Does the Holy Spirit convict the born again believer of sin?
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This is great. I understand this. We must identify with Jesus, His Cross, but even more so His resurrection life. There is our power to overcome and walk as He walked.
I would not even think of sin then. It's not in my thinking. And it's truth that we are dead to sin and alive to God. Am with you here.
So I'm not asking this question to trip you up. Why would we sin?
I would not even think of sin then. It's not in my thinking. And it's truth that we are dead to sin and alive to God. Am with you here.
So I'm not asking this question to trip you up. Why would we sin?
It's the devil who does the condemning and accusing trying to convict the believer of falling under condemnation again when we were made free from all condemnation. Romans 8:1 It's not the Holy Spirit as some Christians believe. I wish I learned this truth like you have at your age Joseph., I've just found out after being saved for many years. God bless you brother.
J
Well the holy spirit will have us to be aware of a sin as well as remorseful thereby leading us to ask for forgiveness of said sin through confession to Jesus that we have sinned,as to conviction it would help answering your question Joseph(by the way my name is Joseph too!)if you could be more clear,are you asking does the holy spirit make us feel guilty about sin or are you asking if the holy spirit condemns us for sin?
The thing is Joseph, that the truth that you have is powerful. But, knowing we are dead to sin, alive to God, and no longer flesh, but Spirit would keep one from sin. Not saying one might stumble in a fault or a bad habit of the past, but the identity of being in Him empowers us. Holy Spirit has infused within our spirit. We are one with Him.
Perhaps it is your youth, and I am much older and have gone through much more than you at this point, but all theses things speak to me that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Live in Romans 8.
Perhaps it is your youth, and I am much older and have gone through much more than you at this point, but all theses things speak to me that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Live in Romans 8.
2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Jas 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Rom 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Rom 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived(speaking to the saints); God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Jas 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Rom 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Rom 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived(speaking to the saints); God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
He guides your conscience along with the Word. But convict? It's not Judgement Day yet. I guess in a certain way- the way that we do ourselves. We have convictions- we judge between right and wrong. But to judge someone's actual soul, I guess the Holy Spirit, along with our own conscience, will play a role in the judgement to come.
Sad that you throw that accusation around these forums so much.
1 John 1:9 is for those who need to be saved. It was written for those in the church gathering among many others who believed differently like the law keeping Jews who were having a major hard time leaving the old covenant of law their forefathers had been instructing them in for years. And there were those who didn't believe in humans sinning., These people were called Gnostics.
1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins.... He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. A believer has already been made righteous and has already been cleansed. Verses 1-10 is about the saved people telling the the lost people the truth that they have heard already and seen with their own eyes and beheld and were with Jesus giving testimony of Him.
So that those unsaved people could also have fellowship with them because without Christ., what fellowship has light with darkness? When speakers are talking and speaking to large groups, they often and generally use what is called the "editorial WE" So 'we' have to make sure 'we' consider that when reading 1 John 1. See., I used the editorial we right here.
Also., a believer is always walking in the light. We have to let the Bible interpret the Bible. There are children of the night and children of the day. We who have Jesus are children of the LIGHT. The believer is always in the light because we are always IN Christ. We don't go in and out of righteousness/light like a dance. Righteousness is a gift we received at salvation.
So we have to look at those verses with that truth in mind. Our standing never changes. Our behavior changes all the time but our standing IN Christ never changes because it is kept by Jesus gift of righteousness/right standing. Those who have Jesus have already been made righteous. They can't get anymore righteous than that.
So the 1st chapter is talking about what the believer has seen and heard and is now telling the unsaved people in the group...
1 That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the [SUP][a][/SUP]Word of life
[SUP]2 [/SUP](and the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us);
[SUP]3 [/SUP]that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ:
[SUP]4 [/SUP]and these things we write, that [SUP][b][/SUP]our joy may be made full.[SUP]
5 [/SUP]And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
[SUP]7 [/SUP]but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
[SUP]8 [/SUP]If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
The next verses in 1 John 2:1 says "my little children.. those words are for the believer...
