“For sin shall not have dominion over you” (Romans 6:14).
“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. If we say we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie” (1 John 1:4,5).
The Apostle John is addressing this epistle to the church of his day. He is proclaiming to them, and to us, that there is no darkness in God. He is saying that God is light and cannot condone sin of any fashion. He will judge sin whether it be from an unsaved person or a believer. John was countering a teaching at the time known as “Antinomianism” which means “against law” which teaches that we can, as believers, live a sinful life and still have fellowship with the Lord. This teaching was widespread at the time. Bringing this teaching forward to today, there are whole denominations that believe that our faith in Christ covers their continual sinning. This goes completely against the fact that the Lord cannot, and will not, condone sin – no matter who sins. This also goes against the Apostle Paul’s teaching on how we are to walk out our Christian lives to have victory over the sin nature.
The way, and only way, to victory in our Christian walk, is by faith in Christ and Him crucified. The Apostle Paul, in Romans Chapter 6, tells us what takes place spiritually when we come to the Lord in faith. We are “baptized into his death,” “buried with Him by Baptism into death,” and “that like Christ we have been raised up from the dead.” this is a spiritual Baptism into Christ performed by the Holy Spirit who then comes to abide in us. Chapter 8 verse 2 tells us that the Holy Spirit gives us victory over our sin nature in only one way. That way is by faith in Christ and what He accomplished at the Cross. This is a Law of God and is the only way to victory over the Law of Sin and Death which is the law that rules over the unsaved and those within the church who do not know God’s way to victorious Christian living. Going any other way will bring us defeat.
We cannot have the victory we seek by our own efforts. When we talk about the ability to live holy lives before the Lord, we are not talking about sinless perfection, but a victorious walk of victory as we place our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. But what if we do sin? Paul addresses that in the following verses:
“If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8,9)
The Apostle John is acknowledging that the sin nature remains in us as believers and we are deceived if we do not understand that. He goes on to remind us that God is faithful to forgive us of any sin and “cleanse us of all unrighteousness” if we confess our sins to Him.
“If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and His Word is not in us” (1 John 1:10).
The Apostle John is here addressing those who believed in sinless perfection. This goes back to verse 8 where he was addressing this same group that believed that they now had no sin nature and could live a sinless life. This is against what God says in His Word and in effect makes Him a liar. John is saying that if this belief is held then whoever holds it does not know the Bible.
“My little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not. and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous” (1 John 2:1).
We are saved from sin. We are not to let it rule in our lives. John affirms all he has said previously by pointing to the answer for all sin and that is our Advocate Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. He is seated on the Right Hand of the Father and makes intercession for us. We are saved by our Faith in Christ and Him Crucified and we are to live our Christian lives in the same manner. It is by faith from first to last. Praise the Lord!
“I am Crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
[Note: There has been a teaching in the church that teaches that chapter 1 of this epistle was written to the unsaved and that beginning with chapter 2 John addresses the church. This is an error. There were no chapter headings when this epistle was written and it was written as one continuous letter. This whole epistle was written to the church. Those advocating that Chapter 1 was written for unbelievers do so to justify the teaching that we need not confess our sins. There is no truth in this. The Lord calls us to confess our sins as John makes clear in chapter 1 of this epistle.]
Prayer Changes Things
The Lord wants us to come to Him with all our needs. Prayer requests can be left on the comments page of this website.
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).
The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.
Always Remember,
God Loves You!
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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2024
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