The Saints gain fellowship with God by obedience—We must confess our sins to gain forgiveness.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;12(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.4And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.16If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.38If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.4
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.510If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.