My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an [SUP][a][/SUP]Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
[SUP]2 [/SUP]and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
And when we continue on in the book of 1 John we keep needing to make those applications. Actually., all through the Bible we have to make a point of understanding who the book is being written to. The Bible is for us but not every verse is written TO us. Learning how to rightly divide the Word of truth is something we will be doing for the whole time we are here on earth.
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The chastening in Heb 12 is written to children. In fact, if we are not being chastened, we are illegitimate:
Hebrews 12:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, [Greek nothoi = illegitimate] and not sons.
...
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
As we endure / and are exercised by the chastening of the Lord, we reap the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Hebrews 12:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, [Greek nothoi = illegitimate] and not sons.
...
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
As we endure / and are exercised by the chastening of the Lord, we reap the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Hey Joseph., Here is a post from a thread started some year or so ago by Ben., with some links about 1 John 1:9
[h=2]
Obsession with Confession (1 John 1:9, sin confession)[/h]
[h=2]
This is for those who wish to refute the idea of sin confession for forgiveness. Its rather long but I found it on the web and feel like it addresses 1 John 1:9 really well. If you have the time, give it a read. It will definitely open your eyes to the truth, in regards to whether a Christian must confess their sins in order to be forgiven or not. One of the best methods to address 1 John 1:9 to those who believe in sin confession, considering this is the only verse to support the doctrine. Enjoy...
Originally from: 1 John and the Gnostics...... - The Watchman's CryWhy did the Gnostics claim to be "without sin"?
The following article has an interesting historical and biblical perspective:
1 John 1:9
When we read the Bible, we need to look at the context in which each book was written. If we don't do that, it's easy to misinterpret what a particular book or chapter is really saying. When that happens, we can easily come to wrong conclusions, which can then cause a lot of misunderstanding about the work of Christ on our behalf.
One example of this is that many people believe that although their sins have been forgiven prior to salvation, after salvation it is up to them to obtain forgiveness through their confession. Others believe that all their sins have been forgiven at the cross, however, they cannot experience forgiveness unless they confess each time they sin. The verse both parties use to defend their belief is I John 1:9. Let's read the first chapter of 1 John, and keep in mind two important questions: "Who was John's audience?" and 'What was he trying to accomplish in this letter?"
The audience was a confused church in Asia. The pastor there asked John to write a letter to help clear up some major doctrinal heresy called "Gnosticism." Gnosticism comes from the Greek word " gnosis", which means knowledge. The Gnostics were a group of people who believed they possessed superior spiritual knowledge. They believed that all flesh is evil and that only spirit is good. Because they believed that, they didn't believe that Jesus really came in the flesh - they believed He was an illusion. They also believed that because sin had to do with our flesh, there really wasn't sin - sin was also just an Illusion. (That's similar to people today who believe sickness is an illusion.) The church in Ephesus was filled with people who not only didn't believe Christ came in the flesh, they didn't believe sin was real.
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life"
(I John 1:1).
In other words, John is establishing that he was an eyewitness to the fact that Jesus truly did come in the flesh. He did this to convince the Gnostics that Jesus was not an illusion.
"We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ" (verse 3).
This verse says two things. First, John repeats the fact that he, the rest of the apostles and other people saw Christ in the flesh. He wanted the Gnostics to realize that there were many people who could testify to the reality of Christ. Second, he is saying that there are some people in the audience who were not in the fellowship with Christ.
"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all" (verse 5).
John's message in this verse is clear: God is light and in Him there is no darkness. We are either in the light (saved) or in darkness (lost). Scriptures are full of this comparison between light (saved) vs. darkness (lost).
(edit out link)
"If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." (verse 6).
In other words, if someone says he has fellowship with Christ, but is walking in darkness (lost), he is lying and not practicing the truth. The Gnostics claimed to be in fellowship with Christ (saved), and yet were actually living a lie and therefore weren't practicing the truth.
"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin" (verse 7).
