1 Jn 1:5-10
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all b sin.
8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
I've always found this passage hard to understand. It seems to be saying that if I sin I can't be walking in the light. But if I claim not to have sinned I'm lying. Now, like all Christians I sin so can any Christian claim truthfully to "walk in the light"?
Reading it more carefully in my quiet time this morning I came to this conclusion: that "walking in light" here is more about continual confession than being sinless. Note that Romans 6 makes the point that this is not a licence to sin so not "I can sin all I like as long as I confess". But who is there here who is "without sin"?
Note in verse 9 it explicitly states that it is "confessing sins" that leads to "forgiveness" and "purification from all unrighteousness" AND in verse 7 "walking in the light" leads to "purification from all sin".
Now sin (hamartia=missing the mark) and unrighteousness (adikia=opposite of (God's) justice) are not the same Greek words but they seem fairly close in meaning.
So the bottom line is don't let the feeling of guilt from sin prevent you from walking in God's light but rather be honest with God about your failings. The problems come when you try to pretend to God that you haven't sinned: God knows you better than that.
I know some folks already mentioned this already.
But the
light is
God the Father (See: 1 John 1:5).
Walking in the light =
Loving your brother (Which is based on the indirect wording in 1 John 2:9-11).
The verse is saying, if we walk in the light
(love our brother as we abide in God the Father) as He
(Jesus) is in the light
(in God the Father), we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
Note: The fellowship mentioned in 1 John 1:7 is a repeat from verse 3 that says, “that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship
is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
Anyways, getting back to the heart of 1 John 1:7: Yes. We do have to abide in God and love our brother in order for the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from all sin (Salvation). Most think that all you have to do is believe in Jesus and you got the blood of Jesus on you. But the apostle John teaches that you need to walk in the light (love your brother while abiding in God) in order for the blood to cleanse you.
John says to, “sin not” (1 John 2:1), but if you happen to on rare occasion, we have an advocate that we can go to named Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1) whereby if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Think about that. Confessing of sin is going to help us to be cleansed of unrighteousness. Now, the goal of the Christian is to overcome mortal sin or any serious sin that the Bible warns with condemnation or hellfire. So these are the sins a believer needs to focus on in confessing and forsaking. Non-mortal sins while they can be confessed do not condemn a believer. What would be a non-mortal sin? Jesus described to us the difference between mortal sins vs. non-mortal sins in Matthew 5:22.
“But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother or harbors malice against him shall be guilty before the court; and whoever speaks [contemptuously and insultingly] to his brother, ‘Raca (You empty-headed idiot)!’ shall be guilty before the supreme court (Sanhedrin); and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fiery hell.” (Matthew 5:22) (AMP).
The words in blue above are non-mortal sins because they are punishment in earthly courts. The words in red above is a mortal sin because it is punishment in hellfire in the afterlife.
Now, does not 1 John 1:8 say that if we have no sin we deceive ourselves?
Well, what is helpful in understanding 1 John 1:8 is looking at its immediate context. 1 John 1:10 says if we say we have not sinned. 1 John 1:10 switches gears from 1 John 1:8 in regards to time; John talks about the declaration on committing sin in verse 8 (which is present tense) to a declaration on committing sin being a past declaration (with verse 10). Verse 10 is saying there are people who said they have not sinned (past tense). This is clearly a gnostic belief. Why? Well, most believers today hold to the idea that they have sinned as a part of their old life before coming to Christ (Regardless of whether they are “OSAS,” a “Sin and still be saved” type believer, or a “Conditional Salvationist”). So this clearly is a “gnostic belief” that John was warning the brethren about (See 1 John 2:26). 1 John 1:8 is a present declaration of sin. It is saying if we say we have no sin when we do sin (present tense). This has to be the interpretative understanding of this verse because 1 John 2:4 says if we say we know Him and do not keep His commandments we are a liar and the truth is not in us. The OSAS's interpretation on 1 John 1:8 does not work because it conflicts with a normal reading on 1 John 2:3-4. You cannot always be in sin (breaking God's commands) as a part of 1 John 1:8 and yet also fulfill 1 John 2:3 that says we can have an assurance of knowing Him if we keep His commandments. Especially when 1 John 2:4 says we are a liar and the truth is not in us if we break his commandments. In other words, if the OSAS interpretation on 1 John 1:8 was true, then I would be damned if I do by obeying God's commands (1 John 1:8) and yet I would be damned if I don't by not obeying God's commands (1 John 2:4).
In fact, the New English Translation says this for 1 John 1:8,
"If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8 NET).
In other words, this verse is saying that if a person sins and says they do not bear the guilt of sin (in the sense that they will not have to face any wrath or Judgment from God over their sin) then they would be deceiving themselves and the truth would not be in them. This is exactly what the Eternal Security proposes. They are saying that they do not bear the guilt of any sin (destruction of their soul and body in hell fire) if they do sin because they believe their future sins are paid for by Jesus. They are saying, they do not bear the guilt or the punishment of sin at the final Judgment because of their belief on Jesus. In short, 1 John 1:8 is a denial of the existence of sin on some level. “If we say we have no sin (in the sense that it does not exist) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8). Christian Scientists think sin is an illusion and does not exist at all. So this verse would apply to them. Eternal Security Proponents and those who deny that “
Sin Can Separate a Believer from God” deny the existence of sin partially. They believe sin exists physically but they do not believe sin exists for them on a spiritual level because Jesus has forgiven them of all their sin by their belief on Jesus. In fact, to see just how silly your argument actually is for 1 John 1:8, you would have to believe that you are sinning right now at this very moment in order for such a verse to be true because 1 John 1:8 is speaking in the present tense.
John prescribes that we do not think that sin is an illusion, and we are automatically saved, but John is telling us to "sin not" and go to our advocate Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1), and confess our sins so as to be forgiven of sin and to be cleansed of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) (Which is the proper way to deal with sin). How can you confess and be forgiven of sin if all your future sin is paid for? It makes no sense.
Now, some folks might say that John is talking about a break of fellowship by one's sins and not a loss of salvation, but that would not be consistent with Scripture. 1 John 5:12 says he that has the Son has life, and he that does not have the Son does not have life.
So in conclusion: In 1 John 1:8, John is talking about a false gnostic belief that taught that sin is an illusion or non-existent. 1 John 1:7, 1 John 1:9, and 1 John 2:1, 1 John 2:3 is the proper medication to deal with a believer overcoming mortal sin (or serious sin) in their lives.
I hope this helps;
And may God bless you.
