Comparing I John 1:8-10 with I John 3:6-9

The main issue in the aforementioned verses is sin. When we read these verses, it appears that the apostle John contradicts himself. Let’s examine them to find out what’s going on.

In I John 1:8-10 we read, “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 and just to forgive our sins, and cleanse to us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

Now, in I John 3:6-9 we read, “Whoever abides in Him does not sin (italics added). Whoever sins has neither seen Him or known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

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.       

Whoever is born of God does not sin (italics added), for His seed remains in him, and he cannot sin (italics added) because he has been born of God.”

The first set of verses (I John 1:8-10) clearly tell us that we as believers do sin, and that’s why I John 2:1-2 says…“that if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation (or satisfaction) for our sins…

Jesus delivered us from the power and penalty of sin forever, but currently not it’s presence. Sin does continue to operate in our mortal flesh which has yet to experience it’s redemption. We’ll experience that when Jesus returns for his bride, the church and our bodies will be changed from mortal to immortal (I Corinthians 15:51-58; I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

But, in the second set of verses, we read that whoever abides in Him-that is in Christ does not sin. Which set of verses are true? Verse nine in particular by itself is implicit, meaning by it’s implication would purport one to believe that Christians do not and can not sin. That is not what the verse is saying at all. To define verse nine, we must connect it with verse seven which is an explicit verse – a verse that is very clear with no ambiguity. Verse nine of I John 3 is ambiguous when it stands alone.

Verse seven of I John 3 says, “ He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

The key word here is “practice”, from the Greek word prasso. To practice something requires continuous, habitual action. The apostle John is comparing those that are saved or righteous who practice righteousness verses those that are wicked  who practice wickedness. Verse nine does not mean that we do not sin; we do.  What it has  to mean is that believers do not practice sin as a way of life. They’re not engaged in sin as they were prior to their conversion, and they can not habitually sin, because God’s seed- the Holy Spirit remain (abides, dwells, lives) in them. The Spirit of the living God provides a checks and balance system within the believer to prevent him/her to engage in habitual sinful behavior; and when we sin we know we must confess our sins to the Lord (I John 1:9). That inward faculty will drive us to repentance continually and keep us pure.

These verses provide a litmus test for anyone to know whether they’re truly born again or not. Do you  endeavor to practice righteous living or unholy living? No one can have it both ways!

We must remember and accept that the fact that sin has no more dominion over us because we’re free from it (Romans 6:12). We’re no longer slaves to it.

                                                        

                                                        In conclusion

We must always remember to interpret implicit passages in light of the explicit ones. In this case, we interpret  I John 3:6a and vs. 9 (The implicit)  in light of I John 3:7 along with I John 1:8-10 (The explicit). When we do this, we do not run into error. This is proper hermeneutics.

A person who claims to know God and sins habitually is a liar. And as the scripture say the truth is not in them (I John 1:8); Explicitly speaking, that type of person is not saved.

A Living Sacrifice?

“I beseech you  therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you  present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.”

-          Romans 12:1

I’ve pondered that question lately, and wondered how I can be alive and sacrifice myself at the same time? Yet God commands us as believers to do it. I must be alive, and reckon myself as dead; seems impossible.

What does the scripture have to say about these seemingly mutually opposed ideas?

Jesus said this in Matthew 16:24-25, Then Jesus said to disciples,” if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

So, what do these verses mean?

The word cross in the Greek is the word Stauros; primarily means stake or pale. Metaphorically it means the believer’s identification with Christ in that we’re separating ourselves from the passions of the world to follow Jesus. The cross was literally an instrument of torture, humiliation and death. As believers we MUST sacrifice all for the Excellency that’s in Christ Jesus even if it costs our very lives. If one is only interested in his own ambitions and dreams, then he’s not living unto God, he’s living to fill his own belly which will lead to certain death. Jesus categorically said, “What will profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Obviously nothing (Matthew 16:26). The Christian life is one of self denial.

An even more vivid description of a living sacrifice is in Romans 6:11, “Likewise reckon yourselves to be dead unto sin (emphasis added), but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The apostle Paul is commanding us by the Holy Spirit to treat our bodies as dead to sin. Why? Because Jesus nailed our sins to the Cross when he died. The scriptures tell us that when He died, we died. Now wait a second! How could we die with Christ when weren't even born yet? Paul is obviously speaking in symbolic language, not literal. Our bodies idiomatically were crucified with our Lord when He died literally. This truth we must accept by faith although this glorious revelation transcends our minds.  Paul also declares in vs. 4, 8, 11 that since we’re crucified with Christ, we also will be raised with him in newness of life. This shows our identification with the one who lovingly sacrificed his life for us. A tremendous reality!

So, since our bodies have to be reckoned as dead to sin, meaning we MUST on purpose deny our sinful desires which produce death (i.e. dead works) we have the right, and ability to serve God as we sacrificially place ourselves on the Lord’s altar daily to serve him as we carry our cross with joy.

This behavior is a concerted attitude one must commit to in order to gain victory in Christ. We have to by faith live an “Everyday death sentence kind of life” Once this mindset is ours, we understand when I die daily to myself, Jesus by the Holy Spirit looms ever so brighter and larger in my life.  I’m now totally hidden, and Jesus Christ is magnified.

John the Baptist said it well, “He must increase, and I must decrease (John 3:30).”

Paul declared this in Galatians 2:20, “I’m crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

The apostle once again is declaring that he’s living in the power of Jesus Christ by faith. He doesn’t trust himself to do this alone for he (Paul) declared in Romans 7:18, “I know in my flesh; this body of sin, dwells no good thing.” That has to be every believer’s mantra. We can not trust ourselves to do what’s right so we must rely on the power source of another, namely the Spirit of the living God to help us through. In  Galatians 2:20 we see a perfect illustration of the wonderful duality of  the living sacrifice dynamic in demonstration. Paul first off identifies spiritually that he was crucified with his Lord. He also realizes he’s now alive in Christ.

He goes on to declare that the life he lives in his body (now dead to sin because of  Christ’s sacrifice  on the cross), he lives in full confidence, trust and reliance on Christ, because of Christ’s love and sacrifice for him.

If we as believers meditate on the Spirit filled words of Paul, we too can live a life of self sacrifice. Never has life had such meaning as it has in Jesus Christ; but ironically in order for anyone to live this life faithfully, they have to die everyday of their lives in order to execute it.

Simultaneously we have to die to ourselves, and live unto God. That’s the essence of a living sacrifice. Be willing to place yourself at God’s altar and leave yourself there. Allow your life to be a sweet smelling aroma that pleases God as you do what he commands (Hebrews 11:6).

This is a strange, but true saying, our continual death (to sin), and our life to Christ both are well pleasing to God. Again, we MUST believe we were crucified with our Lord by faith so that our body of sin is dead as well. And again we MUST believe we’re alive to God by faith. The body that we must suppress is the same instrument that we by faith present to God as a living sacrifice.

The dead body of sin is also alive so that we can continually offer it to God as a living sacrifice.

I hope the reality of this is clear.

Only the power of the living God can perform this.