If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10

We live in a world of self-deception. It’s not difficult to look and see the landscape of society and think, “what in the world is going on?” Well, that’s the answer. The world is going on with its destructive nature of doing everything it can to do away with the concept of sin and replace it with self-indulgence and self-gratification.

This is nothing new. Yes, it may be repackaged and painted with bright and shiny colors. It may even be wrapped in a bow of some social cause or religious feeling purpose, but at its core is the self-deceiving nature of sin.

What I have always loved about Scripture is that the antidote for deception is so simple. What Scripture says in more than one place is to acknowledge the truth! Sin is sin, and it deceives us into thinking it’s “no big deal”, “not hurting anybody”, “necessary means to an end”, or the worst one, in my opinion, “justified because…”.

Again confession and acknowledging the truth of sin is the way out that God gave us. The Apostle John gave us great wisdom in his first letter to the church. In the text above, he said, “If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” The truth in God’s Word shows us our sinful nature and our need for a Savior to save us from our sins. Think of this, without sin; the Gospel doesn’t mean anything. We don’t need a Savior if there is no such thing as sin. Which is the whole point of why the World, the Flesh, and the Devil want you to believe that!

Now we all have given in to the self-deceiving nature of sin. Still, hopefully, you have also realized and experienced through confession of sin the amazing forgiveness and cleansing power of God. So my encouragement this week to you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, is CONFESS, ACKNOWLEDGE, live in the TRUTH that we are sinners, and because of Christ, have the blessing of forgiveness of sins and living in the truth! Don’t be deceived by sin any longer! Confess, believe, and live in the salvation from sin Christ has given us!

Confessing sin to live in the truth,
Pastor Mike