C:1Jn 1:9

1Jn 1:9

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We have two natures; the old man and the new. Jesus called them the goats and the sheep. We have an instinctive nature that puts us first and chooses good and evil for ourselves. The goat nature is an enemy of God; it is the carnal mind. The sheep nature is of the spirit; by it we desire to know and love God.

Because our goat nature is instinctive, it drives us subconsciously. When our sheep recognizes goat behaviors, we can train our flesh. This is the 'training in righteousness' that the scriptures are good for.

John is speaking to this training. We are already loved and he has already chosen to not take offense. Confession is the act of someone loved. When we realize we have been offending him, we have grief, the confession is an act for our benefit so that we are practicing the actions of someone in relationship, and it is, like baptism, an appeal to God for a clean conscience.