If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins ...  It is a false view that construes this as meaning that God would not be just and righteous if he did not forgive us wicked sinners!  God does not prove his righteousness by forgiving sinners, who in any just frame of reference must be accounted as worthy of eternal death.  No, that is not what John meant.  Roberts has the truth thus: "He is faithful in that he will not go back on the promise he made in Christ Jesus."[39] Scott also has a wonderful word on this: "He is faithful to forgive us because he has promised to do so, and just because his Son died for our sins."[40] In the forgiveness of Christians of their sins and his continual cleansing them from such sins, God displays loyalty to the sacred covenant he himself established.  Furthermore, the theoretical grounds, the rational basis, upon which it is just for God to forgive sins is established in the Person and sacrifice of the Son of God. God may justly forgive us, because Christ paid the penalty that was due. The justice of God in allowing our participation in the benefits of that sacrifice is vindicated and proved by the manner of incorporating those to be forgiven into the spiritual body of Christ, and then justifying them, not in their own sinful identities, but as Christ and in Christ.