Before we move on from 1 John 1, there are a couple more important observations we need to make about this chapter. I know of nowhere else in the Bible where you find statements like, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves (1:8),” and, “If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar (1:10).” These statements are so contrary to traditional Christian thinking that I wouldn’t be surprised if historically, preachers have just left this passage alone, or passed over it without much comment.
If we claim we have no sin, or we claim that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves and calling God a liar? But wait. Aren’t we supposed to be living and acting like we are free from sinning? Isn’t that the impression most people give in church? If it is, it is dead wrong, and according to John, we are not living in the truth.
So what could John be talking about here? He’s talking about grace. He knows that if sin is no longer an issue, then we don’t need grace, and if we don’t need grace, we have disqualified ourselves from the gospel. And that is not only dangerous, it is deadly.
Without sin there is no truth in us. Without sin, there is no need for grace, and without grace, we are all dead in our sins. (See, we are all sinners, we just like to play like we are not.) That’s why John says don’t claim you have no sin, because sin is your ticket into heaven.
Without sin, we will meet God in our supposed righteousness, and I hope no one tries to do that.
JESUS is our “ticket” into Heaven.
HE paid the price for our admission.
I believe most of us understand what you’re trying to relay here, John (Fischer, not the Apostle), but a first time visitor to the Catch, or a new believer in Christ, or a seeker for the Truth, or an unconfessed sinner, or a nefarious opportunist may misinterpret or mishandle what you wrote above.
And they may run with it in the way Paul warned believers in Christ to avoid in Romans 6:
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
May it never be!”
Yes, we are all sinners and we must honestly acknowledge that fact both to God the Father and ourselves.
We must recognize Jesus the Son’s ultimate act of sacrifice on our behalf and rely on Him to forgive those sins through the payment of His Life.
We are directed to REPENT from continuing in those sins (or indulging in new sins) at the guidance and leading of His Holy Spirit now living inside us.
Then, we live our lives in a manner worthy of all God has done on our behalf… even if it seems like we’re “playing” at it – NOT hypocritically, mind you.
After all, children pretend to be adults even though they’re not, but some day will be.
As Christians we need to act as if we are Jesus even though we’re not, but some day will be like Him when we see Him face-to-face.
JESUS is our “ticket” into Heaven.
HE paid the price for our admission
Shalom, Peace…
Yes, Bob. Making sin our ticket to heaven was an overstatement to make a point. Jesus is most definitely our ticketing heaven, but if we don’t think we have sin, then we don’t need Jesus. So in that sense sin is our ticket, because it leads us to Christ.’
Believers need to accept the fact that sin will play a part in our lives until that time we see Jesus face-to-face…when the promise of Phillipians 1:6 is realized. The truth of 1 John is hard to take in . John was writing to BELIEVERS. Though we are saved by grace and viewed as sinless by God, freed from His judgement and wrath, there is still the matter of our old sin nature which we constantly have to battle. In his letter to the Roman church (Chapter 7), Paul eloquently and bluntly describes his own constant battle with sin. These writings comfort me and challenge me at the same time. “Follow me,” says Jesus. So, sometimes running, but more often stumbling and crawling reluctantly, I am trying. I have hope because I know He will wait for me to catch up…and even come back to help me stand and to walk with me.
Well said. Thank you, Sandie.