1 John 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 2:1 “And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
Among the erroneous and distorted interpretations of Scripture, that of the apostle John is one of the most pernicious and horrible, because it creates a justification for committing sin, to live in a false sense of relief and opens the way to destruction for millions of souls through a perverted understanding of grace.
In 1 John 1:8, the apostle John speaks to those who say, “I have no need of the blood of Jesus to be justified or to confess my sins.” This word is not addressed to spiritually mature Christians who have overcome sin, but to new converts and to those still in the world. It confronts those who refuse to recognize their need for cleansing by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Throughout his epistle, John leaves no room for compromise. He states clearly, “Let no man deceive you. He who commits sin is of the devil.” By this declaration, John draws a sharp and absolute distinction between those who live in the righteousness of God and those who commit sin. There is no intermediate state and no allowance for committing sin, not even occasionally.
John reinforces this truth when he writes, “I am writing to you because you have overcome the evil one.” To overcome the evil one is not a partial victory, nor a temporary one, but a definitive deliverance. Those who have truly overcome the evil one do not commit sin and do not return to acts of sin.
John affirms that he who is born of God overcomes the world and does not commit sin, because he has been born of God. This victory excludes any idea of committing sin again, even on an occasional basis. The new birth marks a decisive and irreversible separation from sinful acts.
These words show that the mature Christian, who has overcome the world, lives entirely without committing sin. His life is characterized by righteousness, purity, and complete obedience to the will of God, without exception.
The apostle John explains that the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin, and that no man, especially spiritually little children and new converts, can say, “I have no need of the blood of Jesus Christ to be forgiven of my sins.” He who says this is a liar, and the truth is not in him. This warning does not open a door to committing future sins, but exposes the necessity of total cleansing before entering a life without sin.
The use of the word “we” in this passage is a figure of speech and does not include the apostle himself nor those who have reached spiritual maturity. It is a common manner of expression and does not create any doctrinal opening for committing sin.
John therefore teaches with clarity and firmness that the one who is born of God does not commit sin. There is no allowance for occasional sinful acts and no theological justification for committing sin after the new birth. The life born of God is a life of victory, righteousness, and complete freedom from sin.
These words show that the mature Christian, who has overcome the world, lives outside of sin. His victory over the evil one and his belonging
to God mark a decisive separation from sin, demonstrating that
he lives in righteousness and purity, in perfect harmony with the will of God.
The apostle John explains in his epistle that the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin, and that no man, neither in the world nor in the community, especially spiritually little children and new converts, can not say “I have no need of the blood of Jesus Christ to be forgiven of my sins”. He who says this is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Here the “we” is a figure of speech, used
without including the apostle himself, nor spiritually mature
Christians. It is a way of expressing oneself, a manner of speaking.
This type of language is often found in ancient writings and is also used in everyday life, as in the expression “it is said that” or “we say that” without this meaning personal inclusion. This same language is also found in James 3:9 “we see clearly that he says,
Let no man deceive you. He who sins is of the devil. John thus draws a clear distinction between those who live in the righteousness of God and those
who reject the way of righteousness. John reinforces this point by stating:
I am writing to you because you have overcome the evil one. By this
statement he emphasizes that those who have truly overcome
the evil one have no more association with sin.
John affirms that he who is born of God overcomes the world and sins no
more, because he has been born of God. These words show that the mature Christian, who has overcome the world, lives outside of sin. His victory over the evil one and his belonging to God mark a decisive separation from sin, demonstrating that he lives in righteousness and purity, in perfect harmony with the will of God.
The apostle John explains in his epistle that the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin, and that no man, neither in the world nor in the community, especially spiritually little children and new converts, can not say “I have no need of the blood of Jesus Christ to be forgiven of my sins”. He who says this is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
This same language is also found in James 3:9 “we see clearly that he says, Let no man deceive you. He who sins is of the devil. John thus draws a clear distinction between those who live in the righteousness of God and those who reject the way of righteousness.
John reinforces this point by stating: I am writing to you because you have overcome the evil one.
By this statement he emphasizes that those who have truly overcome the evil one have no more association with sin. John affirms that he who is born of God overcomes the world and sins no more, because he has been born of God.
