The Sin Problem: We need to note immediately that even a genuine process of change in our hearts will never produce "sinless perfection". While our Lord faced all of life's temptations without error (Heb.4:15), the rest of us necessarily fall short of that mark (Rom.3:23). This is because our very physical makeup is corrupt, or "indwelt" by sin (Rom.7:20; Gen.6:5, 8:21). We must therefore not make the mistake of "redefining" sin for our own benefit. Sin is not just what we personally find offensive, but rather everything which God has forbidden. We can neither add to God's list of prohibitions, nor subtract from it with impunity. To God, all sin is an offense against His Person, for all sin is in essence disobedience to His will. Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise for eating of the forbidden fruit, an act which does not seem particularly immoral in and of itself, but which was a clear and willful rejection of God's authority (Gen.2:16-17). Actions prohibited by God, even if they may not seem terribly wrong to us, are just as sinful as those which shock and offend us personally.
The Myth of Sinless Perfection: Even though we have been given the charge "be holy as I am holy" (and this is a standard to which we must cleave: 1Pet.1:15-16), and even though we are expected to improve as we grow up spiritually (and this is a goal to which we must aspire: Heb.5:11-14), absolute sinlessness is nonetheless unattainable in this corrupt body and in this corrupt world. "Sinless perfection" is a false doctrine, and a dangerous one at that, because of the enormous psychological pressure it generates. The reality and inevitability of sin most often lead adherents of such views to deny that certain categories of sin are really sin at all, or to deny that they commit certain sins (even though they may). But the reach of sin is so broad and insidious that it embraces the very motivations and expressions of the human heart (Jer.17:9; Gal.5:19-21; Eph.4:29-31; Phil.2:3-8). No matter what standard of perfection we choose to try and prove our own righteousness, we are bound to fail (cf. Rom.9:31; 10:3). The Ten Commandments, the most specific standard of human conduct ordained by God, concludes by pronouncing the acquisitive and lustful desires of our hearts just as utterly sinful as idolatry or murder ("thou shalt not covet": Ex.20:17; cf. Rom.7:7-12). And in fact, Paul tells us that God's very purpose in giving the Law was to prove to all mankind that beyond any doubt we are all sinful and therefore in need of God's solution to the sin problem, Jesus Christ (Rom.3:9-20; Gal.3:19-25). Many of the "religious" people of Paul's day tried to use the Mosaic Law as a standard to prove their righteousness, but in doing so only managed to condemn themselves (Rom.3:20). The only true righteousness is that given us by God when we believe in His Son (Rom.4:5). As followers of Jesus in a hostile world which is in the devil's grip, we cannot afford to be under any illusions about our personal foibles, errors, and sins. We must recognize them for what they are and make use immediately of the grace God has given us to deal with them.
Cleansing from Sin: As believers, we have already been "washed" clean of our sins, that is, forgiven and pronounced holy by Christ's work when we accept that work by faith (Eph.2:5-9). But although we are clean and pure "in Christ" (1Cor.6:11), it is still possible for our feet to pick up a bit of dirt as we walk about in the devil's world. God has given us the status of "holy people", but we are still imperfect and still capable of sin. We must therefore be alert to the fact that as long as we sojourn on this earth we shall always be vulnerable to personal sin, and we must be ready to confess it whenever we become entangled in the "sin which so easily besets us" (Heb.12:1). This is the point Jesus made when He washed the disciples' feet before the last supper (Jn.13:1-17). Peter was unwilling to allow Jesus to wash his feet along with the other disciples. But when Jesus told him that without the washing of his feet, Peter could have "no share" in Him, Peter demanded that the Lord wash his body also. Jesus replied, "One who has had a bath needs only to have his feet washed, otherwise he is completely clean" (Jn.13:10). Our Lord was telling us that we are in need of only one release from the bondage of sin which has held all mankind under condemnation since Adam, and that this release or "redemption" was provided by His death in our place and appropriated by us through our faith in Him (Col.2:13-14). This is the "bath" or cleansing from sin which has already been accomplished and need never be repeated. We do, however, continue to commit acts of personal sin as believers, and when we do, we are in need of "foot washing", that is, of the forgiveness and restoration which comes to us when we confess our sins to God. We need to be washed from sin only once. We need to cleansed of our sins as often as we commit them.
John's Primer on Sin: For all the reasons mentioned above, sin is a very personal, very disturbing issue. Writing to a congregation which, though ethnically and geographically diverse, had had the benefit of apostolic teaching for many years, the apostle John nevertheless felt the need to review at length the sin issue in the epistle we know as 1st John. In chapter one, verses five through ten, he covers the doctrine of sin in a pithy summary:
1st John 1:5: And this is the message which we have heard from Him and report to you: that God is light and there is no darkness in Him.
