Scripture tells us to WATCH, be READY, be SINLESS
Do the two verses below from John's Epistles conflict?
When we are saved, are we still sinners, or are we without sin?
Below are verses from the Epistles of John from 1 John.
1 John 1:8 (NKJV)
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 3:1-10 (NKJV)
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
- If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Whoever abides in Him does not sin
1 John 1:8 is a straightforward statement, so I look deeper into 1 John 3:6 by first looking at verses 1-10
I add a few thoughts on the way, but do welcome all comments on these statements by John's Epistles, the Disciple Jesus Loved, the same author as John's Gospel.
1 John 3:1-10 (NKJV)
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!
As born-again, spirit filled believers we are 'Children of God'
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Because we are His, purchased through the blood of Christ, we do not intend to sin, but when we do sin, we repent immediately, so as to remain Righteous.
When we are saved, we become Children of God, we start off as babes, babies make mistakes as they learn, we sin in our new faith as we learn.
God understands and forgives us, keeping us Righteous, so long as we are abiding in Him, He can abide with us, we remain Righteous in His Sight.
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
Those who commit sins are the wicked, sinful, Christ rectors, who belong to SIN, the world and the devil.
We no longer belong to, SIN, the world and the devil, we belong to God through Jesus, washed in His Blood and made Righteous in the sight of God our Father.
5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin.
Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Whoever abides in Him - DOES NOT SIN.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you.
He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
John now clarifies his statement. 'Let no one deceive us' - If we practice Righteous we will be Righteous - Just as He is Righteous.
He who DOES NOT SIN, John says, Let no one deceive us, these people are Righteous (NOT Sinners)
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
John confirms, HE WHO SINS belongs to SIN, the world and the devil.
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
Again John repeats, who ever is born of God, born again, become a new creation DOES NOT SIN.
John goes on to confirm, those of us born of God, CANNOT SIN, because we are born of God, His Spirit is in us. We are claimed, we are His.
God cannot abide in SIN, He hates sin, providing we abide in Him, He can abide in us, we 'Walk in Faith', we 'Walk in Righteousness'.
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest:
Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
It is a common for believers to consider ourselves sinners, that is because we are trying to be right with God, we are aiming to be perfect, we are in the flesh and the flesh is weak. But if we are born-again, Christ's Spirit is in us, He enters our hearts when we repent of ALL our sins, when we ask Jesus into our hearts and follow Him daily.
All past sins at that point are wiped away, our slate is clean. We are at that point SIN-LESS, we are made Righteous, we become Children of God.
But many preach and many believe we are sinners after being Saved, and the verse below is one of the reasons for these thoughts.
1 John 1:8 (NKJV)
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
So which verse is right... they are both part of scripture, therefore both are correct, together let us discuss why we think that is so.
To avoid the old issue of letting one verse speak, I add all of John's first Epistle, it will help us see what John wrote, in context, when comparing the writings.
1 John 1:1-10 (NKJV)
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, concerning the Word of life--
2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
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.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
