A Short Treatise on I John 1
Brothers and Sisters,
There has been much confusion on the following verses in I John. Man has taken certain verses completely out of context, used a single verse to build a total doctrine, ignoring the rest of the verses surrounding and also the rest of I John.
So in keeping with ALL of the passages in I John and the rest of the Bible, let us look at what these few verses actually tell us.
1Jn 1:5 And this is the message [the message of promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [no, not in any way].
1Jn 1:6 [So] if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are [both] speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth [which the Gospel presents].
FIRST of all, we cannot walk in darkness and have fellowship with God. SIN IS DARKNESS. Please look at this passage>>>
2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?
2Co 6:15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
2Co 6:16 What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. [Exod. 25:8; 29:45; Lev. 26:12; Jer. 31:1; Ezek. 37:27.]
So we see that Christians are called the LIGHT and the unsaved are called the Darkness. In fact all through these verses there are contrasts made between what a Christian is like versus what an unbeliever is like. So right there we see that iniquity and living for God do not co-exist. (look at verse 14) Let us move on.
1Jn 1:7 But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].
What does this say? IF we are walking in the Light (this means there is NO DARKNESS IN US) we have UNBROKEN fellowship with the Lord. It also says that the Blood of Christ has (PAST TENSE) Cleansed us from ALL SIN and KEEPS us cleansed as well. If God has cleansed us from sin and keeps us cleansed from sin, all sin, can sin be in us? Impossible. We either are cleansed completely and continuously from sin or we have sin but not both.
1Jn 1:8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts].
WAIT! If we say we have no sin we delude ourselves and lead ourselves astray. But I thought we had been cleansed from sin? Which is it? It cannot be both.
1Jn 1:9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].
Now once more John SUPPOSEDLY contradicts himself by saying that IF WE HAVE CONFESSED OUR SINS HE WILL FORGIVE US AND CLEANSE US COMPLETELY AND CONTINUOUSLY! Verse 7 and 9 are NOT in agreement with verse 8 UNLESS it is speaking of those who have yet COME to Christ and need to be saved. THEN it makes perfect sense and does NOT contradict itself. Notice in verse 9, that He keeps us cleansed from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS which includes EVERYTHING that is NOT in conformity to His will in PURPOSE THOUGHT AND ACTION! That includes everything, even those things our bodies do! We will NOT be sinning IF WE TRULY WALK IN THE LIGHT! (If we cannot walk in the Light, then the Bible and the Lord commands us to do something we are unable to do!)
1Jn 1:10 If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].
When we look at verse 10 in the light of what we have just discussed, NOW it makes perfect sense. John is speaking to those who need to come to Christ. The ONLY WAY TO GET SAVED is to admit we are sinners, confess and repent from our sins. THEN HE WILL CLEANSE US as He has previously said. If we say we do not need to be saved or that we do not need to repent THEN HIS DIVINE Message is NOT in our hearts, nor are we saved!
1Jn 2:1 MY LITTLE children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God's law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father--[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father's will in every purpose, thought, and action].
Then we move into Chapter 2 where John confirms the reason for his writing not only what we have just gone over, but the WHOLE BOOK of I John. SO THAT WE MIGHT NOT SIN. Then he does give us an out. He says IF WE DO SIN, we can be forgiven. NOTICE THOUGH>>>> JOHN DOES NOT SAY WE MUST SIN OR WE WILL SIN, he only says we could, not we will!
How do we know what I have said is true? Due to the rest of I John and many other passages in the New Testament. Look at these passages.
1Jn 2:6 Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.
1Jn 2:15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things]--these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].
1Jn 2:17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.
(this passage says that if we have the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life in our lives, WE DO NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IN US!)
1Jn 2:27 But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do].
1Jn 2:28 And now, little children, abide (live, remain permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence (boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming.
1Jn 2:29 If you know (perceive and are sure) that He [Christ] is [absolutely] righteous [conforming to the Father's will in purpose, thought, and action], you may also know (be sure) that everyone who does righteously [and is therefore in like manner conformed to the divine will] is born (begotten) of Him [God].
(this passage says that JUST AS CHRIST JESUS walked conforming to the Father’s will in purpose thought and action, ONLY THOSE who live in the same manner are begotten of God!)
