In 1 John 1:8, the apostle includes himself in those he describes as deceiving themselves and the truth is not in them, if they say that they have no sin.
He is in effect saying, if you or I say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
So, if I say that I do have sin, is this necessarily a reason why I cannot walk in holiness or is it a demonic doctrine that is conducive to a man sinning in this life?
The reality is that while we have sin dwelling in our mortal flesh, and this is not eradicated when we come to Christ or even when we are sanctified wholly, so that we would be without sin or sinless; the reality is that indwelling sin, in the sanctified believer, is rendered dead (Romans 6:6, Galatians 5:24, Romans 7:8) so that it no longer has any say over his behaviour (Romans 6:14).
So then, we have sin; but the sin that indwells us does not have to be the controlling factor in our lives. For it is also written,
Rom 8:12, Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
In the NLT,
Rom 8:12, Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.
Okay, now add verse 6. God is light (5), so if we SAY that we have God who is light, but walk in darkness, do we really have God? Bf, I'm trying to help you see that John is making a contrast here. Verse 9 is the key to walking in the light. The person in verse 6 has never repented. And all of us were born with sin. To say, as in verse 10 that we were not born with sin, then we don't know we need to repent; that we don't need Christ.
Verse 8 applies to people like Mosaic Law Jews who say they don't sin, just because the keep the Law, so they don't need to confess the sins, but be as the Pharisee in the temple watching the publican and mocking him.
Verse 8 also applies to Gnostics that John describes in the same book, chapter 4:1-3. They do not believe their sins of the flesh are actually condemning sins, but that the only condemning sins are of the Spirit stemming from denying Christ came in the flesh, but only Spirit, thus grace abound all the more if they willfully sin in the flesh daily - the more the better. For the Nicolaitans of Revelation 2, that was actually in the form of raping each others wives daily.
A form of this second belief was actually resurrected in the Reformation. You may be all too familiar with it. That sins of the flesh cannot separate us from God, as long as our spirit accepts Christ.
I know you are going to pull the "we" card, but that would be foolish. John is teaching his congregation which is a MIXTURE of saved and unsaved, thus the all inclusive present tense "we." John is their teacher. But the context of the whole book MUST be studied. Chapter 3 says a born again Christian does not willfully commit sins of lawlessness (a sin unto death). Chapter 5 shows there are two types of sins: sins unto death, and sins
not unto death. Put them all together in one mind-opening context and you will find that 1:7 is a person walking in the light, but we find his sins are forgiven. What sins? Sins not unto death. And what are they. They are unintentional sins found in the Lord's Prayer. And how are they cleansed? By the two verses following the Lords Prayer, Matthew 6:14-15 - forgiving those who trespass against us. And what is a trespass that is not a sin unto death? Leviticus 5:15 - an unintentional sin.
I know you are in a contrary debating mood, but instead, study this. Also see that our tutor showed that there was a sacrifice (an Advocate) for unintentional sins, Numbers 15:22-29; but NO sacrifice (no Advocate) for sins unto death, Numbers 15:30-36. Jesus doesn't cover our sins. He TAKES AWAY all our
past sins, 2 Peter. 1:9 and replacing the cause of them, our old nature, by making a new nature separated from the old, and giving us His own Spirit to now only walk in the new nature that doesn't willfully sin. But, yes, we can still commit trespasses, but as long as we grow in the fruit of the Spirit and live in forgiveness, those are constantly being cleansed. But trespasses are still not what 1:8 is talking about, but living in false Gnostic type teachings. When you understand all this, all scripture will fall into place. I promise.
cc:
@brightfame52