These words show that the mature Christian, who has overcome the world, lives outside of sin. His victory over the evil one and his belonging to God mark a decisive separation from sin, demonstrating that he lives in righteousness and purity, in perfect harmony with the will of God.
1 John 1:8-10 does not reflect the idea that sin is a reality in the life of the mature Christian or that the mature Christian continues to commit sin in his or her new life. This verse is addressed to those who are new to the gospel, to those in the world who need confession and repentance and to those in the community who are taking their first steps in the Christian faith, calling them to acknowledge their past and present sins and put a definitive end to them.
This passage is for them. It is a pastoral instruction explicitly addressed to little children, to those who are beginning their spiritual journey, to guide them to a deeper understanding of the need for acknowledgement,
confession, and encouragement to live a life of holiness, free from sin.
The following context confirms and clarifies this: My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin, explaining what is the norm for the true Christian born of God.
In 1 John 2:1, John informs new Christians (little children) that the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sins (1 John 1:7) and that sin is not the norm for the Christian either habituelly or occasionelly. As i’m telling you this « If someone sins » he has to put a definitive end to them ; he should stop sinning once and for all, since we have an
advocate for him. Here, it refers to him who is at the beginning of the spiritual journey in the Christian community, the new convert, the little child who is taking his first steps in the process of repentance and who is expected to reach spiritual maturity, the normal state, without sin and accomplished state.
The norm is in the first sentence: I am writing to you so that you may not sin. This is the finality, the objective being that the person sins no more. The end of the sentence evokes the abnormal state : “AND” If someone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, this with the aim that the new convert puts a definitive end, once and for all to his sins, and the norm expected “sin no more” becomes a reality in his life.
The apostle John cannot normalize “do not sin” and at the same time “the action of sin” it would be a contradiction incompatible with the context of his epistle. John does not say “but” if someone sins he says “AND” if someone sins, whereas I am saying 1 John 1:2-3 and 1 John 5:18 but also 1 John 2 and 3 Jesus is pure and those who walk in the purity, follow his example. 1 John 3 : 3
Written to those (little children) who are taking their first steps in the Christian faith in order to have a fellowship with those who are mature and strong in faith, John said 1 John 1:2-3 the life was manifested, and we have seen it and bear witness, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us: what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us.
Now our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ1 John 1:5-6 This is the message which we have heard of him and declare to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.
To recap, John is addressing little children, those who are characterized by a precocious spiritual life in the faith , a nascent spiritual life called to growth. He is addressing them exclusively (children in Christ) newborns who need maturity and growth in holiness, who are spiritually awakened but not completely regenerated. He is teaching them the normal state of the Christian. (He who is born of God sins no more) is addressing new converts who are taking their first steps in the process of repentance and need pastoral instruction at the beginning of their Christian life.
John expresses in this verse that the normality and the finality is to sin no more.
As little children grow in their rooted faith, the norm becomes a life free from deeds of the body, consistent with their new nature in Christ. Deeds of the body includes unconscious actions, words, thoughts, behaviors, or gestures that are not fully voluntary while evil in their nature, do not constitute a total break in fellowship with God.
1 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
1 John expresses this expectation of total holiness for those
who are born of God, affirming that sin whether habitual or
occasional, must never be a reality in the life of the Christian.
Followers of the lying movements seek to excuse sins by misinterpreting that this includes everyone (mature Christians or not), in order to normalize occasional and periodic sins.
In 1 John 3:4-9, John cannot contradict himself between chapters 2 and 3, nor deny himself. He affirms that “he who sins is of the devil” he who abides in Him does not sin, neither in practice nor in occasion. In 1 John 3:9-10, the norm, according to the apostle, is to never sin again. In 1 John 3, he
confirms and demonstrates the clear difference between the
Christian and the pagan.
1 John 3:9-10 Whoever is born of God does not commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
in verse 18, John again states that “he who is born of God does not sin; he keeps himself, and the evil one does not touch him.”
