How I can live without sin.

[PaulChristensen]

Christ's advocacy is His present ministry. Not to be conflated with the act of our being 'born-again'.

Of course we don't have to walk after the flesh. But we are still sinners. Of course we can walk in the Spirit. But we are still sinners.

I commit sins because I'm a sinner. Even when I walk in the light, I am a sinner. And when I sin, Christ's advocacy will keep me in the light. But only if you avail yourself to Him and for that. But, of course you don't need Christ anymore as you are sinless and in your own righteousness. Keep lying to yourself.

Yes, I am in need of salvation everyday. Good point.

Quantrill

Christ's advocacy and intercession for us is the constant holding up of His blood that was sacrificed for us once and for all. When a person confesses his sin, the presence of Christ at the right hand of the Father enables the Father to receive the confession and forgive the person and cleanse him from all unrighteousness.

When we come to stand before God in the judgment, Jesus will appear as our defense lawyer and we will be acquitted, even though we are guilty of transgressing the Law. Our acquittal will be on the basis of the shed blood of Christ not because of we were ever innocent of iniquity.

 

[JLB]

The first part of 1 John was written to unbelievers. "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. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 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. We write this to make our joy complete." 1 John 1:1-4

John was instructing those who were not yet Christians about what he and the other church members had received, and invited them to join them in fellowship.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:1-7


John wanted their joy to be full; IOW, the joy that they already had, to have a fullness it did not yet have.


John was writing to believers. The whole book is written to believers. These believers most likely were new Christians, as John addresses them as little children and desires for them to know and understand the truth and be established by his instructions.


My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2


Notice the context —

• if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

JLB

 

[PaulChristensen]

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:1-7


John wanted their joy to be full; IOW, the joy that they already had, to have a fullness it did not yet have.


John was writing to believers. The whole book is written to believers. These believers most likely were new Christians, as John addresses them as little children and desires for them to know and understand the truth and be established by his instructions.


My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2


Notice the context —

• if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

JLB

That sounds reasonable to me as well!

 

[Hopeful]

No one is even making such a claim, except you.

Are not you making that claim?
You say those walking in God-the light, commit sin they need to be cleansed of.
That just can't be.

 

[Hopeful]

Your claim that Christian‘s can not be forgiven when they sin is clearly unbiblical.

Then 1 John 3:9 is a lie, and God's seed can bring forth evil fruit.

• If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:-10
JLB

You still can't see that John is defining two very different walks and using an alternating style in his writing. (Like Paul does in a few places like Rom 8)
Those in the light, which is God in whom is no sin, don't commit sin.
Those walking in darkness, which is sin, (Pro 4:19), cannot say they have fellowship with God or that they have no sin.

 

[Hopeful]

There are only two types of people in God's view. Those who are walking in the light with Jesus, and unbelievers still in their sins walking in darkness. There is no middle ground.

I agree.

But we all have our faults and failings. It is because we live in a flesh that is mortal and will die.

Doesn't that argument apply to Jesus?
How was our example able to live without sin?

No one is absolutely perfect and anyone who thinks he is, merely displays that he is being puffed up with pride and so that is his imperfection. Remember Jesus' story about the Pharisee and the publican, and note whom He saw as being justified by God in preference to the other.

If by absolutely perfect you mean without sin, you are wrong.
We have been given a way to kill the old man and be reborn from God's seed, which cannot bear evil fruit.
Or do you feel God's seed CAN bear evil fruit?

 

[Hopeful]

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:1-7


John wanted their joy to be full; IOW, the joy that they already had, to have a fullness it did not yet have.


John was writing to believers. The whole book is written to believers. These believers most likely were new Christians, as John addresses them as little children and desires for them to know and understand the truth and be established by his instructions.


My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2


Notice the context —
if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world
JLB

Notice this in a wider context..."And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
The "any man" of verse 1 are those not yet in Christ, liars and folks without the truth in them.
As there can be no sin in Christ, those already in Him must also be free of sin.

