Sand Mountain Sermonette 22
I John 1:9
The Ball Cap
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9
When I was in about the Fifth Grade, I began to ride the bus home every day from school. A good friend of mine by the name of Paul, one who would graduate High School with me, also rode the same bus. Both Paul and I lived off the Old Birmingham Highway just out of town and I would be let off the bus first on the daily run, and Paul would be let off a few miles down the road after me.
One day it was hot outside so the bus driver put the windows down so we could cool off a bit. Paul and I, along with a handful of other students who were left on board as we neared the end of the day’s run, were just talking and taking it easy. Paul was seated next to a friend when all of the sudden, I felt like playing a mean prank on him, so I stepped over and pulled off his cap and threw it out the window before he could grab it! Paul was so upset! He told me his father had given him the cap and that it was his favorite!
I began to feel bad for what I had done but had not said anything to Paul after the incident. A short time later, I was dropped off and went into the house. As the afternoon progressed, I felt worse. My parents were working and there was a lady who took care of my brother and me in the afternoons until my mom got home from work, but she was in the other room when there came a knock at the door later afternoon. I went to the door and opened it and there stood Paul with his father. His father was firm but at the same time caring when he told me that Paul had told him what I had done. Then he asked me if I thought what I had done was wrong, to which I said, “Yes, sir, I was wrong to do that.” And with that, Paul and his dad left and never was there a word said about it again. His father didn’t call my parents or say anything else! That day I was forgiven by the father and the son. There were however consequences in that I had hurt my friend and the fact that his cap was never found, but with time our relationship was healed and I can assure you that Paul and I are friends to this day.
Looking back, Paul’s dad was calling me both to honest accountability and open confession to my sin. The word John uses translated, forgive, in this verse, literally means to send away and the word translated confess comes from a compound Greek word meaning “to say the same as.” In other words, to agree with God by saying the same thing as God about our sin.
The wonder and beauty of this verse is that it was written by John to Christians encouraging them as to how God wants to send our sins away after we become Christians! The Bible says dealt with our root sin of rebellion at the cross once and for all, but as Christians we deal daily with sins and as we continually confess our sins to God as the Holy Spirit convicts our minds and hearts, the Bible says God is faithful through His Son to forgive us and cleanse us from sins we commit after salvation! Be free, be content, be at peace in the Lord! Confess!
Pastor Louie