In verse 17, John makes it clear that all unrighteousness is sin, but that there is a sin that does not lead to spiritual death. He therefore encourages prayer that the one who has sinned in this way will turn from his act. Whatever the nature
of this sin in question, it is obvious that John is making a
clear distinction from verse 18 saying “ We know ” which means the normal state of the true Christian is clear, born of God, who does not commit sin.
At the same time, in 1 John 3:10 he says: By this we know the children of God and the children of the devil: whoever does not do righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. This verse shows the clear difference between the sons of God and the sons of the evil one.
The blood of Jesus must in no way be a license to commit sins, either in practice or occasionally, for the believer. On the contrary, the awakened believer must be determined to analyze his sins, to understand where he has fallen from, what led him to sin, and who influenced him, so that it will
not happen again at all.
The blood of Jesus becomes effective in the life of a believer from the moment he has a contrite heart, when he definitively confesses his sins and abandon them, by walking all the days of his life according to the Law of God, out of love for God, in complete holiness — in deed, word, thought, imagination, and behavior.
There is a clear distinction between the awakened believer who still occasionally falls back into sin and the mature Christian who
no longer sins at all. (the “father” stage of maturity ) 1 John
3:13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning
The mature Christian is regenerated, having experienced the new birth, a prerequisite for entering the kingdom of God. To wage victorious war against the desirs of the flesh and the deeds of the body through growing in holiness without sin.
The awakened believer must make a radical resolution to abandon abominable sins and understand that occasional sin is not the norm. Grasping what is the norm among Christians is fundamental to achieving purity without sin and completing salvation in complete holiness.
Normalizing occasional sins because of some weakness leads to demonic fatalism, preventing one from having a victorious and serene mentality,
essential to holiness and, by definition, salvation.
The unconscious deeds of the body although they may persist in the born-again “little child” Christian, but they must in time, disappear as their spirituel understanding is enlightened, and they grow toward the state of complete spiritual maturity. Here is a progression in three stages:
1. Child stage: he has the dominion over sin, but may still be subject to certain unconscious deeds of the body which must be put to death as a person grow in light of understanding about it. Romans 8 :13. In this context “little children” can be interpreted as a reference to new or younger believers in the faith, those who have just discovered God’s grace and the forgiveness of sins.
They start to walk in light as Jesus is in the light.
2. Young Adult: 1 John 3:13 “I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one” is in spiritual development, acquiring a certain maturity. As he grows, the light of undestanding increases towards constant
maturity and he begins to recognize and put to death even
the subtle unconscious deeds of the body
.
“Young men” are often understood as those who are a little further along in their spiritual journey. They have already overcome somes deeds of the body according the enlightenment they have received, notably by having
‘conquered the evil one’. They are in full victorious growth
and have power over the forces of evil.
1 John 3:14 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.
3. Adult Christian (father stage): has reached full spiritual maturity, in complete holiness without sin. At this stage, he is free from unconscious deeds of the body and embodies the stature of Christ.
This is surely the stage on earth to be reached indisputably to be saved. This normal and mature state, of the final development of the spiritual man is described by John as born of God which produces no sin.
* Over time, deeds of the body diminish and disappear to reach the
adult state.
In spirituel little child, certain types of unconscious deeds of the body can persist after the new birth. These unconscious deeds can persist for some time, to varying degrees, in the “little children” in the faith.
By walking in the Spirit and listening to His guiding and instructive voice, the spirituel child aquires discernment and light of understanding about the deeds of the body that must be put to death.
A “believer” remains a believer as long as he retains a certain sins (sexual immorality, sinful anger, pride, gluttony, hatred, jealousy, greed, slander, lust, vulgarity, love of worldliness, inappropriate behavior, etc.) and an inclination toward evil, as well as accepting the desire to return to his past life.
There is always a way in to wage the victorious war against sins for the believer. One must neither relax nor become frustrated in the face of the innumerable sins in one’s life. For this, it is essential to make a radical resolution to abandon sins and to clearly understand the standard:
complete, pure, and holiness without sin, in order to start on
the right basis.
This is the difference between the new born-again little children with his various stages of unconscious deeds of the body, and the “awakened believer,” still subject to various sins.