 

[PaulChristensen]

Are not you making that claim?
You say those walking in God-the light, commit sin they need to be cleansed of.
That just can't be.

It all depends on one's definition of sin. I believe that the definition of sin that John is using is the rejection of Christ and living according to the works of the flesh where sin has dominion over the person.

Where John talks about those who are born of God cannot sin, he is talking about believers not having sin having dominion over them. They know that they have been set free, by the blood of Jesus, from the guilt and punishment of sin. Their faults and failings are covered by the righteousness of Christ. This means that God does not see them as sinners at all.

But, in order not to be puffed up with pride and arrogance, we are often made conscious that sin is still present with us and we have to be sober and vigilant lest temptation gets the better of us.

And it involves one's view of the difference between sleeping around having nooky with a number of floozies, and taking an office pen home for personal use. In fact there is no difference, because both are infractions against God's Law. One is adultery/fornication and the other is stealing. Both violate a component of the Ten Commandments.

Jesus said just getting angry with someone without a cause is equal to murder, and dishonouring one's parents is also a break of a Commandment. Just look at the more superior and newer car next door and wishing you could have it, is coveting, which is a breach of a Commandment.

Jealousy is blocking someone else's appointment to a role at work or at church in order that you might have it. Envy is wishing you could have a spiritual gift like someone else, or being able to preach like the pastor. Gossiping is talking about a person behind his back to others. Just looking at an attractive member of the opposite gender who is wearing a skimpy bathing costume is adultery in the heart, according to Jesus. Any red blooded male does that before he even realises he does it, and therefore becomes an adulterer at heart

So, if you are being totally honest with yourself, you can't really say that you have never been tempted in these ways, and that you have always been able to successfully resist.

So, to say that you are totally successful at resisting all temptation, is unrealistic and shows that you are "performance" or works-based, instead of grace-based in your Christian profession.

 

[JLB]

Are not you making that claim?
You say those walking in God-the light, commit sin they need to be cleansed of.
That just can't be.

Read what the scripture itself says.


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 His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 1:7-2:2


John says

• if we walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

• “if we confess our sin”...

• if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Walking in darkness means we have turned away from God and are hiding from Him, we are no longer fellowshipping with other Christians, we have isolated ourselves from God and Hs people because we are living in sin and don’t want to turn from it and confess it and be cleansed. We are practicing a sinful lifestyle.


Walking in the light, means we are walking with God, we are fellowshipping with other Christians and if we should sin, we quickly confess our sin, and are forgiven.



Here’s an example — words of Christ in red:


“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Matthew 18:12-17

• “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
• But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’
• And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

The brother who has sinned is not wanting to confess his sin, and turn from it and has separated himself from the others.

Jesus instructs the one who was wronged to go and find him and tell him his fault to encourage him to repent and turn away from his sin, so he can be restored.


If he still won’t hear, then go and get one or to more.


If he still won’t hear, go and make it known to the Church, and if he won’t hear the Church and wants to continue in his sin rather than confess it and be cleansed, then he is considered a sinner and an outcast.


This whole process is to get the one who sinned, to confess his fault and be forgiven and cleansed, so as to remain in fellowship, and continue to walk in covenant relationship with the Lord.


God wants to forgive us, but He wants us to acknowledge when we have sinned and turn away from it, and be cleansed and remain in Him, and fellowship with one another.


Walking in the light doesn’t mean we are sinless, but we do not hide from Him and others when we sin, and are open to correction, learn from our faults, and grow and mature in Christ as we walk with Him.



My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

• not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Obviously he plainly states that Jesus Christ is our propitiation for sin.




JLB

 

[JLB]

Then 1 John 3:9 is a lie, and God's seed can bring forth evil fruit.

You are the one saying the scriptures are a lie because you don’t understand what is written plainly for us.


How sad.


Instead of claiming the scripture is a lie, why not read what it says including the context.



My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

• not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Obviously he plainly states that Jesus Christ is our propitiation for sin.



