Read 1 John 1 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
1 John 1:1-7c Chiastic structure
1 John 1:7d-10 Chiastic structure
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 Joh 1:9
Confess
Webster’s: To tell or make known; to acknowledge sin to God; to declare faith in or adherence to, to profess.
The root “fess” in our English word comes from the Latin verb fateri, meaning “to admit” or “to acknowledge.” It’s tied to the idea of speaking or declaring something openly.
The prefix “con-” comes from Latin, meaning “with” or “together.” The idea of the combined prefix and root is of “acknowledging together with.”
When we confess our sins, what are we acknowledging together with? We are taking God’s definition of sin and righteousness, as revealed in the first five books of the Bible, the dictionary of the Bible, and acknowledging together with God that His definition is true, and we have committed a sin.
Notice the reciprocity: when a man does something, when he confesses, then God does something, He forgives.
I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not hide my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to YHVH,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Psa 32:5
Forgive
Webster’s: To cease to feel resentment against an offender.
This modern definition, tied to a person’s feelings, does not reflect the Greek word as it is used in the New Testament. That word is Strong’s G863 aphiemi, meaning, “to send away, to release, to let go.” Tracking back through the Septuagint, its Hebrew equivalent is Strong’s H5375 nasa, “to lift up, to carry away.” The parable the Hebrew Root Word is telling, is of persistently grabbing hold with strength to take up or lift up a burden. When God forgives us, He takes up the burden of our sin, and sends it away.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psa 103:12
If there are questions, this is a good resource:
God has forgiven me – Christine Miller
JOHN’S EPISTLES INDEX OF STUDIES | BIBLE FOR BEGINNERS ARCHIVE
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