Difference between Awakened Believer AND Born Again Christian
Awakened Beliver
He believes in Jesus. He struggles with his sins.
He is unstable.
He is lukewarm.
He is aware that this state is not the normal Christian condition.
Born again christian
He is forgiven by the blood of Jesus He has a pure heart. In his first steps, he can be subject to unconscious deeds of the body, which disappear in victorious holiness. As long as he remains rooted in the Holy Spirit, he sin not consciously, his
fruits grow until he becomes completely holy in sinlessness. He has crucified flesh
He is pleasing to God.
He loves God and his neighbor.
He walks by the Spirit.
He is in accordance with the Law of God in deed, word, thought, and imagination.
He has constant communion with his heavenly Father.
It is essential to distinguish the “awakened believer” from
“the one” who lives in the illusion of salvation by faith while
normalizing occasional sin, believing that God will forgive his
future sins continually.
The awakened believer recognizes that occasional sin is not the norm but continues to experience struggles, falls, and ups and downs in the face of sin.
Discussions of terms like occasional sin or habitual sin are conducted in an effort to reconcile these statements with the experience of those who profess to be Christians, where even sincere believers still find themselves struggling with sin. It is here that theological interpretations have been developed to explain these tensions, in order to soften and quiet the mind of the person into the illusion that occasional sin has no mortal or fatal consequences on his spiritual life.
This engulfs man in spiritual carelessness, where the mark of sin remains
with him.
The distinction between “poieō” and “prassō” in the interpretation of 1 John
In his epistle, John uses the Greek verb “poieō,” which literally means “to do” or “to accomplish.” This term is also used in passages such as Matthew 7:21, where it speaks of “doing the will of God,” or Luke 6:46, where Jesus speaks of those who “do what he says.” In these contexts, “poieō” includes the general idea of doing an action, whether onetime or repeated, and not just a habitual practice.
Unlike “prassō,” which emphasizes a repeated, habituel and regular action, “poieō” does not specify the frequency of the act. In 1 John, the use of “poieō” indicates that John is emphasizing the act of sin itself, whether isolated, occasional, or habitual, without emphasizing its frequency or regularity.
John’s emphasis in 1 John 3:9 is on the incompatibility of sin, in all its forms, with the regenerated nature of a child of God.
John writes, “He who is born of God does not sin.” Here, the use of “poieō” shows that John is not limiting himself to repetition or habit, but is targeting any act of sin in itself.
Indeed, ancient Greek clearly distinguishes between “poieō”
(to do, to produce an action) and “prassō” (to practice, to adopt a habitual conduct). For example:
“Prassō” is used to describe a continuous and habitual practice, as in
John 3:20: For everyone who “prassō” does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
A radical incompatibility with sin
John deliberately emphasizes that any production or performance of sin, whether occasional or habitual, is incompatible with the nature of Christ. This reflects the Christian ideal of complete holiness, where even the smallest
sin is to be rejected. John leaves no room for compromise
where a Christian could justify occasional sins and still remain
in communion with God.
Passages such as Isaiah 59:2: “Your sins have separated between you and your God.”
Make it clear that the issue here is not frequency or habit, but sin itself as an unrighteous act.
A clear grammatical intention
If John had wanted to emphasize a habit or a repeated practice, a consistent lifestyle in sin, he would have used “prassō” potentially leaving room for occasional sins in the believer’s life. But John does not enter into a distinction between habit and single occurrence, but focuses on the act of sin itself
In Romans 7, Paul makes a clear distinction between the meaning of poieō and prassō.Paul clearly distinguishes between doing something occasionally (ποιέω) and having a repeated sinful pattern (πράσσω).
Romans 7:15-16 For I do not know what I do “prassō” I do not “poieō” what I want, …
For the good that I want, I do not “poieō“; but the evil that I do not
want, I do “prassō.“
John 5:29 Those who have done “poieō” good will be resurrected to life, but those who have done “prassō” evil will be resurrected to judgment.
John distinguishes between the habitual practice (prassō) of those who do evil constantly and those who do good (poieō) as a characteristic of their entire life and maintains a clear and rigorous message about the Christian life.
