What does Matthew 5:17-20 means to Christian

Davy said:

You don't own this forum, so you don't have authority to dictate to me. And the 1 John 1 chapter is to BELIEVERS ON CHRIST.

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pescador said:

Oy vey!

Of course I don't own this forum -- nor do you. The forum is about "General Theology" and is open to "Christians only". As a Christian I am allowed to participate as long as I adhere to the rules. If you don't like that, then don't participate. I will continue to post as I see fit!

Your opinion that "1 John 1 chapter is to BELIEVERS ON CHRIST" is simply and obviously wrong. One verse -- 1 John 1:3 -- is sufficient to prove your error, "What we have seen and heard we announce to you too, so that you may have fellowship with us (and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ)."

John is announcing to unbelievers "what we have seen and heard". Why? "... so that you may have fellowship with us (and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ)". If the recipients of the letter were believers there would be no point in telling them something they already knew. (Obviously they hadn't seen what John saw either).

TYPING EVERYTHING IN ALL CAPITALS DOESN'T MAKE YOUR MISTAKE CORRECT!

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1 John 1
1 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;
2 (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
3 That 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.

Apostle John speaking of his witness regarding Lord Jesus.

Davy said:

Wanted to make sure you HEAR ME.

1 John 1 was written to Christians who had believed on Christ Jesus as their Savior. It is still for those who have already believed. The whole Chapter must be read, not just the first three verses taken out of the Chapter's context.

1 John 1
1 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;
2 (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
3 That 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.

Apostle John speaking of his witness regarding Lord Jesus.

4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

John is writing this in order to increase... their joy. What joy might they have already had? Joy in The Gospel of Jesus Christ, which shows they had already heard about Jesus and believed, and already had joy in The Gospel. John now writes to them to make that joy full. That suggests he is going to give them another Message that will go with their belief on The Gospel.


5 This 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.

John begins that Message. He starts it with giving a contrast between spiritual light and darkness. Thus John is not... preaching The Gospel here to non-believers. He is giving them more understanding in The Gospel. This contrast between light and darkness is about the believer's 'walk' in Christ by The Holy Spirit. So much of this parallels what Apostle Paul taught in Galatians 5 about walking in The Spirit, giving examples of walking by the flesh vs. by The Spirit, which is a similar idea here of the light vs. darkness.


6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

Walking in darkness while claiming we have fellowship with The Father and The Son is to lie. John makes it simple. The subject of fellowship with The Father and Son is the realm of the believer on Christ, not the non-believer who has not yet heard The Gospel.


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.

In contrast to darkness, and what Paul taught in Galatians 5, if... we walk in the light, we have fellowship as Christian believers. And Christ's Blood cleanses us from all sin. That is not for the unbeliever, but the believer. This is not a first preaching of The Gospel to those who have not heard of Jesus.


8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Saying we as believers cannot sin anymore is to lie, showing the truth is not in us.

But if we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful and Just to forgive us, and cleanse us from it. That isn't for those who have not yet heard The Gospel. It is only... for those who have already believed.

The reason this is written to believers, is because when first coming to Jesus Christ and believing The Gospel, all sins past are remitted right then (Romans 3:25). This asking forgiveness is about the Christian walk with Jesus Christ afterwards.

It is for future sin after having believed, because we all are concluded under sin so that salvation would be to those who believe on Jesus Christ. We all fall short of the glory of God and cannot be perfect like Lord Jesus, but only counted perfect through repentance and forgiveness.


10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
KJV

John is strict on this matter.

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Soyeong said:

not superior to God's instructions.

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com7fy8 said:

But didn't Jesus do things which were better than what certain commands said to do?

For example, instead of stoning the adulteress, Jesus had compassion for her and forgave her and told her to go and sin no more. That was better than obeying the rule to stone her, I would say.

And Jesus died for our sins, as the Lamb of God who is better than a lamb being bled to death during instructed sacrifices. And Jesus is the better Priest, than the Levites.

But I may not understand what you mean . . . sorry, however I have not correctly understood you.

In any case, I find that God brings us to doing better than how we ourselves have been able to understand His instructions.

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Soyeong said:

The same Father

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