In other words, if we walk in the light (are saved) we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. To put it another way, once we are saved, we are permanently in the fellowship because the blood of Jesus continually cleanses us from all sin. Therefore, we aren't forgiven because we confess our sins.We are forgiven because of what Christ did for us on the cross.
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (verse 8).
John is now addressing the belief the Gnostics had regarding sin because they didn't believe it was real and therefore believed they had no sin. The "we" John is using here doesn't refer to believers. He is referring to the Gnostics, who believed they were without sin. Because they claimed to be without sin, then they were only deceiving themselves and the truth (Jesus) was not in them.
However, verse 9 says that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." In other words, if the Gnostics were to confess they had sins, then God, Who is faithful and righteous, would forgive and cleanse them from their unrighteousness. In the Greek language, the words "forgive" and "cleanse" mean past actions that have results today and will continue to have results in the future. Also, the word "all" used in these verses means all. It doesn't mean that we are cleansed of our past sins and our past unrighteousness, it means we were cleansed of all our unrighteousness. And if God cleanses us from all unrighteousness, then we are cleansed forever!
"If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives" (verse 10).
Basically this verse is a repeat of verse 8. To put it simply, it means that the Gnostics can't claim to be without sin and yet be saved. John is saying that because the Gnostics claimed they had no sin, they were actually calling God a liar and therefore didn't know the truth.
The purpose of the first chapter of 1 John was to compare the truth of God to the error of gnosticism. John was addressing the Gnostics, who were deceived by their own teaching. He wanted the Gnostics to understand that what they believed conflicted with what God said. He was not, however, addressing believers.
Today, there are people who believe that Christians must confess their sins in order to be forgiven. They believe that it is possible for us to be "in and out" of fellowship with God and that we must "keep short accounts" (or stay "fessed up"). The Bible doesn't teach that we are "in and out" of fellowship with God. A person who is saved is in fellowship with God - eternally. "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." (1 Corinthians 1:9).
A person who is lost is not in fellowship with God. There is no bouncing back and forth. You are either in fellowship with God (saved, walking in the light) or you are not in fellowship with God (lost, walking in darkness).
Scripture also doesn't teach the idea of "keeping short accounts" (being "fessed up"). Teaching that we are to "keep short accounts" with God causes very real and damaging problems because we miss the point of what confession really is. Such popular teaching makes confession a mindless cure-all, a "bar of soap" we use daily to clean up our flesh. A common scenario would be of a person privately confessing to God a bitter attitude towards another and then asking for forgiveness. Afterwards, he doesn't think about it, feeling that he has adequately met the "spiritual" requirement.
"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins" (Colossians 2:13)
The fact is that while the sin issue is dead between you and God, it isn't between the people with whom we come in contact daily. When we realize we've wronged another, we need to go to that person and take steps toward reconciling the relationship with that person.
It is easy to "confess" our sins and continue on, thinking we have met a spiritual" requirement. But has there really been a change in our attitude, and not just our action? That would be like the little boy whose father angrily tells him to sit down and be quiet in church. The little boy does so, but tells his father that "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I'm standing up on the inside!"
God is much more concerned with changed attitudes. As our attitudes change - through the truth of God's Word - our actions will eventually change.
Teaching we must confess our sins in order to be forgiven doesn't produce changed hearts. Why? Because we have placed ourselves under a "law" which demands that we confess every sin in order to be forgiven and stay in fellowship with God. However, there are no laws, Mosaic or man-made, that can free us from sin. The law was never meant to free us from sin because "the power of sin is the law" (1 Corinthians 15:56). Therefore, we usually end up repeating the same sin before the week (or even the day) is over and feel guilt and frustration over our inability to change.
This obsession with confession keeps us under the power of sin because we are consumed with thoughts of ourselves in a sincere desire to please God. As a result, though, we become so concerned about whether we are "in or out of fellowship" with God that we don't have time for our relationships down here. We are too busy keeping "short accounts" to be able to serve our brothers in love. Compare and see how many times the Scriptures exhort us to love one another versus confessing our sins. The emphasis is overwhelmingly in favor of loving our brothers.