This verse states the principle emphatically that God has nothing to do with sin. He is not the originator of it and bears no responsibility for it whatsoever. Nor does He condone it in the least. Sin is foreign, antithetical to God, so if we would belong to God, sin can have no place with us either.
1st John 1:6: If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and yet we walk in the darkness, we are lying, and not accomplishing the truth.
Since God and sin are unalterably opposed to each other, we must choose whether to follow God or sin. We cannot simultaneously follow the dark path of sin and at the same time have a relationship (fellowship) with God. If we claim that we are enjoying a relationship with God while living under the dark power of sin, we are only deceiving ourselves and making God out to be a liar, for He tells us that He cannot accept what is sinful. Without the power and wonder of God's grace, these two verses would be terrifying for anyone viewing themselves and their lives with an honest heart. The words of the disciples spring to mind: "Who then can be saved?" (Matt.19:25).
1st John 1:7: But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we do have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
The use of the Greek word pas ("all") without a definite article suggests that John is here referring to all acts of personal sin. For those who choose against God in this life, there is no escape from sin and therefore no fellowship with the holy people of God. But for those who choose to walk in the light and follow Christ, God has provided a means of cleansing from every aspect of sin: the work of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross (referred to here and often in scripture as "His blood", cf. Matt.26:28). Because of what Jesus Christ did for us in dying in our place, the Father is justified in accepting His work on our behalf, forgiving us all our sins, and considering us clean despite the sinful nature we retain in these earthly bodies, and despite the personal sins we continue to commit. In the analogy, covering the sin which besmirches us God the Father sees instead "the blood of Christ" with which we "have been sprinkled" (cf. Heb.10:22). He is satisfied that the death penalty for sin has been paid on our behalf. He regards us as guiltless on account of our relationship with His Son rather than judging us according to our necessarily sin-tainted merits. Note carefully in verse seven, however, that believers who are approaching the Christian life in the correct way ("walking in the light") still need cleansing from sin as part of their Christian walk.
1st John 1:8: If we say that we do not have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Verse eight is an important caveat to believers who would rather not think of themselves as sinners. If we are unaware of committing any transgressions lately, it is most likely because we lack a clear understanding of the wide ranging and insidious nature of sin. The scripture here is quite clear. As believers, we still sin. It is true that we are commanded not to sin. It is true that suppression of sin is a necessity for spiritual growth and even spiritual safety. But it is also true that as long as we inhabit these imperfect bodies and reside in the devil's world, we must continue our struggle against personal sin, even resisting "to the point of blood" (Heb.12:4; cf. 1Pet.4:1). Verse eight is written neither to discourage us to resist sin, nor to encourage us to commit it, but rather to alert us to the cold, hard reality of the situation in which we find ourselves, and to awaken us to the necessity of dealing with personal sin in the correct, biblical way, namely, through confession.
Confession of Sin, Fellowship, and the Filling of the Holy Spirit.
The Myth of Sinless Perfection: Even though we have been given the charge "be holy as I am holy" (and this is a standard to which we must cleave: 1Pet.1:15-16), and even though we are expected to improve as we grow up spiritually (and this is a goal to which we must aspire: Heb.5:11-14), absolute sinlessness is nonetheless unattainable in this corrupt body and in this corrupt world. "Sinless perfection" is a false doctrine, and a dangerous one at that, because of the enormous psychological pressure it generates. The reality and inevitability of sin most often lead adherents of such views to deny that certain categories of sin are really sin at all, or to deny that they commit certain sins (even though they may). But the reach of sin is so broad and insidious that it embraces the very motivations and expressions of the human heart (Jer.17:9; Gal.5:19-21; Eph.4:29-31; Phil.2:3-8). No matter what standard of perfection we choose to try and prove our own righteousness, we are bound to fail (cf. Rom.9:31; 10:3). The Ten Commandments, the most specific standard of human conduct ordained by God, concludes by pronouncing the acquisitive and lustful desires of our hearts just as utterly sinful as idolatry or murder ("thou shalt not covet": Ex.20:17; cf. Rom.7:7-12). And in fact, Paul tells us that God's very purpose in giving the Law was to prove to all mankind that beyond any doubt we are all sinful and therefore in need of God's solution to the sin problem, Jesus Christ (Rom.3:9-20; Gal.3:19-25). Many of the "religious" people of Paul's day tried to use the Mosaic Law as a standard to prove their righteousness, but in doing so only managed to condemn themselves (Rom.3:20). The only true righteousness is that given us by God when we believe in His Son (Rom.4:5). As followers of Jesus in a hostile world which is in the devil's grip, we cannot afford to be under any illusions about our personal foibles, errors, and sins. We must recognize them for what they are and make use immediately of the grace God has given us to deal with them.
