OceanSide church of Christ

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A STUDY OF 1 JOHN (12)

 

Sin & Fellowship with God

I John 1:8 – 2:2

Victor M. Eskew

 

            John wrote this epistle to ensure his readers of their fellowship with God (1 John 1:4, 7). Man, however, has a problem.  That problem is sin.  Sin is the transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4) and disrupts one’s fellowship with God.  “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isa. 59:2).  When a person obeys the gospel, he is cleansed of all previous transgressions.  Paul clearly teaches this in Romans 1:17-18.  “But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”  But, can’t Christians transgress the law of God.  Some might argue they cannot.  John confronts such thinking in our passage of study.  First, he writes:  “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).  In verse ten, he makes this declaration:  “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”  So, what is the answer to this problem?  How does the Christian who sins maintain his fellowship with the Father and Son? 

            John first reveals what some refer to as “The Second Law of Pardon” in 1 John 1:9.  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  The fist law of pardon involves the initial steps one takes to become a Christian:  hear the Word of God (Rom. 10:17); believe Jesus is the Son of God (John 8:24); repent of sins (Luke 13:3, 5); confess the name of Christ (Rom. 10:9-10), and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).  The Christian who sins does not have to complete these steps again.  He has a second law of pardon.  It involves the Christian’s willingness to confess his sins to his heavenly Father.  If he is humble enough to do this, God is faithful and just to forgive him of his sins and to cleanse him from all unrighteousness.  This enables the child of God to maintain his fellowship with a holy God. 

            In our previous article, we examined an incident in the life of new convert named Simon.  When this man saw that through the laying of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered the apostles money in an attempt to receive that ability (Acts 8:18-19).  Peter reprimanded Simon sharply.  In Acts 8:22, he gave Simon these instructions:  “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.”  This verse reveals two other conditions found in the second law of pardon, namely, repentance and prayer.  If a Christian who sins will repent, that is, die his sin, confess his sin to the Father, and pray for forgiveness, God will cleanse him of his iniquity.  When Simon heard the words of Peter, he “answered Simon and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me” (Acts 8:24). 

            John also makes another interesting observation in 1 John 2:1a.  He says:  “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.”  Another way for the Christian to be protected from sin is through the Scriptures.  God has revealed His law to man.  Man has the capability of reading, understanding, and practicing that law.  If he does this, he will not sin against God.  We are reminded of the words penned by the psalmist in Psalm 119:11.  “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  The Christian does not have to sin.  Sin is an act of man’s will.  When the desires of men unite with the enticements of the evil one, sin is committed.  “But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  Do not err, my beloved brethren” (James 1:14-16).  We see Jesus resisting Satan successfully by employing the Word against the adversary when He was in the wilderness.  Jesus was tempted with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, but did not sin.  Three times He responded to the tempter:  “It is written” (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10).  Christians can be just as victorious over Satan by using the Word of God if only they will.  Joseph knew adultery was sin.  When he was tempted by Potipher’s wife, he did not yield.  He asked her:  “There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife:  how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God” (Gen. 39:9).  Joseph heeded God’s will and did not sin against God.

            A third component of the Christian’s ability to maintain fellowship with God even though he will sin involves the Savior, Jesus Christ.  Listen to John’s words in 1 John 2:2b-3.  “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  and he is the propitiation for our sins:  and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the world.”  When a man confesses his sins to God, he is not forgiven simply because he confesses.  His confession is just a condition of forgiveness.  He is forgiven because he has Jesus who acts as an Advocate, a lawyer, on his behalf in the court of God’s divine justice.  Jesus intervenes and points to His sacrifice made on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world.  He assures the Father that the price for our sins was paid.  His blood was shed so Christians can be forgiven of their transgressions.  John also notes that Jesus’ sacrifice was also “for the sins of the whole world.”  Any human being can obtain the salvation found in Christ.  Jesus’ blood is powerful enough to forgive every sin mankind has ever committed.  Not all will be forgiven.  It is not because it is impossible for all to be cleansed.  It is because not all will yield the to the conditions of salvation given in the gospel (See Acts 7:51; 13:46).. 

            Sin is the Christian’s dilemma.  He cannot claim sinless perfection.  If he did, he would be deceiving himself.  If he did, he would make God a liar.  Yes, we can sin.  God understands this.  He has provided us His Word so we can successfully obey Him.  However, when we sin Jesus’ blood is available for us.  We confess our sin.  Then, Jesus as our Advocate, appeals to the Father on our behalf based upon His being the propitiation for our sins.  We yield to the condition of forgiveness.  Jesus activates the cleaning power of His blood in our life.  And, the Father “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleans us from all unrighteousness.”  The sin that would condemn us is removed, and our precious fellowship with God is maintained.