By Joey Carroll
Last week, we talked about the first characteristic of God that John, the apostle, wants us to understand in his letter to the church. “God is Light,” (1 John 1:5). We saw how that is a reference to the holiness of God. Certainly God is altogether without sin. If God could be found sinful, He would cease to be God, and He could never save us from our sin.
But the first thing that John addresses in regard to man is this, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us,” (1 John 1:8, NASB). Before anyone can come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, they must first understand and accept the fact that they are sinners in desperate need of a savior.
In Romans, the Apostle Paul defines and describes the Gospel in the greatest of detail. He begins by describing man’s fatal condition before God in Romans chapters 1, 2 and 3. Paul summarizes our condition in Romans 3:23 when he says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (NASB).
I am a sinner. And what makes me a sinner is the fact that there is a God. If there were no God, there would be no sinners because sin is rebellion against God’s Holy Law. One of my favorite theologians referred to sin as “cosmic treason.” This helps us to understand not only what makes sin sinful, but it also helps us to understand just how serious sin is. Sin is not rebellion and disobedience against what is deemed as culturally acceptable behavior. Sin is rebellion and disobedience against what God has commanded in His Word. And therefore, all sin is against God Himself. That is why God is just and blameless when He judges sinners, because He is the One who has been sinned against.
But I am not the only sinner; you are a sinner too. John knows that it is absolutely necessary for you to understand your sinful state. In fact, he says that if we say that we have no sin, we are lying to ourselves and calling God Himself a liar.
There is a false teaching in the church today that says that after trusting Jesus, you will never sin again. That denies the clear teaching of Scripture. We read Scripture just like we read almost everything else in life. Its meaning is not hidden or shrouded in mystery, nor is its interpretation found in allegory. We read the majority of Scripture just like we read a text, blog, or an article in the newspaper. We seek to understand its literal meaning, while we pay attention to grammar. In verse 1:8, John uses 3 verbs that are in a present tense, meaning that the verbs are present, ongoing actions. “If we say that we (present tense) have no sin, we are (present tense) deceiving ourselves and the truth (present tense) is not in us,” (1 John 1:8, NASB, emphasis added). We are sinners before Christ, and we continue to struggle with sin after Christ. In fact, the Apostle Paul said of himself, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I (present tense) am foremost of all,” (1 Timothy 1:15, NASB, emphasis added). Even the Apostle Paul recognized his struggle against sin.
But there is great news for sinners – the blood of Jesus. God gave His Son as a sin-offering. He died in our place for our sins. And when an unbeliever turns from his sin and his faith rests in Jesus, that individual is eternally saved from the judgment of God. But there is more. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” (1 John 1:9, NASB). That is good news for unbelievers and believers alike. We will continue to struggle with sin until the Lord comes again, but until that day, we can enjoy unhindered fellowship with God as we continue to walk in humble repentance trusting in the all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ for sin.
This article originally appeared in The Clarion Newspaper on December 13, 2023.
Corinth Baptist Church 