We need to focus on the fact that God has forever settled the sin issue. Before Christ, men's sins separated them from God. Christ was the only solution to this dilemma.
Then He hung on the cross and said "It is finished!",
He meant it is finished! God has bridged the gap between Himself and man through His Son. "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them... God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:18,19,21).
Since the Bible tells us that all of our sins are forgiven because of the grace of God, then what do we do when we do sin?
Ignore it and say "I'm under grace, so it doesn't make any difference if I sin?" Many believe that teaching the forgiveness of Christ will cause people to go out and sin more. Paul dealt with this argument over 2,000 years ago. He responded, "By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:2). He continues to tell us that "we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. . . In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. . . For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace"
(Romans 6:6,7,11,14).
The more we understand our identification with Christ, the more we understand that we have been freed from the power of sin. We are freed from sin because of the work of Christ Jesus on our behalf, not because of our law keeping. Teaching the forgiveness we have in Christ is not a license to sin - we don't need a license to sin. The only reason people often believe this is true is because they lack an understanding of God's unconditional love, forgiveness and acceptance. They do not understand the motivating power of Christ's love for them.
The Bible tells us "to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:23,24).
Concerning lying, for instance, we are told "to put off falsehood and speak truthfully to our neighbor, for we are all members of one body" (verse 25).
Or, concerning stealing, Ephesians 4:28 says that "he who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."
In other words, stop lying and start telling the truth. Quit stealing and go to work so you can share with others. These are not laws we are to keep. Because we are children of God, it doesn't make sense for us to continue lying or stealing.
These are just a few verses that tell us what to do when we do sin. Not one verse says to confess our sins before we can go on with life. The motivation, instead, is found in Ephesians 4:32, which says we are to "be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." The only way we can ever love, forgive and accept others is because Christ has first loved, forgiven and accepted us. It is true that we will treat others the way we feel God is treating us. If we feel we have to perform for God and ask His forgiveness each time we sin, we expect the same performance from everyone else. If we believe God loves us only when we do the right things, then we tend to also love others when they, too, do the right things.
The opposite is also true. Only when we understand the unconditional love, forgiveness and acceptance of God will we ever be able to share that same love with those around us. It is impossible for us to love and forgive one another if we are constantly worrying about our own acceptance to God. The simple truth is that "we love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
If we believe we must continually confess our sins in order to be loved and forgiven by God, we are actually mocking God and telling Him that Christ's work on our behalf was not sufficient. The damage caused by this belief is extensive. There are many who are in bondage to this "law" that was created and perpetuated by man. That's why it is so important to understand what the bible says about Christ's finished work on the cross and our identity in Him. As we understand these truths and keep our eyes on the Lord instead of ourselves, we will see our lives change.
Originally from: 1 John and the Gnostics...... - The Watchman's CryWhy did the Gnostics claim to be "without sin"?
The following article has an interesting historical and biblical perspective:
1 John 1:9
When we read the Bible, we need to look at the context in which each book was written. If we don't do that, it's easy to misinterpret what a particular book or chapter is really saying. When that happens, we can easily come to wrong conclusions, which can then cause a lot of misunderstanding about the work of Christ on our behalf.
One example of this is that many people believe that although their sins have been forgiven prior to salvation, after salvation it is up to them to obtain forgiveness through their confession. Others believe that all their sins have been forgiven at the cross, however, they cannot experience forgiveness unless they confess each time they sin. The verse both parties use to defend their belief is I John 1:9. Let's read the first chapter of 1 John, and keep in mind two important questions: "Who was John's audience?" and 'What was he trying to accomplish in this letter?"
The audience was a confused church in Asia. The pastor there asked John to write a letter to help clear up some major doctrinal heresy called "Gnosticism." Gnosticism comes from the Greek word " gnosis", which means knowledge. The Gnostics were a group of people who believed they possessed superior spiritual knowledge. They believed that all flesh is evil and that only spirit is good. Because they believed that, they didn't believe that Jesus really came in the flesh - they believed He was an illusion. They also believed that because sin had to do with our flesh, there really wasn't sin - sin was also just an Illusion. (That's similar to people today who believe sickness is an illusion.) The church in Ephesus was filled with people who not only didn't believe Christ came in the flesh, they didn't believe sin was real.