Cleansing from Sin: As believers, we have already been "washed" clean of our sins, that is, forgiven and pronounced holy by Christ's work when we accept that work by faith (Eph.2:5-9). But although we are clean and pure "in Christ" (1Cor.6:11), it is still possible for our feet to pick up a bit of dirt as we walk about in the devil's world. God has given us the status of "holy people", but we are still imperfect and still capable of sin. We must therefore be alert to the fact that as long as we sojourn on this earth we shall always be vulnerable to personal sin, and we must be ready to confess it whenever we become entangled in the "sin which so easily besets us" (Heb.12:1). This is the point Jesus made when He washed the disciples' feet before the last supper (Jn.13:1-17). Peter was unwilling to allow Jesus to wash his feet along with the other disciples. But when Jesus told him that without the washing of his feet, Peter could have "no share" in Him, Peter demanded that the Lord wash his body also. Jesus replied, "One who has had a bath needs only to have his feet washed, otherwise he is completely clean" (Jn.13:10). Our Lord was telling us that we are in need of only one release from the bondage of sin which has held all mankind under condemnation since Adam, and that this release or "redemption" was provided by His death in our place and appropriated by us through our faith in Him (Col.2:13-14). This is the "bath" or cleansing from sin which has already been accomplished and need never be repeated. We do, however, continue to commit acts of personal sin as believers, and when we do, we are in need of "foot washing", that is, of the forgiveness and restoration which comes to us when we confess our sins to God. We need to be washed from sin only once. We need to cleansed of our sins as often as we commit them.
John's Primer on Sin: For all the reasons mentioned above, sin is a very personal, very disturbing issue. Writing to a congregation which, though ethnically and geographically diverse, had had the benefit of apostolic teaching for many years, the apostle John nevertheless felt the need to review at length the sin issue in the epistle we know as 1st John. In chapter one, verses five through ten, he covers the doctrine of sin in a pithy summary:
1st John 1:5: And this is the message which we have heard from Him and report to you: that God is light and there is no darkness in Him.
This verse states the principle emphatically that God has nothing to do with sin. He is not the originator of it and bears no responsibility for it whatsoever. Nor does He condone it in the least. Sin is foreign, antithetical to God, so if we would belong to God, sin can have no place with us either.
1st John 1:6: If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and yet we walk in the darkness, we are lying, and not accomplishing the truth.
Since God and sin are unalterably opposed to each other, we must choose whether to follow God or sin. We cannot simultaneously follow the dark path of sin and at the same time have a relationship (fellowship) with God. If we claim that we are enjoying a relationship with God while living under the dark power of sin, we are only deceiving ourselves and making God out to be a liar, for He tells us that He cannot accept what is sinful. Without the power and wonder of God's grace, these two verses would be terrifying for anyone viewing themselves and their lives with an honest heart. The words of the disciples spring to mind: "Who then can be saved?" (Matt.19:25).
1st John 1:7: But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we do have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
The use of the Greek word pas ("all") without a definite article suggests that John is here referring to all acts of personal sin. For those who choose against God in this life, there is no escape from sin and therefore no fellowship with the holy people of God. But for those who choose to walk in the light and follow Christ, God has provided a means of cleansing from every aspect of sin: the work of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross (referred to here and often in scripture as "His blood", cf. Matt.26:28). Because of what Jesus Christ did for us in dying in our place, the Father is justified in accepting His work on our behalf, forgiving us all our sins, and considering us clean despite the sinful nature we retain in these earthly bodies, and despite the personal sins we continue to commit. In the analogy, covering the sin which besmirches us God the Father sees instead "the blood of Christ" with which we "have been sprinkled" (cf. Heb.10:22). He is satisfied that the death penalty for sin has been paid on our behalf. He regards us as guiltless on account of our relationship with His Son rather than judging us according to our necessarily sin-tainted merits. Note carefully in verse seven, however, that believers who are approaching the Christian life in the correct way ("walking in the light") still need cleansing from sin as part of their Christian walk.
1st John 1:8: If we say that we do not have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Verse eight is an important caveat to believers who would rather not think of themselves as sinners. If we are unaware of committing any transgressions lately, it is most likely because we lack a clear understanding of the wide ranging and insidious nature of sin. The scripture here is quite clear. As believers, we still sin. It is true that we are commanded not to sin. It is true that suppression of sin is a necessity for spiritual growth and even spiritual safety. But it is also true that as long as we inhabit these imperfect bodies and reside in the devil's world, we must continue our struggle against personal sin, even resisting "to the point of blood" (Heb.12:4; cf. 1Pet.4:1). Verse eight is written neither to discourage us to resist sin, nor to encourage us to commit it, but rather to alert us to the cold, hard reality of the situation in which we find ourselves, and to awaken us to the necessity of dealing with personal sin in the correct, biblical way, namely, through confession.
Confession of Sin, Fellowship, and the Filling of the Holy Spirit.
Confession of Sin: 1st Peter #15
Confession of sin and forgiveness according to the Bible
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