John 1-8 has to be harmonized with the whole chapter, verse 6 says if we say we have fellowship with God (claim to be Christians) and walk in darkness (sin), we lie and do not the truth....Verse 10 uses the same Greek word "ou" as to be if we say we have not sinned,(past tense)....
1 John 1:6 - If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. Walking in darkness is descriptive of children of the devil. Walking in the light is descriptive of children of God. Only those who are saved/believers are in the light.
Acts 26:18 - to open their eyes, in order to
turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are
sanctified by faith in Me.
2 Corinthians 6:14 - Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?
And what communion has light with darkness?
Ephesians 5:8 - for you were
formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light. Children of the devil walk in darkness, not in the light. Children of God walk in the light, not in darkness. IF confirms these positions in verses 6 and 7. It's one or the other.
In 1 John 2:9, we read - He who
says he is in the light, and
hates his brother, is
in darkness until now. In vs. 11 - But
he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
*Compare with 1 John 3:10 - In this the
children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever
does not practice righteousness is not of God, (compare with 1 John 1:6 -
does not practice the truth) nor is he who
does not love his brother. *Notice that "walks in darkness, hates his brother" is connected with children of the devil.
Notice that 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (vs. 9) is
IN CONTRAST TO - If we
say that we have no sin, (PRESENT TENSE) we
deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us (vs. 8) and - If we
say that we have not sinned, (PAST TENSE)
we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (vs. 10).
Some people misunderstand verse 9 to mean that we must confess each specific sin that we commit as we commit them (keep a specific inventory) as an additional requirement to remain cleansed and if we forget a sin we are toast!
Also you misunderstand Eph 2-8,9
Paul is clear that the working dynamics of grace and faith combined (synergy) brings about salvation. Not withstanding, only God can forgive past sins through the contingency of repentance..
Paul is clear that we are saved by grace through faith,
not works and NOT faith
and works or faith + "these" works and just not "those" works.
Paul also meant that religious works cannot save, because the Jews boasted in their religious works, he was not speaking of works of obedience by faith
That sounds similar to the same argument I hear from Roman Catholics. Elsewhere, Paul said we are
not saved by works of righteousness which we have done.. (Titus 3:5) and that God saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. That covers good works in general/works of obedience produced out of faith.
Works put in their proper place are subsequent to saving faith in Christ. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith, not works, whether religious works or good works/works of obedience produced out of faith etc.. This does not remove good works/works of obedience from the Christian life, it just puts them in their proper place, subsequent to regeneration and salvation.
....as we can clearly see in verse 10 that he clarifies this...you all always leave out verse 10 for some strange reason....dig deep and dispense with the traditions of men,,,,,,be blessed
Verse 10 does not imply that we are saved by good works. In verse 10, we read - For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus FOR good works, which God prepared beforehand that we
should walk in them.