yet even after we 
become Christians, we still sin and still need to 
confess. This kind of confession is not offered to 
gain God's acceptance, but to remove the barrier 
to fellowship that our sin has put between us 
and him. It is difficult, however, for many 
people to admit their faults and shortcomings, even 
to God. It takes humility and honesty to 
recognize our weaknesses, and most of us would rather 
pretend that we are strong. But we need not fear 
revealing our sins to God--he knows them already. He 
will not push us away, no matter what we've done. 
Instead, he will draw us to himself.  
   We don't need to confess the sins of the 
past all over again, and we don't need to fear 
that God will reject us if we don't keep our 
slate perfectly clean. Of course, we should 
continue to confess our sins, but not because failure 
to do so will make us lose our salvation. Our 
relationship with Christ is secure. Instead, we should 
confess so that we can enjoy maximum fellowship and 
joy with him.  
   True confession also involves a 
commitment not to continue in sin. We wouldn't be 
genuinely confessing our sins to God if we planned to 
commit them again and just wanted temporary 
forgiveness. We should also pray for strength to defeat 
temptation the next time we face it. [Life Application 
SB] 

CLOSING THOUGHT

Grace Not Guilt
   Humanity's first occasion of anxiety can 
be attributed to guilt. "That evening [Adam and 
Eve] heard the sound of the Lord God walking in 
the garden; and they hid themselves among the 
trees" (Genesis 3:8 TLB). 
   What had happened to the first family? 
Until this point there was no indication they felt 
any fear or trepidation. They had never hidden 
from God. Indeed, they had nothing to hide. 
   But then came the serpent and the 
forbidden fruit. The first couple said yes to the 
serpent's temptation and no to God. And when they did, 
their world collapsed. They scurried into the 
bushes and went into hiding, feeling shame and 
dread. 
   Note the sequence. Guilt came first. 
Anxiety came in tow. Guilt drove the truck, but 
anxiety bounced in the flatbed. 
   What kind of person does unresolved guilt 
create? An anxious one, forever hiding, running, 
denying, pretending. Unresolved guilt over 
unconfessed sin will turn you into a miserable, weary, 
angry, stressed-out, fretful mess. 
   Guilt sucks the life out of our souls. 
Grace restores it. [You Can Count On God by Max 
Lucado] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY

1 John 1:9 - Another Chance.

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220327-0934.html 

GOOD SERMON ON THIS TOPIC

Forgiveness by Ryan Ashlock: Acts 13:13-43.
https://youtu.be/bgk9peOr7lk

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/