"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." [1 Jn 1:9]
There are times when confession and repentance are necessary in a Christians life. But though we may feel discouraged in these times for their necessity, as though we disappointed our Lord, or maybe just ourselves, yet our loving God’s attitude toward us is not such. Regarding our sins in the New Covenant, The LORD says through Jeremiah,
“In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.” [Jer 50:20]
And again,
“…I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” [Jer 31:34]
For all this, Jesus is not angry; He retains the attitude of Joseph, yet to a thousand degrees further, who said to his brothers that betrayed him, “now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither.” [Gen 45:5] Jesus is not angry with us, for our sins; The LORD says in Isaiah,
“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem…that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of The LORD’s hand double for all her sins.” [Isa 40:1-2]
Through these passages we conclude Jesus is not upset with us, nor our Father in heaven for our sins. On the contrary, though He hates sin, yet He speaks comfortably to us, for our sins have been obliterated and nullified by the blood of Jesus’ great sacrifice. In Hebrews we are told that Jesus, “appeared [once] to the annulment/nullification of sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” [Heb 9:26] Our sins were given to God, placed upon Jesus’ shoulders as it were, and for all our unrighteousness He was slain; and we, like the scapegoat or the bird, or even Barabbas, were set free. And though we have done this, Jesus is benevolent and loving toward us, not even remembering our sin, nor seeing it, for “the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none;” and, “I will remember their sin no more.”
Let us now take some more encouragement from these beautiful truths which God has promised to us in Christ Jesus our Savior, and dwell upon an allegory. Think for a moment of a mechanic, carpenter, or some other tradesman who uses tools in physical labor. Generally, when tools are used they become dirty. A wrench put to the bolts within a car may get greasy; a saw put to the wood will quickly become covered in sawdust. In these cases, the tool must be cleaned. It was used to do a job, and thus accomplishing its task, became dirtied. Think of the man who uses the tool: does he become upset at the tool? Did it not do what it was supposed to? Now think of us and Christ, who uses us as a tool as it were, to accomplish some task for His glory. Through it we may become dirtied. We may become a little proud, get irritated at those we are ministering to, or enter into some other fault. As we serve Jesus, there may be times when we become a little dirty. Does Jesus take offence at this, becoming discouraged, mean-spirited, or the like? In no wise, for remember what our Lord did to the disciples who had dirty feet from their travels in this world,
“He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.” [Jn 13:4-5]
See here that Christ is not stirred to wrath at our sin, for as it is said of God The Father, so too of Jesus who perfectly displays The Father, “though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.” [Isa 12:1] Let us be encouraged that some dirtying is to be expected, and that Jesus has told us through His apostle, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The Jesus who washed the disciple’s feet is the same today, and who also wishes to cleanse us from sin. Do not be discouraged if you have truthfully and genuinely sought to obey Jesus, but have slipped along the way, or become irritated through your ministering: for Jesus stands as our Advocate, ready and willing to cleanse us and wash our feet as it were. “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with The Father, Jesus Christ The Righteous [One].” [1 Jn 2:1]
And let us remember too what is said in Romans,
“…But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” [Rom 5:20-21]
Let this picture be for a soothing stroke upon your heart: for our Master Jesus, who uses us to walk, talk, heal, teach, and many other things, using us as His own body, (for we are His body), does not become discouraged or angry with us when we falter or become dirty through use, insomuch that we are not purposely and willfully doing so. If we are walking in truth and not living in sin, (for remember Paul said too, “what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid…” [Rom 6:1-2]), a gracious smile always accompanies our Lord’s countenance. So, take heart: for none of God’s children are flawless. But let us not use these dear truths to mask our lust for sin or desire to continue in it; Let us serve God “as free, and not using [our] liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.” [1 Pe 2:15] And let us be quick to turn to Jesus in genuine repentance, seeking to be forgiven and cleansed, that we might once again pursue righteousness; for Jesus said, “if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me;” [Jn 13:8] and, “he that practices righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.” [1 Jn 3:7]