1 John 1:8-9 “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

            You have heard of the two key questions, perhaps. We use them in evangelism work. In order to get a person to think about where they stand with God, we ask them the question, “Do you know if you will go to heaven when you die?” They may answer yes or no. In follow up we ask the second question. “Why do you think so? Or, to put it another way, if God were to ask you, ‘Why should I let you into heaven?’ what would you tell him?”

            A pastor friend of mine once asked these questions of a member of his congregation who was a senior citizen, and had belonged to a Lutheran church all her life. To the question, “Do you know if you will go to heaven when you die?” she answered, “Oh, yes pastor. I know that I am going to heaven when I die.” That was good, so he followed up, “If God asked you why he should let you into heaven, what would you tell him?” She answered, “Because I never sin.” That’s not the right answer, John tells us here. My pastor friend had to work a little to convince this lady what she said wasn’t true or honest, before he could proceed to tell her about God’s real solution for our sins.

            Most people, I believe, take an opposite view of whether they have sin, at least in theory. “Nobody’s perfect” is a truth embraced by almost everyone. But the devil is in the details. I have listened to church members try to defend extramarital affairs, chronic substance abuse that led to their hospitalization, driving 130 miles an hour to avoid arrest for speeding, giving nothing for any charitable cause though they made hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, shacking up, shoplifting, holding grudges. Everyone wants to believe that their case is an exception. It’s all a subtle way of saying and believing, “I am without sin,” even if we admit that we are sinners in theory. John says we are only deceiving ourselves. Somewhere Martin Luther comments that if we want to be only a “painted sinner,” sort of a sinner in theory, then we will get only a painted, or theoretical Savior. But if we admit to our real sins, then we get a real Savior as well.

            Which is just what John promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” The Lord isn’t looking for us to perform some great act of penance when he confronts our sins. He doesn’t expect us to pay for the sin ourselves, or spend the rest of our lives feeling miserable about them. He just wants us to confess them and say we are sorry. What he is really waiting for is the opportunity to say “I forgive you,” whether from the pastor’s mouth, or at the communion table, or in our personal gospel reading and devotions. That’s what gets him out of bed in the morning, so to speak. That’s what motivates our God to keep working with us and moves him to keep this relationship with us going. He wants nothing more than a fresh opportunity to show us his grace.