Grace in Focus Podcast Summary

Episode Title: What Does Forgiveness Bring in 1 John 1:9?
Date: February 16, 2026
Hosts: Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates
Podcast: Grace in Focus – Grace Evangelical Society

Episode Overview

In this concise yet rich episode, Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates delve into the meaning and consequences of forgiveness in light of 1 John 1:9, carefully distinguishing it from repentance and exploring its implications for fellowship with God. Their discussion clarifies common misconceptions about “fellowship,” “abiding,” and the everyday experience of Christian confession and forgiveness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: What Does 1 John 1:9 Promise?

• [01:00] Bob recaps previous discussions: “In First John 1:9 it says if we confess our sins, he forgives us of those sins, the sins that we confess.”
• The core question: What does forgiveness actually accomplish?
• Does sin break a believer’s fellowship with God?
  • Ken: “If I sin, does it break fellowship with the Lord? ... you said, no, but it is in that act you are not abiding.” (01:32)

2. Repentance and Fellowship: The Parables of Luke 15

• Ken draws on his doctoral work and the parables of Luke 15 to set a biblical context:
  • All the lost (sheep, coin, son) begin in fellowship, depart, and return.
  • [03:09] Ken: “All of these are believers because all hundred were not only righteous in their position, but they were all righteous in their experience.”
  • The “dead and alive again” language: It's a figure of speech denoting lost/gained fellowship, not loss of salvation.
    • “This isn’t teaching he lost eternal life, and now he’s got eternal life.” (04:22 Ken)
• Repentance is the remedy for being out of fellowship; confession is for ongoing life in fellowship.

3. Repentance vs. Confession: A Crucial Distinction

• Example (Prodigal Son):
  • Ken: “What if he confesses ... but I'm staying here? ... Confession wouldn’t work, would it? … He didn’t repent. He didn’t return.” (05:04)
  • Repentance is returning (restoring fellowship), confession is acknowledging offense within ongoing fellowship.
• Bob: “There’s obviously an element of repentance every time we confess...but it doesn’t mean we don’t have a desire to repeat that sin.” (06:00)
  • Confession, even when the sin is likely to repeat, is not hypocrisy — it’s the process God uses to grow us.

4. Abiding, Sinning, and Fellowship: Navigating the Tension

• [07:05] Bob: “I sin. It’s not that I'm out of fellowship, but in that act I'm not abiding in Him.”
• Ken explains the nuance:
  • “Globally or as a whole person, I'm abiding in Christ. Even when I commit a sin, known or unknown, I'm still abiding. But that actual sin is not an expression of what I'm doing.” (08:13)
  • Memorable Moment:
    • Ken: “If we say that every time I sin, I’m no longer in fellowship, well, then that would probably mean I'm out of fellowship about 80% of the time, wouldn't it?” (12:01)

5. What Is Forgiveness? Unpacking the Definition

• Ken challenges the reduction of forgiveness to just “restoration of fellowship.”
  • “What is forgiveness? Tell me what forgiveness is.” (08:39)
  • Forgiveness can result in either restoration (after estrangement) or continuation (after a minor breach) of fellowship/sharing.
• Fellowship (Koinonia):
  • “The word fellowship is the Greek word koinonia...we’re sharing something.” (09:51)
  • Bob: “We would share the light with Him.” (10:01)
• Illustration (Marriage):
  • Ken: “If I get estranged from my wife...to restore, that would be a restoration of our sharing life together, wouldn't it?” (11:01)
  • The same applies to our relationship with God: restoration or continuation of shared purpose, mission, and desire.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ken Yates [03:09]:
  “All of these are believers because all hundred were not only righteous in their position, but they were all righteous in their experience.”

• Ken Yates [04:22]:
  “This isn’t teaching he lost eternal life, and now he’s got eternal life ... What it means is he was in fellowship with me alive. Then he went away. He was out of fellowship with me. Now he came back and he's in fellowship with me again.”

• Ken Yates [08:13]:
  “Globally or as a whole person, I'm abiding in Christ. Even when I commit a sin, known or unknown, I'm still abiding. But that actual sin is not an expression of what I'm doing.”

• Ken Yates [12:01]:
  “If I say that every time I sin, I'm no longer in fellowship, well, then that would probably mean I'm out of fellowship about 80% of the time, wouldn't it? Because I'm not aware of most of my sins.”

• Bob Wilkin [06:00]:
  “It’s not hypocritical for him to confess it. And guess what? God uses the very act of us confessing our sins to change us little by little over time.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:00] – Re-introduction to 1 John 1:9 and summary of previous episode.
• [02:06] – Ken explains the Parables of Luke 15 and the doctrine of fellowship.
• [04:43] – The distinction between repentance and confession.
• [05:04] – The Prodigal Son example and what genuine repentance looks like.
• [07:05-08:13] – Nuanced discussion on abiding, sin, and ongoing fellowship.
• [09:34-10:36] – What is fellowship? Breaking down koinonia and sharing the light.
• [11:01] – Marriage analogy for restoration and continuation of fellowship.
• [12:01] – Ken’s memorable point on the frequency of unrecognized sin.

Summary Flow & Takeaways

• Forgiveness in 1 John 1:9 is not simply a legal transaction or a back-and-forth between full fellowship and total estrangement.
• Confession is an act that either initiates the continuation or the restoration of sharing (koinonia) with God, but does not necessarily mean one is entirely “out” of fellowship every time a sin occurs.
• Both hosts emphasize that, in real Christian experience, we are often unaware of our sins. God’s grace and the act of confessing are intended for our transformation and deepening relationship with Christ, not for maintaining fear over every shortcoming.

For Next Time

• Bob and Ken will continue this thoughtful series, diving deeper into the biblical meaning of cleansing and enduring in fellowship.

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