1Jn 3:3 And everyone who has this hope [resting] on Him cleanses (purifies) himself just as He is pure (chaste, undefiled, guiltless).
(we are told here that whoever has the hope of Christ in them has CLEANSED THEMSELVES and made themselves as pure as Jesus.)
1Jn 3:4 Everyone who commits (practices) sin is guilty of lawlessness; for [that is what] sin is, lawlessness (the breaking, violating of God's law by transgression or neglect--being unrestrained and unregulated by His commands and His will).
1Jn 3:5 You know that He appeared in visible form and became Man to take away [upon Himself] sins, and in Him there is no sin [essentially and forever].
(Jesus came to remove sin from our lives forever as HE Himself has NO SIN in Himself essentially and forever)
1Jn 3:6 No one who abides in Him [who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him--deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] commits (practices) sin. No one who [habitually] sins has either seen or known Him [recognized, perceived, or understood Him, or has had an experiential acquaintance with Him].
(NO ONE who abides in Jesus habitually practices sin! NO ONE who Practices sin has KNOWN HIM or EVEN MET HIM)
1Jn 3:7 Boys (lads), let no one deceive and lead you astray. He who practices righteousness [who is upright, conforming to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action, living a consistently conscientious life] is righteous, even as He is righteous.
(We are not righteous unless we practice righteousness in our lives and conform to the divine will in purpose thought and action)
1Jn 3:8 [But] he who commits sin [who practices evildoing] is of the devil [takes his character from the evil one], for the devil has sinned (violated the divine law) from the beginning. The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done].
(Whoever habitually practices sin, is of the devil)
1Jn 3:9 No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God's nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.
(NO ONE who is born of God knowingly and habitually practices sin, in fact he CANNOT PRACTICE SIN because he is born of GOD)
1Jn 3:10 By this it is made clear who take their nature from God and are His children and who take their nature from the devil and are his children: no one who does not practice righteousness [who does not conform to God's will in purpose, thought, and action] is of God; neither is anyone who does not love his brother (his fellow believer in Christ).
(One more time, whoever does NOT practice righteousness, which means conforming to the divine will in PURPOSE THOUGHT and ACTION {that includes our heart, our mind AND OUR BODIES} is from GOD!)
Now, we see that all of I John is in agreement IF we look at I John 1 as I have presented. If we take verse 8 & 10 out of context, that is when we make up a man-made doctrine that says we will always sin as long as we live on the earth. That is patently false! ANYONE who says that is promoting, preaching, proclaiming a FALSE DOCTRINE, because it does NOT agree with the rest of I John.
There are many more verses throughout the New Testament and they ALL AGREE with this understanding of I John. This does NOT mean we will NEVER sin, but that we should NOT sin and IF WE DO sin it will NOT be on a regular basis, or habitually! It should NOT be a regular occurrence in our lives. Even Jesus Christ Himself said He came so that we would NOT SIN!
Joh 8:31 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.
Joh 8:32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered Him, We are Abraham's offspring (descendants) and have never been in bondage to anybody. What do You mean by saying, You will be set free?
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin.
Joh 8:35 Now a slave does not remain in a household permanently (forever); the son [of the house] does remain forever.
Joh 8:36 So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.
We cannot take verse 32 out of context and make it say whatever we want. The whole of this passage, indeed, the whole of the Book of John and the rest of the Bible MUST BE IN AGREEMENT ABSOLUTELY! Jesus tells us simply that WHOEVER commits sin is a slave of sin BUT HE CAME TO SET US FREE; To cause us to cease being slaves to sin! REMEMBER, whoever commits sin is a slave to sin, therefore ONLY THOSE who do not commit sin, are NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN AND HAVE BEEN FREED!
I pray that we all would lay down our previously held conceptions of these passages and go to the Lord about them. See if they say this. READ THEM ALL! Remember>>>We cannot make a doctrine out of 1 or 2 verses. WE MUST LOOK AT ALL THE VERSES TOGETHER and they MUST ALL BE IN AGREEMENT for they CANNOT contradict each other. The whole idea that we must sin is a lie from the pit of hell, it is demonic and earthy. It is NOT from God at all.