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life"
(I John 1:1).
In other words, John is establishing that he was an eyewitness to the fact that Jesus truly did come in the flesh. He did this to convince the Gnostics that Jesus was not an illusion.
"We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ" (verse 3).
This verse says two things. First, John repeats the fact that he, the rest of the apostles and other people saw Christ in the flesh. He wanted the Gnostics to realize that there were many people who could testify to the reality of Christ. Second, he is saying that there are some people in the audience who were not in the fellowship with Christ.
"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all" (verse 5).
John's message in this verse is clear: God is light and in Him there is no darkness. We are either in the light (saved) or in darkness (lost). Scriptures are full of this comparison between light (saved) vs. darkness (lost).
(edit out link)
"If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." (verse 6).
In other words, if someone says he has fellowship with Christ, but is walking in darkness (lost), he is lying and not practicing the truth. The Gnostics claimed to be in fellowship with Christ (saved), and yet were actually living a lie and therefore weren't practicing the truth.
"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin" (verse 7).
In other words, if we walk in the light (are saved) we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. To put it another way, once we are saved, we are permanently in the fellowship because the blood of Jesus continually cleanses us from all sin. Therefore, we aren't forgiven because we confess our sins.We are forgiven because of what Christ did for us on the cross.
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (verse 8).
John is now addressing the belief the Gnostics had regarding sin because they didn't believe it was real and therefore believed they had no sin. The "we" John is using here doesn't refer to believers. He is referring to the Gnostics, who believed they were without sin. Because they claimed to be without sin, then they were only deceiving themselves and the truth (Jesus) was not in them.
However, verse 9 says that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." In other words, if the Gnostics were to confess they had sins, then God, Who is faithful and righteous, would forgive and cleanse them from their unrighteousness. In the Greek language, the words "forgive" and "cleanse" mean past actions that have results today and will continue to have results in the future. Also, the word "all" used in these verses means all. It doesn't mean that we are cleansed of our past sins and our past unrighteousness, it means we were cleansed of all our unrighteousness. And if God cleanses us from all unrighteousness, then we are cleansed forever!
"If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives" (verse 10).
Basically this verse is a repeat of verse 8. To put it simply, it means that the Gnostics can't claim to be without sin and yet be saved. John is saying that because the Gnostics claimed they had no sin, they were actually calling God a liar and therefore didn't know the truth.
The purpose of the first chapter of 1 John was to compare the truth of God to the error of gnosticism. John was addressing the Gnostics, who were deceived by their own teaching. He wanted the Gnostics to understand that what they believed conflicted with what God said. He was not, however, addressing believers.
Today, there are people who believe that Christians must confess their sins in order to be forgiven. They believe that it is possible for us to be "in and out" of fellowship with God and that we must "keep short accounts" (or stay "fessed up"). The Bible doesn't teach that we are "in and out" of fellowship with God. A person who is saved is in fellowship with God - eternally. "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." (1 Corinthians 1:9).
A person who is lost is not in fellowship with God. There is no bouncing back and forth. You are either in fellowship with God (saved, walking in the light) or you are not in fellowship with God (lost, walking in darkness).
Scripture also doesn't teach the idea of "keeping short accounts" (being "fessed up"). Teaching that we are to "keep short accounts" with God causes very real and damaging problems because we miss the point of what confession really is. Such popular teaching makes confession a mindless cure-all, a "bar of soap" we use daily to clean up our flesh. A common scenario would be of a person privately confessing to God a bitter attitude towards another and then asking for forgiveness. Afterwards, he doesn't think about it, feeling that he has adequately met the "spiritual" requirement.
"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins" (Colossians 2:13)
The fact is that while the sin issue is dead between you and God, it isn't between the people with whom we come in contact daily. When we realize we've wronged another, we need to go to that person and take steps toward reconciling the relationship with that person.
