1John 1: 7-10

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

Jn 1:7 But 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.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

HP: It is interesting to note that verse eight is so often used as a useful hammer against any and all that would preach or suggest that a Christian can be free from sin. With all that said on this forum concerning proof texting, cherry picking verses, or failing to examine properly the context surrounding a particular verse, you would think this passage would be handled differently than it so often is.

If we notice carefully, this verse, verse eight is sandwiched in between verse seven and verse ten. I have never heard, to my best recollection, one single individual on this forum that has ever mentioned that context surrounding verse eight, when it is used again as a hammer against any that would just that a Christian can be without sin.

In verse seven we read, 'But 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 cleanses us from all sin." I would ask the reader, where does it limit being without sin to only ones 'position in Christ' in this verse? Where does it separate 'one's position in Christ' from the reality of being 'free from all sin?'

Are we to suggest that upon giving our hearts and lives to Jesus Christ and having been forgiven of all sin, that it would be wrong for us to testify to that fact of 'being free from sin?' I suppose there's a lot of preachers that if one got up from the altar and would give praise to God for having forgiven them of all their sins and giving them a clean heart as white as snow, that they would try to correct the new convert by informing him that his sin remains and to suggest that it doesn't qualifies this new convert as a liar proving the point Christ did not cleanse such a one from all sin.

You need to carefully notice the context of verse seven and verse nine, sandwiching in verse eight, which both indicate clearly a believer is cleansed from all sin and cleansed from all unrighteousness. Not one indication is given that this freedom from sin is strictly some 'positional righteousness' while in reality we remain sinners such as we were.

The whole point of verse eight is nothing more than to say if one says he has not sinned, such a one deceives themselves and the truth is not in him. This verse in no way implies or states that freedom from sin, being cleansed from all sin, and being cleansed from all unrighteousness, is not a present reality in this present world in the life of a new believer. To suggest otherwise is to say that the blood of Jesus Christ is not able to do precisely what Scripture states if has done. To suggest that sin must remain in the life of the believer, is to suggest that the blood of Jesus Christ is inefficient to accomplish what it says will be accomplished when we come to know Jesus Christ.

Many other passages in Scripture indicate the same truths. I wrote extensively especially in chapter 6 of Romans the truth of being made 'free from sin.' I cannot think of another truth in Scripture more clear and plain that the truth that when we are born again, Christ comes in and purifies our heart by faith and cleanses us from all sin, to the end that it can be properly said we have been made free of sin. What one does from that point forward can indeed change that status of being free from sin. Still that does not negate the fact that at one point in time in a Christian's life, such a one was indeed free from sin.

It should be the heart cry of every believer, that loves God, that loves his Commandments, to walk in such a manner as He walked, free from sin by the help that He has proffered by his Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Can love towards God demand any less?

 

[The Biblicist]

Jn 1:7 But 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.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.



In verse seven we read, 'But 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 cleanses us from all sin." I would ask the reader, where does it limit being without sin to only ones 'position in Christ' in this verse? Where does it separate 'one's position in Christ' from the reality of being 'free from all sin?'

Notice the word "IF"! Hence, what he is saying is conditional. It is conditioned upon where we walk. Notice where one must walk in order to be cleansed? It is conditioned upon walking "in the light as He is in the light."

Two things concerning "the light." In regard to God there is no darkness IN him and there is no darkness WHERE He walks. This is not true concerning children of God. There is darkness IN us and that is from whence sin arises which needs cleansing. Sin does not come from the light!!! The cleansing takes place only in the light. Confession is what brings sin into the light.

Verses 8-2:1 demonstrate there is darkness IN all children of God because if there was not, there would be no need for the cleansing spoken of in verses 7, 9 and the provision for ours continuing sins in 1 Jn. 2:1. There would be no need to say:

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

If we had no sins then we have no need to confess them. If we had no sins then we would not need to be admonished not to sin and then told if we do sin we have an advocate to remedy our sins. If we had no sin and do not sin but live above sin then he would never say "if any man sin."


1 ¶ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:


CONCLUSION: We are not without sin because sin dwells in our Person - "in the flesh" - "my members" and the "law of sin" operates within us (Rom. 7; 1 Jn. 1:8,9).

However, IF we walk in the light as he is in the light we maintain fellowship and cleansing by confessing our sins and thus bringing them into the light. As we walk in the light the light exposes the darkness IN us and confession brings that darkness into the light.

Are we to suggest that upon giving our hearts and lives to Jesus Christ and having been forgiven of all sin, that it would be wrong for us to testify to that fact of 'being free from sin?' I suppose there's a lot of preachers that if one got up from the altar and would give praise to God for having forgiven them of all their sins and giving them a clean heart as white as snow, that they would try to correct the new convert by informing him that his sin remains and to suggest that it doesn't qualifies this new convert as a liar proving the point Christ did not cleanse such a one from all sin.

This text says nothing about being "free from sin." It only tells us WHERE to be cleansed from sin - in the light. It tells us HOW to be cleansed from sin "if we confess." It tells us WHY we need to be cleansed from sin continually because there is darkness residing IN us from whence sin dwells and operates.

In Romans 6 where it does say we are "free" from sin, the term "free" is the translation of the same exact Greek term translated previously in Romans 3-4 by the term "justified" and speaks of our POSITION or LEGAL freedom but no such term is used in 1 John 1:1-10.

 

[billwald]

Who on BB didn't sin in 2011? Speak up. Don't be bashful.