1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The second clause of this verse could easily be taken as a statement in itself - that God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us. But It is ever so crucial that the first clause it not overlooked or ever left out when quoting this verse, because this verse is an IF/THEN sentence. IF we confess our sins, THEN we can anticipate forgiveness and cleansing. We cannot expect the latter without the former. Confession is a must in order to gain access to freedom in Christ.
There is a movement within some churches that has been termed "Hyper-Grace." This is the belief and lifestyle that Jesus' salvation cleanses us of all sins - past, present, future - without the need to repent or to alter our behavior in any way, because, after all, we're covered by the blood. This is a misleading, and indeed unbiblical interpretation of forgiveness and salvation. It is taking the second half of the 1 John 1:9, while leaving out the first.
Yes, ALL sins are covered by Christ, but access to that covering requires action on our part:
1) we must believe that Jesus is Lord and Savior.
2) we must confess our sins.
3) we must repent (turn away from, go the other way) our sins, lest we continue to do them.
Romans 10:9 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
These are just a couple of verses out of many telling us that acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior is a required step.
1 John 1:7 If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Notice how the verse above says that in order to be cleansed from all sin, we must "walk in the Light": follow Christ through repenting of your own ways and being obedient to Him.
Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
Here again, we are called to repent and turn to God, and THEN our sins are wiped out and we are refreshed.
Jesus Himself says that forgiveness is conditional upon repentance in Revelation 2:4:
“Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place”
None of this should make us feel bad, or cause us to conflate conditional forgiveness with God's eternal, unconditional love. It is BECAUSE God SO loved that world that he gave us the opportunity to be forgiven through Jesus. But Jesus did not come to take away our free will. We must freely choose to walk in his Light.
Conviction, confession, repentance, and acceptance of Jesus comes easily and naturally when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, who prompts us toward the Light by causing a yearning in us.
John 16:8 When [the Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (ESV).
God knows your heart. Confess what is upon it, and receive his Full Blessing, which He cannot WAIT to give you!