04/24/17 MORE FROM FIRST JOHN
1st John was written to lead believers from darkness to light, from sin to righteousness. John addressed two Gnostic errors. Gnostics mistakenly believed (as many Calvinists today), 1- Sin existed in the physical flesh, 2- Those who were "chosen" did not have sin, therefore did not need to turn from sin. John 1:8 addresses the 2nd point. John states clearly that a person must acknowledge his need for a Savior in order to be forgiven and cleansed from all sin. John never denied full deliverance from sin for believers.
The following information demonstrates that 1 John 1:8 does not support the false notion of sinning Christians, since this same book gives over 50 verses which indicate that God does deliver from all sin (both, as a state of being and as actions). Therefore vs.1:8 is stating the case of the non-believer, not the believer.
One verse, indicating that all people are in need of a Savior...
1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Over fifty verses indicating believers are saved from sin in this life.
One of my FB friends took issue with my use of 1 John 1:5 as a reference to Christians being delivered from all sin. His argument is that this verse only applies to God and has no bearing on the believer living a life of righteousness.
1 John 1:5
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.
Obviously this verse is written about God, but John says this in reference to the relationship a believer has with God. Those who are in God cannot be in darkness, since God is light, and light and darkness are mutually exclusive.
Notice the context;
vs. 3, Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ;
vs 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.
vs 6, If we say we have fellowship with God, yet still walk in darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth;
vs 7, If we walk in the light we have fellowship with others who are walking in the light and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin (conditional cleansing).
DLG note... Therefore, John is saying that those who are in Christ, those who are in fellowship with God, are light, not darkness; and they walk in light, not darkness. To be in darkness is to not be in God.
Notice other passages;
Matthew 5:16-17
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
DLG note... Our relationship with Christ (Who is the True Light) imparts to us His light (1 Jn. 1:5), which we are to show to the world by doing good works, and thus glorify God.
Matthew 6:22-23
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
DLG note... We will either be light or darkness, depending on our relationship with Christ, but we cannot be both, because light cannot co-exist with darkness (1 Jn. 1:5).
Luke 11:34-36
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
DLG note... Our lives will either be filled with light or darkness, but not both (1 Jn. 1:5). It is possible to lose the light we have and for us to revert back to the darkness. When we are full of light, we do not have darkness (1 Jn. 1:5).
John 3:19-21
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
DLG note... Those who choose to do evil reject the Light of Christ, but those who come to the Light of Christ lives by that light (1 Jn. 1:5).
John 8:12
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
DLG note... Jesus said that He is the Light of the world and those who follow Him do not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (1 Jn. 1:5).
John 12:36
36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
DLG note... Being a child of the light (God, who is Light) is conditional upon believing in the Light.
John 12:46
46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believes on me should not abide in darkness.
DLG note... Whoever believes in the Light (Jesus) does not abide in darkness (1 Jn. 1:5).
Acts 13:47
47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou should be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
DLG note... God imparted His light to Paul and assigned Paul as a light to the Gentiles, to communicate salvation to the lost.
Acts 26:18
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
DLG note... The ministry of the gospel and the Holy Spirit, through obedient servants, turns sinners from darkness to light (mutually exclusive conditions [1 Jn. 1:5]), from Satan to God (mutually exclusive m[M]asters, in order to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among the sanctified (conditional on faith in Christ).
Romans 13:12
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
DLG note... Those who are believers reject darkness and choose light (1 Jn. 1:5).
2 Corinthians 6:14
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
DLG note... Paul points out that there is no fellowship, communion, agreement between light and darkness. Therefore a person cannot be in darkness and be in God at the same time (1 Jn. 1:5).
Ephesians 5:8-11
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
DLG note... We, as darkness, have become light in the Lord by redemption. As light, we must live righteously. Light has no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (1 Jn. 1:5).
Colossians 1:12-13
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
DLG note... God's transforming salvation has moved us from the power or domain of darkness into the kingdom of Christ's kingdom.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-5
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
DLG note... Christians are not in the dark or of the darkness, because we are children of the light.
1 Peter 2:9
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
DLG note... We are called out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 John 2:8-11
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines.
9 He that saith he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not whither he goes, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
DLG note... Whoever hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. Whoever loves his brother ABIDES in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. Abiding in the light is dependent on faithful obedience to God.
BTW, when I wrote my original comment, I knew some folks would not accept some verses (like 1:5). But I included verses that are supported by other passages (Jn 12:46 is a clear example) So, what about all the other verses. To deny them all would be intellectual suicide.
Another BTW; Regardless of how many times and ways I deny and denounce WORKS righteousness and SELF righteousness, and acknowledge God's grace and atonement, I am still put in the category of a Self Righteous Pharisee. I am proclaiming God's power to make us holy. 1 Th. 4:7-8.
BTW again; Just like today, the Church did not exist in a theological or philosophical vacuum. Just as Jesus addressed the false doctrines of aberrant groups during His day, such as the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Herodians, the Essenes, so the early Church addressed the false doctrines of aberrant groups in their day, such as the Judaizers, the Ebionites and the Gnostics.
John addressed some of the errors associated with the Gnostics, since some people were being led astray by their false claims. This is what he does in First John. Paul had done the same thing in the book of Galatians, concerning the errors of the Judaizers.
The Divine revelation addressed the problems of these groups, which have resurfaced in various forms through the centuries. The one truth comes from the One Source, God and the many lies come from a common source also, Satan.
Again with the BTW;
It is interesting that whenever a person who believes in sinning religion responds to my proclamation of Biblical Holiness they feel compelled to use words like, "sinless," "sinlessness," "perfection" and "sinless perfection." I don't blame them; it is easier to attack non-Biblical terms than Biblical terms. I, on the other hand very, very, very seldom use those terms, because I really like to be Biblical.
What I usually say, in reference to those who have saving faith and are in a victorious walk with Christ, is, "keep His commandments," "be ye perfect..." "sin not," "cannot sin," "(we are) pure, even as He is pure," "be ye holy, for I (God) am holy," "as many as are perfect," "he (believers) are righteous, even as He is righteous," "conformed to His (Christ's) image," "without holiness no man shall see the Lord," "he that despises (holiness), despises not man, but God Who has also given to us His Holy Spirit," "(believers) do the things that are pleasing to God," "saved from all sin," "cleansed from all unrighteousness," "walking in the light," "more than conquerors," "Christ always causes us to triumph," "greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world," "Christians overcome the wicked one," Christians overcome temptation," "Christians overcome the world, the flesh and the devil," "we are not in the flesh," "no condemnation to those who walk in the Spirit," "those who walk in love fulfill the law," "we keep the royal law," "we keep the law of liberty," "whoever sins is of the devil" and a long list of other Biblical truths. I would write more, but I have some things to do.
However, those who espouse sinning religion (the belief that God either cannot save us from sin in this present evil world or He will not save us from sin in this present evil world or He does not hold us accountable for sinning in this present evil world), will always offer human and demonic reason on why we cannot obey God. They are not only errant concerning Biblical terms, they have missed the whole point, which is, Christ came to save His people from their sins.
Gotta go, see ya later.
