Mail Man Dan:
Do you believe a believer can slander and accuse others falsely and be saved? Why do you not correct those who do not falsely accuse others here (Which is obviously a sin)? Paul says have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather, reprove them.
Which believers are you talking about? What kind of slander and false accusations are being made?
Also, you said, I quote:
"So you are implying that everytime a believer sins they are not fully cleansed until they confess those specific sins? Are believers lost all over again every single time they sin and are not cleansed all over again until they confess every specific sin? What happens if they forget a sin? I believe that John has in mind here a settled recognition and ongoing acknowledgment that one is a sinner in need of cleansing an forgiveness since what he said in verse 9 is IN CONTRAST to what he said in verse 8 - "If we SAY that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" AND verse 10 - "If we SAY that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."
You can't ignore that 1 John 1:9 is IN CONTRAST with 1 John 1:8 and 1 John 1:10.
In other words, while we are in agreement on 1 John 1:10, we are not in agreement on 1 John 1:8. You believe that a believer will always have some type of sin in their life because if we way we have no sin sin, we deceive ourselves. But that is not what the passage is saying.
Do you say you have no sin? You have admitted that you have not overcome all sin, so why the continuous argument for sinless perfection which is not in harmony with 1 John 1:8-10? People who say they are sinless, without fault or defect, flawless 100% of the time are deceived.
This passage is in context to 1 John 2:3-4. For 1 John 2:3 essentially says that the way we can have an assurance in knowing the LORD if we find that in our life we are keeping His commandments. 1 John 2:4 then says he that says he knows Him (God) and does not keep His Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.
1 John 2:3 - Now by this
we know that we know Him, (demonstrative evidence) - if we keep His commandments. If validates that we know Him. By the way, to "keep" His commandments does not mean sinless perfect obedience to His commandments 100% of the time. The word "keep" comes from the Greek word
tereo Strongs #5083 and means
to keep, to guard, to watch over, preserve.
1 John 1:8 is a warning to the brethren against those false believers who thought sin did not exist on any level whatsoever. Hence, why John says we are to recognize sin by confessing it so as to be forgiven of sin (1 John 1:9).
It sounds like you are describing Gnosticism, which John was all to familiar with. Not only did the false teachers walk in darkness but went so far as to deny the existence of sin in their lives. If someone never admits to being a sinner, salvation cannot result. This does not mean continually taking inventory of each specific sin that you commit as you commit them and confess each one to continually regain salvation after committing them and if you forget one you are toast!
Also, at the end of Romans chapter 6, Paul concludes a person is either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness.
Unbelievers are slaves to sin unto death and Believers are slaves of obedience unto righteousness.
Okay. So if a believer cannot stop sinning, how are they are slave to righteousness if sin still holds them captive to do it's will?
Slave to righteousness does not mean that you are sinless, without fault or defect, 100% of the time. Romans 6:14 - For sin shall not have dominion over you, for
you are not under law but under grace. You are so focused on "your performance" that you are taking your eyes off the cross. Take Christ and His finished work of redemption out of the equation and we are ALL slaves to sin!
It does not matter if me, you, or the guy next door has not stopped sinning. Men are not the standard. God's Word is the standard.
It's not all about us. Get over yourself. It's about Christ. Philippians 3:9 - and be found in Him,
not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is
through faith in Christ, the
righteousness which is from God by faith.
For you have to remember Noah was a preacher of righteousness while everyone else thought evil thoughts continually. The WHOLE world was evil and God judged that Noah and his family were the only ones worthy to survive who were not evil like them.
How could I forget this?
You are also basically saying that a believer does not need to worry about God leaving them if they refuse to confess and forsake sin.
When did I say that believers don't confess and forsake sin IN CONTRAST to saying they have no sin or have not sinned? Do you believe that "forsake" sin means sinless perfect obedience 100% of the time? In a different post (I believe it may have been in "The Sad Lives of Legalists and Sinless Perfectionists" thread), you said -
"One has to confess and forsake sin in order to receive mercy (Proverbs 28:13). .... Forsaking sin means you turn away from it and that you do not abide in that sin habitually." Interesting. You say "do not abide in that sin
habitually" but you don't like the phrase
"does not practice sin" (1 John 3:9 - NAS) which basically means the same thing. The idea of
practice is to perform repeatedly or
habitually and thus describes repetition or continuous action. Paul uses the present tense which
describes the practice as habitual, as one's lifestyle or bent of life.
I mean, have you read Proverbs 28:13? Who do you think it is written to? Would it not be redundant information if a believer were to automatically just confess and forsake sin in time?
Yes, I have read Proverbs 28:13 and 1 John 3:9 and sinless perfection is not in view and you have already admitted that you have not overcome all sin in your life so don't pull that card on me. You seem really quick to accuse other Christians of living like the devil and expecting to still be saved and little do they know they lost their salvation but of course you are living an almost sinless life so of course your salvation is secure based on your performance. It's sounds to me like you have some self righteous issues. Are you looking for credit?
Also, again, who was Matthew 6:15 written to?
I already answered this -
http://christianchat.com/bible-disc...ives-legalists-sinless-perfectionists-26.html