Catholic Commentary on 1 John 1

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

The Word of Life

First John opens not with a greeting but with a proclamation: that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched, this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The author, almost certainly the same as the author of John's Gospel, grounds the entire letter in the physical, historical reality of the Incarnation. The Word of life was not a vision or an idea. It was heard, seen, gazed upon, and handled. The Catechism calls this the physical verification of the Incarnation: the apostolic testimony is grounded in sensory experience, not in speculation (CCC 515).

God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live out 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 purifies us from all sin. 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. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, he is faithful and just. Not merely merciful but just. The forgiveness of God in Confession is not God's overlooking of what happened. It is the application of what Christ accomplished on the Cross, the just satisfaction of what justice required. You are not asking God to pretend you did not sin. You are presenting the blood of Jesus as the just payment for what you did. Come to Confession with that confidence. He is faithful and he is just.

Prayer

Lord God, you are light and in you there is no darkness. We confess our sins, trusting that you are faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness. Let us walk in the light as you are in the light, in fellowship with you and with one another. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

1 John
1
The Word of Life
(Luke 24:36–49; John 20:19–23)
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life. 2 And this is the life that was revealed; we have seen it and testified to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.
 
3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write these things so that our * 1:4 BYZ and TR your joy may be complete.
Walking in the Light
(John 8:12–29)
 
5 And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But † 1:7 NA does not include 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.
 
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.

*1:4 1:4 BYZ and TR your

†1:7 1:7 NA does not include But.

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