It is easy to "confess" our sins and continue on, thinking we have met a spiritual" requirement. But has there really been a change in our attitude, and not just our action? That would be like the little boy whose father angrily tells him to sit down and be quiet in church. The little boy does so, but tells his father that "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I'm standing up on the inside!"
God is much more concerned with changed attitudes. As our attitudes change - through the truth of God's Word - our actions will eventually change.
Teaching we must confess our sins in order to be forgiven doesn't produce changed hearts. Why? Because we have placed ourselves under a "law" which demands that we confess every sin in order to be forgiven and stay in fellowship with God. However, there are no laws, Mosaic or man-made, that can free us from sin. The law was never meant to free us from sin because "the power of sin is the law" (1 Corinthians 15:56). Therefore, we usually end up repeating the same sin before the week (or even the day) is over and feel guilt and frustration over our inability to change.
This obsession with confession keeps us under the power of sin because we are consumed with thoughts of ourselves in a sincere desire to please God. As a result, though, we become so concerned about whether we are "in or out of fellowship" with God that we don't have time for our relationships down here. We are too busy keeping "short accounts" to be able to serve our brothers in love. Compare and see how many times the Scriptures exhort us to love one another versus confessing our sins. The emphasis is overwhelmingly in favor of loving our brothers.
We need to focus on the fact that God has forever settled the sin issue. Before Christ, men's sins separated them from God. Christ was the only solution to this dilemma.
Then He hung on the cross and said "It is finished!",
He meant it is finished! God has bridged the gap between Himself and man through His Son. "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them... God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:18,19,21).
Since the Bible tells us that all of our sins are forgiven because of the grace of God, then what do we do when we do sin?
Ignore it and say "I'm under grace, so it doesn't make any difference if I sin?" Many believe that teaching the forgiveness of Christ will cause people to go out and sin more. Paul dealt with this argument over 2,000 years ago. He responded, "By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:2). He continues to tell us that "we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. . . In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. . . For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace"
(Romans 6:6,7,11,14).
The more we understand our identification with Christ, the more we understand that we have been freed from the power of sin. We are freed from sin because of the work of Christ Jesus on our behalf, not because of our law keeping. Teaching the forgiveness we have in Christ is not a license to sin - we don't need a license to sin. The only reason people often believe this is true is because they lack an understanding of God's unconditional love, forgiveness and acceptance. They do not understand the motivating power of Christ's love for them.
The Bible tells us "to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:23,24).
Concerning lying, for instance, we are told "to put off falsehood and speak truthfully to our neighbor, for we are all members of one body" (verse 25).
Or, concerning stealing, Ephesians 4:28 says that "he who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."
In other words, stop lying and start telling the truth. Quit stealing and go to work so you can share with others. These are not laws we are to keep. Because we are children of God, it doesn't make sense for us to continue lying or stealing.
These are just a few verses that tell us what to do when we do sin. Not one verse says to confess our sins before we can go on with life. The motivation, instead, is found in Ephesians 4:32, which says we are to "be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." The only way we can ever love, forgive and accept others is because Christ has first loved, forgiven and accepted us. It is true that we will treat others the way we feel God is treating us. If we feel we have to perform for God and ask His forgiveness each time we sin, we expect the same performance from everyone else. If we believe God loves us only when we do the right things, then we tend to also love others when they, too, do the right things.
The opposite is also true. Only when we understand the unconditional love, forgiveness and acceptance of God will we ever be able to share that same love with those around us. It is impossible for us to love and forgive one another if we are constantly worrying about our own acceptance to God. The simple truth is that "we love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
If we believe we must continually confess our sins in order to be loved and forgiven by God, we are actually mocking God and telling Him that Christ's work on our behalf was not sufficient. The damage caused by this belief is extensive. There are many who are in bondage to this "law" that was created and perpetuated by man. That's why it is so important to understand what the bible says about Christ's finished work on the cross and our identity in Him. As we understand these truths and keep our eyes on the Lord instead of ourselves, we will see our lives change.