This approach is in keeping with John’s entire apostolic message, which aims to exclude all forms of sin. He rejects any interpretation that would justify occasional sins as acceptable in a life in Christ.
John may want to avoid the idea that some sins (those that
are not habitual) could be tolerated or considered less serious.
By using (poieo), he eliminates any nuance of continuity or frequency, indicating that all sin, whether repeated or isolated, is incompatible with the divine nature in us.
If someone “does” an act of justice (poeio), it can be a single act. But if someone “practices” justice, one would have used (prasso) which indicates a continuous conduct, a moral character marked by habit.
This is revealed in Luke 3:13 also Do not demand more than what you have been commanded to do (prasso).
All three ancient Greek dictionaries (Liddell-Scott-Jones, Bailly and Montanari) provide definitions that show the differences between (poeio) and (prosso).
(poeio) is a general and versatile verb used for any form of action or creation, while (prosso) is more specifically related to habitual, regular and repeated actions with constant practice.
Example Liddell-Scott-Jones dictionary
Poeio = to do, to accomplish, to create, to produce, to cause
Prasso = to practice, to accomplish (with a connotation of regularity or persistence) to describe a repeated and habitual action.
The distinction between what is done habitually (prasso) is the most appropriate term and what is done simply to produce, commit a result, make something (poeio) is the most appropriate term. This is crucial in understanding morality and ethics.
καὶ οὐ δύναται ἁμαρτάνειν in 1 John 3:9 can literally be translated as: “and he cannot sin.”
Whoever is born of God does not commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
The verb δύναται (dynatai) is in the present indicative, which expresses a current but also occasional and habitual incapacity or impossibility. Taken literally, it means that the person “cannot” (is incapable of) sinning. It It is not a question of low probability or a struggle against sin, but of a decision-making inability.
In the immediate context of the verse, this seems to indicate that one who is “born of God” is incapable of sin showing the norm. καὶ: “and,” a connector often used to reinforce or add to a thought. οὐ δύναται: “cannot” or “is incapable of”.
Greek present tense examples can also describe a single event happening at the moment for exemple
Example: John 11:3 – “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.
The verb ἀσθενεῖ (asthenei – is sick) is in present tense, but it refers to a single event happening now rather than a repeated habit.
Matthew 27:46 – And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying…
Λέγων (legōn) – “saying” (Present Active Participle) Refers to what He was saying in that moment, but not continuously.
Here, the present participle “saying” (λέγων) refers to a single event, not a habitual action.
According to lying and misleading movements, 1 John 3:9
(“Whoever has been born of God does not sin”) refers only to the present moment based on the present active tense in Greek.
However, this interpretation contradicts the broader teaching of Scripture. If this verse applied only to the present moment, then a person could be without sin at one moment and a child of the devil the next, which contradicts the biblical teaching of a new nature in Christ.
1 John 3:10 (Literal Greek Translation with ποιέω the children of God and the
children of the devil are manifest:
Whoever does not do (ποιῶν) righteousness is not of God, nor is he who
does not love his brother. showing that righteousness require a permanent state of holy life, not a temporary condition depending on the time.
The verse that follows completely destroys this erroneous
assumption that it only for the present, as it follows the context of the writing of 1 John
1 John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He
might destroy the works of the devil.
Destroy = Death
Greek grammar alone (with the present tense verbs ποιεῖ (poiei) and ἁμαρτάνειν (hamartanein)) does not automatically mean habitual sin.
It is due to the misleading and deceitful contextuel interpretation of false protestant movements—who, by misusing 1 John 1:8-10 and 1 John 2:1, insist that John is referring only to habitual sin rather than sin in general.
A true believer does not revert to his old sinful nature and at the same time grows in victorious holiness through the Spirit.
Paul, in Romans 6, speaks of the death of the sinful state, emphasizing that those who have died with Christ are no longer slaves to sin: “How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:2). Similarly, 1 Peter 2:24 affirms that Christ “bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness,” reinforcing the reality of a definitive break with sin for those born of God.
Jesus also reinforces this truth in John 8:34-36, where He states, “Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin,” meaning that those who live in sin remain under its control. However, He also affirms, “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed ,” emphasizing that freedom from sin is real, radical, once for all, permenant and not dependent on momentary states.
