THE SWEETNESS OF FORGIVENESS 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Unconfessed sin and unforgiven sin are a bitter taste to our souls. This is the sad experience of every true believer that has fallen into sin; which can be said of them as in the times of Jeremiah: “Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts” (2:19). And truly, if we remain thus, we’ll have to confess with the Psalmist: “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer” (Psalm 32:3, 4). Truly, beloved, it is tragic for one who “dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure” (Job 21:25) because of unconfessed and unforgiven sin!

But oh! How sweet it is!!! To come to God with a broken heart confessing our sins and experiencing the forgiveness of them is like “sweetness to come forth out of the strong” (Judges 14”14); and who is that Strong One who will receive us as we come with a broken-hearted confession and repentance of our sins and forgiving us than “the LORD thy God (who) in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). Be gone, O bitterness; for my confession has been accepted by my God and He has forgiven me of ALL of my sins. Truly there is no sweetness to my soul than The Sweetness of Forgiveness; for to be reconciled with my God and Savior in Christ Jesus according to His precious Word: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Yes, my Lord, “how sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103). Amen.