If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Some expositors teach that this verse cannot apply to Christians since God has already forgiven Christians and therefore we do not need to ask for what we already have. [Note: E.g., Peter E. Gillquist, Love Is Now, p. 64.] This viewpoint fails to distinguish between forensic forgiveness that we receive at conversion and family forgiveness that we need after conversion. For example, a judge could pay his own son’s fine in court but then discipline him when he got home. Jesus instructed His believing disciples to ask the Father for forgiveness (Matthew 6:12; Luke 11:4). The fact that God has removed the penalty for our sins at conversion (1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 2:13) does not remove the necessity of confessing our sins frequently. Again, the issue is not acceptance by God but fellowship with God. Conversion (forensic, positional) forgiveness makes us acceptable as members of God’s family. Continual (family, practical) forgiveness enables us to experience intimate fellowship as sons within God’s family.