If 1 John 3:9 referred only to a present condition, it would imply that salvation is unstable, but Scripture consistently teaches that those truly born of God do not return to do the sin neither habitually nor occasionally.
Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Are we only a tree of one kind of fruits ?
2 Corinthians 5:17 declares that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new
In ancient Greek, the negation “ou” represents an absolute form of negation. It indicates the total absence of an action or state, completely excluding any possibility of its occurrence.
When John states that he who is born of God “sinth not” (1 John 3:9), the use of “ou” emphasizes a categorical negation, indicating that sin, whether occasional or habitual, is totally incompatible with the regenerate nature of the christian.
The Greek verb associated with “ou” expresses an absolute impossibility, where the action or state is rejected as a whole. John is not referring only to habitual sins, but encompasses any production or act of sin, no matter how frequent. This intention is confirmed by other passages:
In John 8:12, I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk “ou me” in darkness
The phrase “ou me” is used to assert the absolute impossibility for those who follow Jesus to “walk in darkness.” Here, “ou” (the absolute negation) combined with “me” (a conditional negation) reinforces the idea of a
total exclusion of darkness among Christ’s followers.
By using “ou“, John emphasizes that sin is totally absent in those who are in Christ. There is no ambiguity in this statement. The absolute negation of “ou” rejects any possibility that a single or repeated act of sin could be compatible with the regenerate Christian life. John, by affirming that “God is light” and that it is impossible to claim communion with God committing in sin (darkness). To walk in the light means to live a without sin, in conformity with the Law of God including the use of (ou) in 1 John and (ou me) in John 8:12, emphasizes this radical incompatibility between light (holiness, purity, sinlesnesss) and darkness (sins).
Difference between “oú” and “mē”
In ancient Greek, “mē” is a more flexible form of negation, often used for conditional or hypothetical situations, for example it could be used to say (don’t do that) in an exhortatory sense, but it does not have the same absolute force of negation as “ou.” If John had used “mē” in his writings, it might have suggested a less absolute negation, potentially allowing for the possibility of occasional or conditional sin. “me” is often used in ancient Greek to express
a prohibition or wish, but without the categorical force of “ou.“
By choosing “ou,” which is a very powerful negation that leaves no room for ambiguity John excludes the interpretation that a believer could sin occasionally and still be born again, born of God, saved.
John, by combining “poieō” (to do, to accomplish, to create) and “oú” (full stop) absolute negation, forcefully affirms that every act of sin, whether occasionnel or habitual, is incompatible with the nature of the regenerate Christian. He eliminates any ambiguity or margin of tolerance for occasional or periodic sin. Thus John warns his readers in advance: sin, in all its forms, has no place among those who belong to Christ.
1 John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure .
Unbreakable connexion
1 John 3:5 “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
Unbreakable connexion
1 John 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He
who does righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
Unbreakable connexion
1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
The devil, with his entire army and the false, misleading, erroneous, deceitful, and fallacious movements, could not twist no matter how vainly they try to deceive us, as the Apostle John warned the genuine understanding of these
four verses concerning the connection between the sinlessness of Christians and Christ’s sinless condition.
Revelation 19:8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
In Revelation 22:11-12, Jesus Christ said – “Let the holy remain holy, and the righteous remain righteous, for I am coming soon to give each one
according to his works..
Excerpt from John Wesley’s sermon, The Marks of the New Birth
“Whosoever is born of God commits no sin; because his seed
remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
(1Jn 3:9)” “Yes,” doubtless,
someone will say, “He who is born of God does not habitually commit sin.”
Habitually! Where do you get this word? I do not see it; it is not written in the Book. God simply says: “He does not sin.” And you, you add, Habitually! Who are you to correct the oracles of God, to “add to the words of this book?” Take care,
I pray you, that “God will not add to you all the plagues that are written in it!” especially if the commentary you add is such that it entirely absorbs the text, so that by this deception of men and this address that they have to seduce artfully, the precious promise disappears and the Word of God is annihilated.
