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NASB | 1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.] |
Subject: Is sinless perfection possible on earth? |
Bible Note: Greetings Ed! I'll have to make this quick as I am missing out on valuable (and rare) sleep. :-) Let me answer the main thrust of your post with a couple of questions? 1) If John meant that Christians will keep on sinning as a normative event in their lives, why did he say: 1Jn 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. Or, 1Jn 3:8-9 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. (9) No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 2) If Paul meant by Romans 7 that Christians cannot help but sin, why did he write: Rom 6:1-2 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (2) By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or, Rom 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- Or, Rom 8:8-9 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. (9) You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. My point is this: We can base our beliefs on our experience or on what God's word says. It doesn't matter how many times I sin, if God's word says that I don't have to, then it is true. :-) Since the old man is dead, I don't believe that is the source of temptation. James 1:13-15 describes the process of temptation and sin. We are tempted when we put ourselves in positions that we should not be in. The devil doesn't make us do it. We choose to do it. Scripture gives us the promise that if we walk in the Spirit, we won't sin. I've got to go to bed now! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |