8.If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth isnot in us. 9. Ifwe confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us oursins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and hisword is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)
Soif confess our sins, and not fight for them, like people's do today,then our Lord will clean us for our sins, like the Scriptures alsotell us, if we read the whole subject, because I think it is very common, that people's use only a part of this subject, when they try to convince, that man can't live without sinning.
But man can, and man should live without sinning.
Donot deceive your selves, but be truthful so you may com clean fromsinning.
Include verses 6 and 7 of the same chapter:
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Many of you are eloquent in your writing. I am not. Try to ignore the elementary elements of my sentence syntax. Just trying to be clear. My explanation is choppy, it is redundant, an attempt toward clarity.
Walk in the light:
1. We have fellowship with saints, brethren.
2. Blood of Christ cleanseth (continual) us
3. from all sin
Walking in the light, but yet there's sin. How? Mindset, attitude.
A person who practices sin is not walking in the light. Practice sin? A person knows his or her own heart, intentions, motives, desires. As for me, I know my weaknesses, I know my shortcomings. I am not always a victorious soldier of Christ. I know, and so I confess (presupposes or manifests repentance.) my sin to the Father. He is faithful and just to forgive me.
Inevitably someone will foolishly suggest, "Well, if that is true, then I can cheat. I can lie on my tax form. I can drink and get drunk. Then, afterwards, I'll repent, confess, and ask for forgiveness." (This has actually been suggested. As foolish as it is, I present it to help clarify, demonstrate the truth.) But that's not walking in the light. God's grace never gives me license to sin.
Walking in the light, but I sin, but I'm in the light...! Not sinless, but in the light. The heart, only God knows. How can I be in the light, though I sin. Because my attitude, my mindset, my will, desire is NOT to sin. The Negative: I don't want to sin. The Positive: I want to serve my Lord.
I do not know every sin I commit. Does my not knowing kick me out of the light? Not at all. Likewise, does it excuse me from examining my life? Not at all (2 Corinthians 13.5).
What sins then do I confess? The ones that I commit. The one's I know I committed.
All kinds of "What if's" can be presented to my conclusions. I know they can. I have many, myself. My conclusions do NOT suggest that I or any other person can determine or judge when a person is in the light or not. "What if a child of God lusts after another woman, and while lusting after her, he has a heart attack and dies, is he lost?" God knows the motive, the will, the life of that person. I don't.
What I do know is this: I know when I am in the light and when I am not. I don't walk around with fear in my life. If I should die suddenly, I know my heart is right with the Lord.
The continual cleansing of the blood is "shut off" when I shut my heart from the Lord's will.
(I don't know, but isn't the Catholic confessional a relaxed attitude toward the truth? Sin Monday - Friday, go to confessional on Saturday.)