Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
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: The posters' words Allow me to response to the two Scriptures you cite: 1) Gal. 5:16-17: Are these verses really describing a conflict? My reply. YES There is a tug of war going on. The poster's words: Verse 16 makes a very clear statement of fact. If you live by the Spirit, you WILL NOT gratify the desires of the sinful nature. My reply. Notice the IF The poster's words: Now, how does v. 17 fit into the picture? Are we to understand that the flesh sometimes wins out over the Spirit of God? Or, is the verse saying that the Spirit wins out over the flesh? My reply: Sadly the flesh often wins out over the Spirit, not because the Spirit fails but because we are not being led by the Spirit. The poster's words. I believe the latter. God is sovereign and all-powerful. I can't believe for a minute that my sinful nature could win out in a conflict against the third Person of the Godhead. My reply: That is not the point at issue. Certainly if the person was wholly yielded to the Spirit the Spirit would win every time. But Paul's very fear is that Christians are not always yielded to the Spirit aand being led by the Spirit. The poster's words: 2) Eph. 4:20-24: This is an excellent passage, but neither does this passage indicate a struggle. The verbs 'put off' and 'put on' are Aorist infinitives, which indicate a one time action, not an ongoing one. My reply: Come on, Tim. What about your rules of grammar which you can bring in at wiil? Suppose this is a second aorist which can be used like a present or future continual tense? You can't play fast and loose with tenses in one Scripture and then cite them rigidly in another. That is exegetical cheating. Besides in verse 22 the putting off is in the past, but in verse 25 the present and future is in mind. Or are you going to make it an historic present? |