02/11/2025
By Pastor Vinnie Cappetta
"The Gateway to Grace: Owning Our Need for Forgiveness"
(1 John 1:8-10)
Let’s be real for a second—before we can receive forgiveness, we have to admit we need it. And that’s not always easy, is it?
We don’t like to think of ourselves as sinners. It’s uncomfortable. We’d rather focus on the "good parts" of ourselves and ignore the mess. But here’s the truth: We all have a sin problem. It’s not just about the bad things we do—it’s deeper than that. Sin is woven into our very nature. And left unchecked, it creates distance between us and God.
That’s why pretending we’re fine is the worst thing we can do. 1 John 1:8 puts it plainly:
👉 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
In other words, denial doesn’t heal—it only hardens. Ignoring sin doesn’t make it disappear. It just keeps us from the One who can actually do something about it.
But here’s the good news: God doesn’t leave us there. He’s already made a way out.
1 John 1:9 is one of the most beautiful promises in Scripture:
👉 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Did you catch that? If we confess. That’s the key. Forgiveness isn’t automatic—it’s an invitation. God isn’t standing there with folded arms, waiting to see if we’ll grovel. No. He’s ready, arms wide open, just waiting for us to come clean.
And when we do? He is faithful. He is just. He will forgive.
No hesitation. No “I told you so.” No keeping score. Just pure, cleansing grace.
Isaiah 1:18 paints it perfectly:
"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."
That’s what God does when we bring our mess to Him—He washes us completely clean.
Pause & Reflect:
🔹 Are you running from God in any area of your life?
🔹 Is there a sin you feel stuck in, like you’ll never break free?
🔹 Are you resisting the truth about something God is trying to show you?
🔹 Have you forgotten what it feels like to live forgiven—light, free, at peace?
Here’s the invitation: Come to God. Confess. Let Him wash you clean. Then rest in His faithfulness.
Because even when we are unfaithful, He remains faithful.
What a God we serve. 🙌
