I believe what John is saying in the first half of 1 Jn 2:1 goes back to 1 Jn 1:6 about walking in darkness. He writes these things unto the brethren, that ye sin not, which would be referring to not walking in darkness, as that would be sin. He doesn’t want the brethren to do that, and lets them know that if they do they have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. If they confess their sins they’d be forgiven (1 Jn. 1:9).
In v5-6, John says (KJV) “keepeth his word” and “abideth in him”. 1 Jn 2:1 can’t be referring to one single sin or we are all damned, as we have all sinned (Rom. 3:23; ). So, when he says “that ye sin not”, he is saying not to continue in sin (Rom. 6:1), or have a lifestyle of sin by walking in darkness (1 Jn. 1:6).
The same is said in 1 Jn. 1:8, “if we say that we have no sin”
When one is walking in darkness and someone says they have no sin, they are deceiving themselves, and the truth is not in them (v8). Why? 1 Jn. 2:4 answers it. It is because he doesn’t keep God’s commandments, is a liar, and truth is not in him.
The only way that we can stop sinning is by truly abiding in him.
1Jo 3:5
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and
in him is no sin.
1Jo 3:6
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
1Jo 3:7
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jo 3:8
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jo 3:9
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jo 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.
There is no sin in Christ, and if we are truly abiding in him, then we will gradually cease from sinning ourselves. In his gospel, this same John recorded the following words of Jesus.
Jhn 15:1
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Jhn 15:2
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every
branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Jhn 15:3
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Jhn 15:4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Jhn 15:5
I am the vine, ye
are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Jhn 15:6
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast
them into the fire, and they are burned.
Jhn 15:7
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Jhn 15:8
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
In the same way that a branch can only bear fruit while abiding in the vine, we can only bear fruit by abiding in Christ. Christ is a good vine, and if we are producing bad fruit while claiming to abide in him, then something is terribly wrong.
At one extreme, the Father, who is the figurative husbandmen, will purge or prune the branches that are truly abiding in Christ, and, therefore, are producing good fruit so that they might produce even more good fruit. In other words, God will deal with sinful areas in our lives by seeking to cut them away, as a husbandman clips dead twigs off of a branch, and this requires true repentance on our parts so that we might be even more fruitful in the things of God.
As Christians, we have been called unto obedience
and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.
1Pe 1:2
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
During our sanctification process, or when the husbandmen is pruning us so that we might produce more fruit, we need to run to the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ for cleansing. This, I believe, falls perfectly in line with what John stated here.
1Jo 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jo 2:2
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for
the sins of the whole world.
John wrote these things that we would not sin, and not as some sort of justification to keep on sinning. If we do sin during our sanctification process, then we do have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, and we can be cleansed via the sprinkling of his blood. Again, this perfectly aligns with what John said here.
1Jo 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
At the other extreme, there are many professing Christians who claim that they are abiding in Christ, yet, seemingly, they are not at war with their sins. In other words, they have a very cavalier or dismissive attitude towards sin, and, therefore, they never truly seek to eradicate it from their lives by truly abiding in Christ.
Jesus said:
Mat 7:18
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither
can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Is Jesus a good tree/good vine or a bad tree/bad vine?
If he is a good tree/vine, and he is, and if we are truly abiding in him, then we ought to be bringing forth good fruit because a good tree/vine cannot produce bad fruit.
Of course, many, even here, will rail against or dismiss what I just said by calling it something silly like "legalism," "works salvation," or "Lordship salvation," but those who truly know Christ, and who truly seek to abide him, would never say such things.
2Co 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2Co 6:15
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
2Co 6:16
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in
them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2Co 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
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