May our Father in Heaven reveal Himself to us all AS HE TRULY IS, NOT as we think He is!
a bondslave in Christ Jesus, Dirk
Brothers and Sisters,
There has been much confusion on the following verses in I John. Man has taken certain verses completely out of context, used a single verse to build a total doctrine, ignoring the rest of the verses surrounding and also the rest of I John.
So in keeping with ALL of the passages in I John and the rest of the Bible, let us look at what these few verses actually tell us.
1Jn 1:5 And this is the message [the message of promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [no, not in any way].
1Jn 1:6 [So] if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are [both] speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth [which the Gospel presents].
FIRST of all, we cannot walk in darkness and have fellowship with God. SIN IS DARKNESS. Please look at this passage>>>
2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?
2Co 6:15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
2Co 6:16 What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. [Exod. 25:8; 29:45; Lev. 26:12; Jer. 31:1; Ezek. 37:27.]
So we see that Christians are called the LIGHT and the unsaved are called the Darkness. In fact all through these verses there are contrasts made between what a Christian is like versus what an unbeliever is like. So right there we see that iniquity and living for God do not co-exist. (look at verse 14) Let us move on.
1Jn 1:7 But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].
What does this say? IF we are walking in the Light (this means there is NO DARKNESS IN US) we have UNBROKEN fellowship with the Lord. It also says that the Blood of Christ has (PAST TENSE) Cleansed us from ALL SIN and KEEPS us cleansed as well. If God has cleansed us from sin and keeps us cleansed from sin, all sin, can sin be in us? Impossible. We either are cleansed completely and continuously from sin or we have sin but not both.
1Jn 1:8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts].
WAIT! If we say we have no sin we delude ourselves and lead ourselves astray. But I thought we had been cleansed from sin? Which is it? It cannot be both.
1Jn 1:9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].
Now once more John SUPPOSEDLY contradicts himself by saying that IF WE HAVE CONFESSED OUR SINS HE WILL FORGIVE US AND CLEANSE US COMPLETELY AND CONTINUOUSLY! Verse 7 and 9 are NOT in agreement with verse 8 UNLESS it is speaking of those who have yet COME to Christ and need to be saved. THEN it makes perfect sense and does NOT contradict itself. Notice in verse 9, that He keeps us cleansed from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS which includes EVERYTHING that is NOT in conformity to His will in PURPOSE THOUGHT AND ACTION! That includes everything, even those things our bodies do! We will NOT be sinning IF WE TRULY WALK IN THE LIGHT! (If we cannot walk in the Light, then the Bible and the Lord commands us to do something we are unable to do!)
1Jn 1:10 If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].
When we look at verse 10 in the light of what we have just discussed, NOW it makes perfect sense. John is speaking to those who need to come to Christ. The ONLY WAY TO GET SAVED is to admit we are sinners, confess and repent from our sins. THEN HE WILL CLEANSE US as He has previously said. If we say we do not need to be saved or that we do not need to repent THEN HIS DIVINE Message is NOT in our hearts, nor are we saved!
1Jn 2:1 MY LITTLE children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God's law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father--[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father's will in every purpose, thought, and action].
Then we move into Chapter 2 where John confirms the reason for his writing not only what we have just gone over, but the WHOLE BOOK of I John. SO THAT WE MIGHT NOT SIN. Then he does give us an out. He says IF WE DO SIN, we can be forgiven. NOTICE THOUGH>>>> JOHN DOES NOT SAY WE MUST SIN OR WE WILL SIN, he only says we could, not we will!
How do we know what I have said is true? Due to the rest of I John and many other passages in the New Testament. Look at these passages.
1Jn 2:6 Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.
1Jn 2:15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things]--these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].
1Jn 2:17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.
(this passage says that if we have the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life in our lives, WE DO NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IN US!)
1Jn 2:27 But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do].
1Jn 2:28 And now, little children, abide (live, remain permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence (boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming.
1Jn 2:29 If you know (perceive and are sure) that He [Christ] is [absolutely] righteous [conforming to the Father's will in purpose, thought, and action], you may also know (be sure) that everyone who does righteously [and is therefore in like manner conformed to the divine will] is born (begotten) of Him [God].
(this passage says that JUST AS CHRIST JESUS walked conforming to the Father’s will in purpose thought and action, ONLY THOSE who live in the same manner are begotten of God!)
