“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Federal Visionists love this verse because they think that there is a link between confessing our sins and being forgiven for our sins. Obviously, this is a re-hashing of the Roman Catholic doctrine of penance.
The Reformed faith has always insisted that we are forgiven for our sins in justification, which is obtained by faith alone. In no way is the forgiveness of our sins dependent upon confessing our sins.
Faith in the act of justification must be alone. Once justified, we are free to “confess our sins” or “repent” or “pursue holiness” or “deny ourselves” or “love our brothers” or “love God,” but these are all post-justification works that are entirely optional. In fact, there is no way to demand post-justification works without compromising sola fide. That what makes sola fide so antinomianly wonderful!
In this verse, John is probably speaking about fellowship with God. If we confess our sins, then we will have a more fulfilling relationship with God, but that’s up to you (by the way, don’t let this be a motive, either; we obey out of gratitude, not the prospect of a so-called “more fulfilling relationship with God”).
Thus, only by protecting justification from works such as “confession” can we ensure that forgiveness is absolutely free!