JLB

 

[JLB]

Notice this in a wider context..."And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
The "any man" of verse 1 are those not yet in Christ, liars and folks without the truth in them.
As there can be no sin in Christ, those already in Him must also be free of sin.

Yes. Keeping His commandments are how we remain in Him.

Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. 1 John 3:24

If we should sin, then we confess our sin and are cleansed of all unrighteousness.


If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 1:9-2:2

• If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

• I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

JLB

 

[Quantrill]

A sinner is a person who lives a life of sinning, practicing sin, and is separate from Christ.


For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; Hebrews 7:26


A sinner must repent, return to God, in order to be saved. If a Christian brother in the Lord wanders away from Him and becomes lost, he has returned to being a sinner and must repent, or lose his soul.


Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20



“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:4-7

• Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
• I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

The Lord described His sheep who because lost, as a sinner in need of repentance.


A sinner is someone who is lost; separate from Christ



JLB

I disagree. We sin because we are sinners. We don't become a sinner because we sin.

A person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and is saved. Repentance certainly takes place, but it is not separate from belief at the moment one is born-again. That belief carries with it repentance.

Of course Jesus Christ was not a sinner. I never indicated He was.

The prodigal son never ceased to be a son. He strayed away but was still a son. The believer likewise can stray away, but he doesn't cease to be a son. He doesn't lose his soul.

If it were true that you,the Christian, could lose your soul, then you were never in Christ. For the Christian to lose his soul, Christ must declare His Sacrifice doesn't cover all our sins. He must declare that His Righteousness can't cover all of the believers.

If it were true that you, the Christian can lose your salvation here, then you can lose it in Heaven also. Because the only reason you are in Heaven is you at a point in time on earth placed faith in Christ. And that will be true forever throughout the ions of eternity. You will always be a saved sinner. We will always be the redeemed.

Quantrill

 

[jaybo]

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:1-7


John wanted their joy to be full; IOW, the joy that they already had, to have a fullness it did not yet have.


John was writing to believers. The whole book is written to believers. These believers most likely were new Christians, as John addresses them as little children and desires for them to know and understand the truth and be established by his instructions.


My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2


Notice the context —

• if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

JLB

Believe what you want, but John was clearly writing to those who were not believers in the first part of 1 John.

Suppose I wrote to you to tell you that which was from the beginning, which I have heard, which I have seen with my eyes, which I have looked at and my hands have touched—this I proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; I have seen it and testify to it, and I proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to me. I proclaim to you what I have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And my fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. I write this to make my joy complete.

You would probably respond with something like "This isn't news to me, since I'm already a Christian and I know these things". On the other hand, if you weren't a Christian, you would hopefully respond with "tell me more!"

 

[JLB]

Believe what you want, but John was clearly writing to those who were not believers in the first part of 1 John.

I believe we can all see that John was addressing believers, his spiritual children.

1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2

• John doesn't call unbelievers "his little children".
• John does not expect unbelievers not to sin.

This is where your unbiblical theory is exposed to the light of truth and does not stand the test.


The scriptures are for believers.

The Gospel is to unbelievers.



Please explain how an apostle of Jesus Christ goes about send his letter to unbelievers?


Maybe he had his courier make a million copies and deliver them to all the houses of unbelievers in the area???

John wrote to his churches, that he was over.


Here is an example:


12 I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one. 1 John 2:12-14


again


4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:4-8






JLB

 

[jaybo]

I believe we can all see that John was addressing believers, his spiritual children.

1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2

• John doesn't call unbelievers "his little children".
• John does not expect unbelievers not to sin.

This is where your unbiblical theory is exposed to the light of truth and does not stand the test.


The scriptures are for believers.

The Gospel is to unbelievers.



Please explain how an apostle of Jesus Christ goes about send his letter to unbelievers?


Maybe he had his courier make a million copies and deliver them to all the houses of unbelievers in the area???

John wrote to his churches, that he was over.


