If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(1 John 1.9
NRSV)
Then, without any change of expression, he would resume his stiff stance for a few moments before repeating the gesture. Then, again, the inexorable raising of the arm, the pointing, and the solemn pronouncing of the one word "GUILTY!"
Members of the lunch hour crowd would stare as they passed by at the strange performance. They would stop for a moment, look away, glance at each other, look back at the man, and then hurry on their way. One man, turning to another, exclaimed: “But how did he know?”
Are we all guilty? And, if so, of what? And before whom? And can we ever straighten it out?
There was a joke going around a few years back when the transgressions of certain prominent televangelists were being very painfully exposed., "Did you hear that Jimmy Swaggart and Jimmy Bakker have decided to give up their television ministries. They are going to start a magazine. It will be called 'Repenthouse.'" John the Baptist preached, "Repent for the kingdom of God is near." Jesus did likewise. The Apostle Paul declared, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." and "the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 3:23 and 6:23). The author of 1 John asserts: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1:8-9).
Dear God, please forgive me. Amen.