The right way to deal with sin is to bring it to the Lord in confession as soon as possible. We should keep ‘short accounts’ with God.
Confession is not a game: no one truly confesses their sins who intends to return to them again. There is the same death to sin in confession as was present in our first coming to Christ.
It is an amazing truth that God has put into our mouths an argument based on justice to plead for the forgiveness of our sins. Of course, it is grace alone that has made this possible for, without grace, we could only expect justice to deliver us condemnation, but the atonement makes justice our friend.
The believer who strives with all his powers to walk in the light should not judge himself to be an outcast the moment he falls into sin, but should use God’s provision of forgiveness for sinners in transit to heaven.
If God is so ready to forgive our sins as soon as we confess them, will we not be encouraged to take advantage of this to sin even more? First, only those who make an honest confession will find God’s forgiveness and these will have no intention of returning to sin. Second, a genuine believer is afraid to think like this because he has been delivered from death and he fears to trifle with such an enemy.
How can those who still sin and need the cleansing of Christ’s blood be said to walk in the light? They walk in the light by bringing their sins with them into the light, and not attempting to justify them or hide them from God. Their bringing their sin in confession is part of their walking in the light.
Are our sins not forgiven until we confess them? We are forgiven all sins, past, present, and future when we first come to Christ in repentance and faith. Further sins do not take away our status as children of God, but they do break our fellowship with God which can only be restored by repentance.