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 with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from ALL sin
(BUT)
8, If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us
(BUT)
9, If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.
(BUT)
10, If we say that we have not sinned we make Him a liar and His Word is not in us]
We can see that John is comparing walking in the light to walking in darkness ie walking in the flesh compared to walking in the Spirit. He is describing two different opposing state which corresponds perfectly with the teaching of the Apostle Paul when he talks about 'carnal' or fleshy believers against those who were walking in the Spirit.. In verses 7 and 9, John says that the benefit of walking in the light are:-
1)We have fellowship with one another in the unity of the Spirit (agreement)
2)By confessing our sins we will be forgiven
3)We will then be cleansed by the blood of Jesus from all unrighteousness and sin.
Whereas if we walk in the flesh:-
1)We are deceived and remain in our sin
2)There is no truth in us
3)We make God a liar by denying our need for forgiveness.
So John is saying that it is only when we are walking in the darkness that we are blind to our need of coming to Christ for His cleansing from ALL sin. The letter is to believers and not un-believers as stated previously. And believers can fall into the error of walking in the flesh as Paul demonstrated to the Galatians who thought that they could go on to maturity or perfection through the works of the law and not through faith.
Those who were being misled by the Gnosticism and today by the preachers of 'positional righteousness' were walking in darkness because they were still sinning and did not see their need of the cleansing which can be provided by Christ alone. So they thought that they had no sin to be dealt with and were acceptable as they were, but John says that they walk in darkness. But if we see our need for cleansing from ALL sin and come to Christ (again) for forgiveness, then He will be able to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness (not just the sin in question please note) So it is these ones who are saying wrongly that they have no sin not the ones who have come to Christ and HAVE been cleansed from ALL unrighteousness.
John goes on in the rest of his epistle to show that those who do carry on in sin (but say they have no further need of cleansing) are NOT in CHRIST. He stresses his point against the Gnostic heresy Little children let no man deceive you, he that doeth righteousness is righteous even as He is righteous 3:7 and this is the test i.e. as He is righteous so must we be not just in position or as a hope for the future but as a present reality that we must be as Christ, without sin if we are walking in the light.
But whoso keepth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected 2:5
My little children these things I write unto you that ye sin not 2:1
Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not whosoever sinneth not hath not seen Him neither known Him 3:6
He that commiteth sin is of the devil 3:8
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin 3:9
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Let me end my discussion of 1 John 3:9 with this:[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]That the word sin in the Greek is the present tense indicative is beyond[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]dispute. Anybody can check this fact with Bible Works or another such program.[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]The Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament says, "The present tense[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]indicates continual, habitual action." The Syntax of the Moods and Tenses in[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]the New Testament, by Ernest Burton, says, "The present indicative is used of[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]action in progress in present time." And the Orthodox Study Bible, representing[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]Greek Orthodox theology says that 1 John 3:9 is literally, "does not keep on[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]sinning."[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]The New Bible Commentary states, "If he is born again from above he will[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]habitually lead the life of a born-again person, in spite of stumbles; if he[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]continually sins he is of the devil, so that the false teachers were wrong in[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]saying that sin does not matter. As righteous living characterized the Master,[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]so it must characterize the servant." [/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]So what John is NOT teaching is:[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]1. that a born again person cannot sin.[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]2. that his sin are not real ones[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]3. that God automatically forgives our sins without confession[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]4. that God does not see his sins, but rather sees the blood of Christ instead[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]5. that sins are not imputed to him[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]6. that the new man does not sin while the old man does sin[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]7. that all one's sins are already forgiven, past, present, and future[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]8. that a little sin is ok[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]What John is saying, throughout his epistle, is that Jesus came to save you[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]from sin and sinning, and if you have not made a break with the habit of[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]sinning, you are not even at the beginning. You are not even saved. If you are[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]genuinely saved, then you no longer knowingly do wrong all the time. That is[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT][FONT=Courier New, monospace]the beginning point on the highway of holiness.[/FONT]