The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 20

of tho denier: "He decci veth himself." By closing hi., eyes to the light of trn lh and holiness, ho 1s wandering into moral error, falsehood, and danger. He sins against his own soul. (2) The manifestation of the solemn fact that the truth of Q()d is not in him. So.ying that he ha, no sin, ho testifie3 that neither the truth of the perfect holiness of God, nor that of the sinfulness of man, is realized by him, (3) The negation of the Divine veracity. "If we s~y that we have not sinned, we make him a linr." God has repeatedly declnred that all men are sinners (Rom. iii. 10-18). All the pro- visions and arrangements for man's redemption imply that he is a sinner and spiritually lo~t. But if any man has not sinned, these dechrations are untrue, and redemption itself is based upon falsehood. Ho\V dreadful a thing it is to" make him a liar"! (4) The manifestation of the fact that the ·word of God is not in him. Ily "bis WorJ." (ver, 10) we do not understand the eternal and personal Word (as in ver. 1), but, as Ebrard says, "the collective rcvefation of God, not merely that which is contained in the written words of the Old and New Testaments, but the entire self-anmmciation of the nature of God, who is Li.~ht." 'l'be whole revelation of the mind and will of God teaches that man is a sinner; he who says that he has not sinned contradicts that revelation, and in so dojug shows that the spirit cf that revelation is not in him. II. THE CONFESSION Ol' PEilSO~AL SINS, "If we con:·ess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesg," 1. The con- fession itself. The confession, to be valid, must be sincere; it must be the expression of penitence. The apostle means more than a vague, general confes~ion of sin. It is to be feared that many join in the "general confession" in church every Sunday without any true realization of their personal guiltiness, and whose confession, con- sequently, cannot be acceptable unlo God. Our confession must be per,onal and par- ticular; it must spring from the heart, and its sincerity must be evinced in the life. Confession must be macle to God. In our text there is no suggestion whatever of confession to a priest. Confession to man is binding only when we have injured man, and then the confession should be made to the injured person or perwns. But the confession and forgiveness of which our text speaks are things which transpire between the penitent soul and tlie pardoning God. 2. The consequences of this confession. (1) Forgiveness of our sins. As a consequence of genuine personal confession of sins, God exempts us from their spiritual penalties, sets us free from their guilt, and delivers us from condemnation. How completely and graciously God forgives (Ps. ciii. 12; Isa, xxx.viii. 17; xliv. 22; lv. 6, 7; llficah vii. 10; Luke xv. 20--24) ! (2) Cleansing from our sins. "And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Purification is promised as well as pardon ; sanctification as well as justification. Of this sancti fica- tion we have already spoken (ver. 7). (3) The guarantee of these blessicgs. "He is faithful and just [Revised Version, 'righteous'] to forgive us our sins," etc. The character of God is a pledge that the penitent shall receive pardon an,l purification. He has promised these blo,sings; he is faithful, and will fulfil his promises. He is faithful, not only to his promises, but to his own holy nature. " God is Light," an<l he is true to himself in forgiving and 8anctifying those who sincerely con!·ess their sins. It seems to us that his righteousne,s here does not mean that, Christ having borne our sins and satisfied Divine justice, the forgiveness of all who believe on him is due to him or to them iu him. That may be taught elsewhere, but we cannot discover it here. The justice or righteousness is that of the character of God; and pardon and purification from sin are bestowed in harmony with bis righteouslll·ss. It may be, as Alford observes, that" in the background lie all the details of redemption, but they are not here in this verse: only the simple fact of Goa.'s justice is adduced." "Justice and mercy are forms of love. The same is true of righteousness, or right-this requim~ both justice and mercy; for no being can ever think himself righteous who docs not exercise mercy where mercy is possible-' faithful and just' (righteous), ~ays an apostle, ' to forgive us our sins.' Goel will be just, retributively, because he is righteous. He will also be merciful and forgiving because he is righteous." 1 Our subject presents the strongest reasons to clissuado ns from attempting to cloak or deny our sins, and the strongest encouragement to humbly and bel'.rtily confess them unto God. "Ila that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesscth nnd forsakcth them shall have mercy."-W. J. 1 • The Vicarious Sl\crifico,' by H. Bt1shnell, D.D., pt. iii. eh. 3,  16 TTIE FIRST EPIS'fLE GENERAL OF JOHN. [ou. r. 1-10,