1Jn 3:3 And everyone who has this hope [resting] on Him cleanses (purifies) himself just as He is pure (chaste, undefiled, guiltless).
(we are told here that whoever has the hope of Christ in them has CLEANSED THEMSELVES and made themselves as pure as Jesus.)
1Jn 3:4 Everyone who commits (practices) sin is guilty of lawlessness; for [that is what] sin is, lawlessness (the breaking, violating of God's law by transgression or neglect--being unrestrained and unregulated by His commands and His will).
1Jn 3:5 You know that He appeared in visible form and became Man to take away [upon Himself] sins, and in Him there is no sin [essentially and forever].
(Jesus came to remove sin from our lives forever as HE Himself has NO SIN in Himself essentially and forever)
1Jn 3:6 No one who abides in Him [who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him--deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] commits (practices) sin. No one who [habitually] sins has either seen or known Him [recognized, perceived, or understood Him, or has had an experiential acquaintance with Him].
(NO ONE who abides in Jesus habitually practices sin! NO ONE who Practices sin has KNOWN HIM or EVEN MET HIM)
1Jn 3:7 Boys (lads), let no one deceive and lead you astray. He who practices righteousness [who is upright, conforming to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action, living a consistently conscientious life] is righteous, even as He is righteous.
(We are not righteous unless we practice righteousness in our lives and conform to the divine will in purpose thought and action)
1Jn 3:8 [But] he who commits sin [who practices evildoing] is of the devil [takes his character from the evil one], for the devil has sinned (violated the divine law) from the beginning. The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done].
(Whoever habitually practices sin, is of the devil)
1Jn 3:9 No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God's nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.
(NO ONE who is born of God knowingly and habitually practices sin, in fact he CANNOT PRACTICE SIN because he is born of GOD)
1Jn 3:10 By this it is made clear who take their nature from God and are His children and who take their nature from the devil and are his children: no one who does not practice righteousness [who does not conform to God's will in purpose, thought, and action] is of God; neither is anyone who does not love his brother (his fellow believer in Christ).
(One more time, whoever does NOT practice righteousness, which means conforming to the divine will in PURPOSE THOUGHT and ACTION {that includes our heart, our mind AND OUR BODIES} is from GOD!)
Now, we see that all of I John is in agreement IF we look at I John 1 as I have presented. If we take verse 8 & 10 out of context, that is when we make up a man-made doctrine that says we will always sin as long as we live on the earth. That is patently false! ANYONE who says that is promoting, preaching, proclaiming a FALSE DOCTRINE, because it does NOT agree with the rest of I John.
There are many more verses throughout the New Testament and they ALL AGREE with this understanding of I John. This does NOT mean we will NEVER sin, but that we should NOT sin and IF WE DO sin it will NOT be on a regular basis, or habitually! It should NOT be a regular occurrence in our lives. Even Jesus Christ Himself said He came so that we would NOT SIN!
Joh 8:31 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.
Joh 8:32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered Him, We are Abraham's offspring (descendants) and have never been in bondage to anybody. What do You mean by saying, You will be set free?
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin.
Joh 8:35 Now a slave does not remain in a household permanently (forever); the son [of the house] does remain forever.
Joh 8:36 So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.
We cannot take verse 32 out of context and make it say whatever we want. The whole of this passage, indeed, the whole of the Book of John and the rest of the Bible MUST BE IN AGREEMENT ABSOLUTELY! Jesus tells us simply that WHOEVER commits sin is a slave of sin BUT HE CAME TO SET US FREE; To cause us to cease being slaves to sin! REMEMBER, whoever commits sin is a slave to sin, therefore ONLY THOSE who do not commit sin, are NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN AND HAVE BEEN FREED!
I pray that we all would lay down our previously held conceptions of these passages and go to the Lord about them. See if they say this. READ THEM ALL! Remember>>>We cannot make a doctrine out of 1 or 2 verses. WE MUST LOOK AT ALL THE VERSES TOGETHER and they MUST ALL BE IN AGREEMENT for they CANNOT contradict each other. The whole idea that we must sin is a lie from the pit of hell, it is demonic and earthy. It is NOT from God at all.
May our Father in Heaven reveal Himself to us all AS HE TRULY IS, NOT as we think He is!
a bondslave in Christ Jesus, Dirk