FAQ: What’s the Difference between Confession and Repentance?

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Is this verse talking about repentance? Is repentance the same thing as confession, or are repentance and confession two different things that Christians do?

In 1 John 1:9, the word confess is different than the Greek word that the New Testament uses for repentance. “Confess” here is the Greek word homologeo. It means to agree with, to concede, or to profess. It gets at the idea that we agree with the Lord about his Law and about our sins. So confession goes hand in hand with repentance. It’s a part of repentance. But repentance is a different word: metanoia.

In the Christian life, there’s an initial repentance, sometimes called repentance unto life, where we first turn to the Lord, laying hold of Jesus Christ by faith. But we’re called every single day of our lives to confess our sins and to walk in repentance. We continue to struggle with sin in thought, word, and deed. So 1 John 1:9, speaking mainly to those who are already Christians, highlights the importance of continually walking in the light of the truth about God’s law and our sin.

In fact, that’s precisely what he says in 1 John 1:5–8:

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and we do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

In other words, the idea that we’ll become morally perfect—sinless—in this earthly life is false. John indicates here the reality of ongoing, indwelling sin in the lives of believers. If anyone says he doesn’t sin, he’s a liar. Instead, we have a daily need to confess our sins. That’s why he says that we can and must confess our sins, knowing that we’ll find forgiveness.

Brothers and sisters, what a wonderful promise that is. God doesn’t say, “If you confess your sins and you really feel forgiven, then you’re forgiven.” No, on the basis of God’s word, we come to the Lord sincerely and say, “Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner.” You won’t always feel different, but when you go to God and confess your sins, trusting in what Jesus has done for us by dying on the cross, you’ll find forgiveness. So we’re called every day to confess our sins and to walk in repentance.

This article is part of our Frequently Asked Questions series. Listen to Pastor Adriel answer this question on Core Radio here.