Last edited by BenFTW; August 16th, 2015 at 01:51 AM.
seed_time_harvest, ladylynn, kenthomas27 and 5 others like this.
Some people have an evangelical anaphylaxis event in their minds when they hear that the Holy Spirit does not "convict" the believer of sins because we have been taught differently.
The Holy Spirit convicts/convinces the believer of the righteousness that is in us which indirectly points to the "works of the flesh" that we need to repent of ( change our minds on how we view them ).
For example things like malice and the slandering of others in the body of Christ.
His life that is in us because of righteousness causes the works of the flesh to drop off us as we "become" who we really are in Christ in our new man - the new creation. This is "walking by the spirit" which will stop the flesh from fulfilling "it's" desires.
The word " convict/reprove/convince/expose" in question has many meanings attached to it as well.
It is only used 1 time in KJV as "convict"....it is used more often with the word "to reprove/rebuke/convince/expose"...the word needs to be looked at in the "context" that it is used...
It is a revealing of things.....to the world the Holy Spirit reveals/convinces/expose their sin of unbelief in Jesus..
To the believer He reveals/convinces/expose that they are the righteousness of Christ because He went to the Father to stand as an Advocate.
John 16:8-10 (NASB)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] "And He, when He comes, will convict the world ( unbelievers ) concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;
[SUP]9 [/SUP] concerning sin, because they ( unbelievers ) do not believe in Me;
[SUP]10 [/SUP] and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you ( believers ) no longer see Me;
1 John 2:1-2 (NASB)
[SUP]1 [/SUP] My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
[SUP]2 [/SUP] and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
Here are a few examples of the same exact word used in scripture...as one can clearly see....this word has many uses depending on the context.
1 Corinthians 14:24 (KJV)
[SUP]24 [/SUP] But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
Titus 1:9 (KJV)
[SUP]9 [/SUP] Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Matthew 18:15 (KJV)
[SUP]15 [/SUP] Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
John 8:46 (KJV)
[SUP]46 [/SUP] Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
So, we can clearly seen the Greek word translated once in the KJV as "convict" really means to expose, reveal, convince people of something.
The Holy Spirit convicts/convinces the believer of the righteousness that is in us which indirectly points to the "works of the flesh" that we need to repent of ( change our minds on how we view them ).
For example things like malice and the slandering of others in the body of Christ.
His life that is in us because of righteousness causes the works of the flesh to drop off us as we "become" who we really are in Christ in our new man - the new creation. This is "walking by the spirit" which will stop the flesh from fulfilling "it's" desires.
The word " convict/reprove/convince/expose" in question has many meanings attached to it as well.
It is only used 1 time in KJV as "convict"....it is used more often with the word "to reprove/rebuke/convince/expose"...the word needs to be looked at in the "context" that it is used...
It is a revealing of things.....to the world the Holy Spirit reveals/convinces/expose their sin of unbelief in Jesus..
To the believer He reveals/convinces/expose that they are the righteousness of Christ because He went to the Father to stand as an Advocate.
John 16:8-10 (NASB)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] "And He, when He comes, will convict the world ( unbelievers ) concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;
[SUP]9 [/SUP] concerning sin, because they ( unbelievers ) do not believe in Me;
[SUP]10 [/SUP] and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you ( believers ) no longer see Me;
1 John 2:1-2 (NASB)
[SUP]1 [/SUP] My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
[SUP]2 [/SUP] and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
Here are a few examples of the same exact word used in scripture...as one can clearly see....this word has many uses depending on the context.
1 Corinthians 14:24 (KJV)
[SUP]24 [/SUP] But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
Titus 1:9 (KJV)
[SUP]9 [/SUP] Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Matthew 18:15 (KJV)
[SUP]15 [/SUP] Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
John 8:46 (KJV)
[SUP]46 [/SUP] Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
So, we can clearly seen the Greek word translated once in the KJV as "convict" really means to expose, reveal, convince people of something.