Here is an example:


12 I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one. 1 John 2:12-14


again


4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:4-8






JLB

I'm not going to continue to discuss this with you over and over. 1 John 1 was clearly written to unbelievers (unless John's intent was to insult other Christians by telling them that they are ignorant of the truth). His epistle is also written to others -- fathers, young men, children, etc. -- as are other epistles, e.g. Romans.

BTW, here is some great news for you: Jesus is the Son of God, who died for our sins so that, being acquitted, we may become children of God. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. I'm sure that you don't know this, which is why I'm writing you. It makes my joy complete!

Oh, excuse me, you, being a believer, already know that, so why on Earth would I announce that to you??

 

[Hopeful]

all depends on one's definition of sin. I believe that the definition of sin that John is using is the rejection of Christ and living according to the works of the flesh where sin has dominion over the person.

That sounds like a correct definition.
I use John's 1 John 5:17 definition..."All unrighteousness is sin..."
If one commits a sin, it has dominion over them.

Where John talks about those who are born of God cannot sin, he is talking about believers not having sin having dominion over them. They know that they have been set free, by the blood of Jesus, from the guilt and punishment of sin. Their faults and failings are covered by the righteousness of Christ. This means that God does not see them as sinners at all.

What a crock.
If they sin they are under the dominion of sin. And the blood of Christ has not freed anyone from the guilt and punishment of their sins if they abandon Christ to serve another master.
Jesus' blood does not hide anything from God.
It only exacerbates His ire at those for whom Christ died, but who served sin instead.
PaulChristensen:
But, in order not to be puffed up with pride and arrogance, we are often made conscious that sin is still present with us and we have to be sober and vigilant lest temptation gets the better of us.
I would rather grab hold of the truth of rebirth than what you use to allow sin. Your way denies the efficacy of Jesus' conquest of sin while in the skin and bones we have.

And it involves one's view of the difference between sleeping around having nooky with a number of floozies, and taking an office pen home for personal use. In fact there is no difference, because both are infractions against God's Law. One is adultery/fornication and the other is stealing. Both violate a component of the Ten Commandments.
Jesus said just getting angry with someone without a cause is equal to murder, and dishonouring one's parents is also a break of a Commandment. Just look at the more superior and newer car next door and wishing you could have it, is coveting, which is a breach of a Commandment.
Jealousy is blocking someone else's appointment to a role at work or at church in order that you might have it. Envy is wishing you could have a spiritual gift like someone else, or being able to preach like the pastor. Gossiping is talking about a person behind his back to others. Just looking at an attractive member of the opposite gender who is wearing a skimpy bathing costume is adultery in the heart, according to Jesus. Any red blooded male does that before he even realises he does it, and therefore becomes an adulterer at heart
So, if you are being totally honest with yourself, you can't really say that you have never been tempted in these ways, and that you have always been able to successfully resist.
So, to say that you are totally successful at resisting all temptation, is unrealistic and shows that you are "performance" or works-based, instead of grace-based in your Christian profession.

I'm sorry you don't believe what is written.
For some reason you can't believe that God can and will supply the grace to resist temptation, and the grace to reject sinning.
You're not showing you can fathom a divine nature at work.

I'll quote Paul..."Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame." (1 Cor 15:34)
I'll quote Peter..."Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;" (1 Peter 4:1)
And I will quote John..."We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." (1 John 5:18)

 

[Hopeful]

Read what the scripture itself says.


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 His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 1:7-2:2


John says

• if we walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

• “if we confess our sin”...

• if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Walking in darkness means we have turned away from God and are hiding from Him, we are no longer fellowshipping with other Christians, we have isolated ourselves from God and Hs people because we are living in sin and don’t want to turn from it and confess it and be cleansed. We are practicing a sinful lifestyle.


Walking in the light, means we are walking with God, we are fellowshipping with other Christians and if we should sin, we quickly confess our sin, and are forgiven.



Here’s an example — words of Christ in red:


“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Matthew 18:12-17

• “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
• But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’
• And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

The brother who has sinned is not wanting to confess his sin, and turn from it and has separated himself from the others.

