ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔχομεν ἑαυτοὺς πλανῶμεν καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν  ἐὰν ὁμολογῶμεν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν πιστός ἐστιν καὶ δίκαιος ἵνα ἀφῇ ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀδικίας  ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι οὐχ ἡμαρτήκαμεν ψεύστην ποιοῦμεν αὐτὸν καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν

But if we can’t even admit our mistakes, we’re like living mirages, wandering aimlessly without any true substance.  Once we admit to the muck in our lives, God is loyal and fair and can cleanse the murkiest life from participation in wrongdoing.  But if we say our lives are refreshingly clear, we’re really just calling God a liar.  The “word” is nothing more than a sound - it never takes root within us.