1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NKJV)

Confess Your Sins And Be Saved
I’ve often heard this verse being quoted whenever we were leading people to the Lord. I was taught to share this verse with unbelievers during street evangelism. The aim was to get them to confess all their sins before they could be saved. This was what I understood about salvation. I used to hold to the belief that I had to confess my sins constantly to stay forgiven.

This verse has been the topic of much debate in my cell group and among my friends. It stems from the interpreting the phrase “If we confess our sins,” as a qualifier for God’s forgiveness and cleansing.

However, if we look at other scriptures from the bible, we see that there is no requirement for an unbeliever to confess their sins before salvation can take place. There seems to be no New Testament scripture which supports confessing sins as a means to stay saved.

According to Romans 10:9-10, 13
…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

It is clearly stated that salvation requires confession of Jesus as Lord and believing that God has raised Him from the dead. The confession stated here is not confession of sin but a confession of Jesus. We can also see another example from when Paul and Silas were talking to the Philippian Jailer.

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Acts 16:30-31

Who Does 1 John 1:9 Apply To?
First of all, from the context of the epistle, we can see that 1 John was addressed to believers. John refers to the recipients of the letter as “my little children” and teaches them to walk in the light and to beware of anti-christs. According to Merrill C. Tenney in the book New Testament Survey, "…the most acceptable view is that these documents were written by John for the Asian churches in the middle of the last third of the century."

The question which then arises, is there a need for Christians to keep confessing their sins? What happens to unconfessed sin? Do we become unforgiven or unrighteous again?

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:17 (NLT)

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Hebrews 10:11-14 (NKJV)

These scripture do not seem to agree with that stand.

The book of 1 John seems to carry a paternal tone to it and the tone of this verse is constant with the rest of the book. It seems that John is trying to reassure and advise the readers of the forgiveness and their righteousness. The Amplified Version seems to bring across this reassurance.

But if we really are living and walking in the Light, as He Himself is in the Light, we have true, unbroken fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses or removes us from all sin and guilt. He keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations. (AMP)
1 John 1:9

We see here how a wrong interpretation of scripture and taking things out of context of the rest of the bible can cause wrong teachings to surface.