Jesus instructs the one who was wronged to go and find him and tell him his fault to encourage him to repent and turn away from his sin, so he can be restored.


If he still won’t hear, then go and get one or to more.


If he still won’t hear, go and make it known to the Church, and if he won’t hear the Church and wants to continue in his sin rather than confess it and be cleansed, then he is considered a sinner and an outcast.


This whole process is to get the one who sinned, to confess his fault and be forgiven and cleansed, so as to remain in fellowship, and continue to walk in covenant relationship with the Lord.


God wants to forgive us, but He wants us to acknowledge when we have sinned and turn away from it, and be cleansed and remain in Him, and fellowship with one another.


Walking in the light doesn’t mean we are sinless, but we do not hide from Him and others when we sin, and are open to correction, learn from our faults, and grow and mature in Christ as we walk with Him.



My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

• not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Obviously he plainly states that Jesus Christ is our propitiation for sin.

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:3-4)

 

[PaulChristensen]

That sounds like a correct definition.
I use John's 1 John 5:17 definition..."All unrighteousness is sin..."
If one commits a sin, it has dominion over them.

What a crock.
If they sin they are under the dominion of sin. And the blood of Christ has not freed anyone from the guilt and punishment of their sins if they abandon Christ to serve another master.
Jesus' blood does not hide anything from God.
It only exacerbates His ire at those for whom Christ died, but who served sin instead.
PaulChristensen:
But, in order not to be puffed up with pride and arrogance, we are often made conscious that sin is still present with us and we have to be sober and vigilant lest temptation gets the better of us.
I would rather grab hold of the truth of rebirth than what you use to allow sin. Your way denies the efficacy of Jesus' conquest of sin while in the skin and bones we have.

I'm sorry you don't believe what is written.
For some reason you can't believe that God can and will supply the grace to resist temptation, and the grace to reject sinning.
You're not showing you can fathom a divine nature at work.

I'll quote Paul..."Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame." (1 Cor 15:34)
I'll quote Peter..."Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;" (1 Peter 4:1)
And I will quote John..."We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." (1 John 5:18)

So you are saying you have never looked on someone of the opposite gender with lust? Have you always, without exception loved the Lord with all your heart, strength and mind? Have you never disliked another person enough to want something evil to happen to them? Have you ever told a lie, even a little white lie? Have you ever taken an office pen home and kept it for your personal use? Have you ever wasted work time, which your employer has paid for, to make a personal phone call, or texted someone? (stealing time).

If, by your definition, you have done any one of these things just once, sin has dominion over you and you are not free from sin as you suppose. Or maybe your definition is faulty.

 

[PaulChristensen]

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:3-4)

One of the commandments that Jesus taught was to love God with all your heart, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. By your definition, you have needed to have obeyed this commandment perfectly without even one fault from the time you first became a Christ, otherwise you are a liar and the truth is not in you.

If you are being totally honest you have to admit that you have not always loved God perfectly, nor have you loved others to the same perfection. All you have had to do was just to think angry thoughts about a person at any time and you have broken the commandment. So, are you a liar and the truth is not in you, or is your definition faulty?

People can get so much up in cloud cuckoo land that they lose sight that we are mortal human beings with faults and failings and our excrement really does stink. Real Christian faith is not just thinking we are perfectly religious. It also has to do with our day by day conduct and behaviour toward God and those around us.

All you have needed to do is to think one angry thought about your boss when he has told you off about something and you have breached Jesus commandment and therefore you have lost your total freedom from sin.

 

[JLB]

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:3-4)

I quote this scripture all the time.

• Keeping His commandments is how we remain in Him.

Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. 1 John 3:24

• Keeping Hs commandments are how we walk in love.

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
1 John 5:3

• Nevertheless, if we do sin... if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2

• If we should sin while walking in the light... if we walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

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 His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:7-10

• If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
1 John 3:7






JLB