Oh! take care, you who take away anything from this book, so as to weaken its meaning and leave it only a dead letter, take care lest God take away your portion from the book of life!
Let us look in the context for the apostle’s own interpretation of his words. He had said in verse five, “Ye know that Jesus Christ was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” What is his conclusion? “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath neither seen him nor known him.” (1 John 3:6)
Then, before reiterating this important doctrine with force, he gives this very necessary warning: “My little children, let no man deceive you” (1 John
3:7); for many will seek to do so, many will want to persuade
you that you can be unjust and commit sin, and yet be
children of God! “He that doeth righteousness is righteous,
even as he is righteous. He that sinneth is of the devil: for the
devil sinneth from the beginning.”
Then comes the passage quoted: “Whoever is born of God does not sin, because the seed of God dwells in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” “By this,” adds the apostle, “are the children of God and the children of the devil.” To sin or not to sin, such is the mark easily identified.
And the apostle tells us again, in the same sense, in the fifth
chapter:
“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not: but he that is born of God preserveth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” (1 John 5:18)
Sermon 40, Christian Perfection, John Wesley
The well-known words of St. John: “He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. Now the Son of God was manifested for this purpose: for whoever is born of God does not commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God
(1 Jn 3:8,9).” And further:
“We know that whoever is born of God does not sin ; but he who is born of God preserves himself, and the Evil One does not touch him (1 Jn 5:18).”
It has been said, it is true, that these words mean only: he does not sin voluntarily; or else: he does not commit sin habitually; or else: he does not commit it as others do; or again he does not commit it as he did before. But who then said this? Saint John?
No. There is not a word like it in the text, neither in the whole chapter, nor in his whole epistle, nor in any part of his writings.
A new objection may here arise in the minds of men: “How
shall we make St. John agree with himself? In one place he
says: “Whosoever is born of God sinneth not” (John 3:9); and
again: “We know that he that is born of God sinneth not”
(John 5:18). On the other hand, he says:
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”
(John 5:18), and further: “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (John 1:10).
However specious this objection may at first appear, it falls, if we consider, first, that verse 10 fixes the meaning of verse 8; the words, “If we say that we have no sin,” being explained by the words, “If we say that we have not sinned”; secondly, that the question before us is not whether we have sinned or not sinned in the past; neither of these verses says that we sin or commit sin now; and thirdly, that verse 9 explains both the eighth and tenth:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
It is as if the apostle had said, “I have just affirmed that the
blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin”; but let no man say,
“I have no need of it; I have no sin from which to be cleansed.” “If we say that we have no sin, and have committed no sin, we deceive ourselves, and make God a liar: but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just,” not only “to
forgive us our sins,” but also to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” so that we sin no more.
St. John, then, is in perfect agreement with himself, as well as with the other sacred writers. This is made still more evident, if we take in at one glance all his assertions on this subject.
He declares, in the first place, that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin; in the second place, that no man can say, I have not sinned, there is nothing in me from which I need to be cleansed; in the third place, that God is willing to forgive our past sins, as well as to deliver us from them for the future: in the fourth place, the apostle says,
These things I write unto you, that ye sin not: if any man sin, (or has sinned),
it is not necessary that he should continue in sin ; since “we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). So far all is clear. But, lest there should be any doubt on a subject of so great importance, the apostle takes it up in the third chapter, and explains his thought at length: “My little children,” he says, “let no man deceive you,” (by making you think that I have given any encouragement to those who continue in sin).
“He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he also is righteous; and
he that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil sinneth from the beginning. Now this is what the Son of God was manifested for, for this purpose destroyeth the works of the devil.
Whosoever is born of God sinneth not, because his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this are the children of God, and the children of the devil. (Verses 7-10.)
These words of the last inspired writer render doubt impossible on the question before us, and decide it in the clearest manner. Therefore, in accordance with the doctrine of St. John, as well as with the spirit of the
whole teaching of the New Testament, we affirm that a Christian may be perfect to the point of not sinning.
This is the glorious privilege of every Christian, even of one who is but a babe in Christ. But it is only of those who are strong in the Lord, and have “overcome the wicked one,” or rather of those who have “known him who is from the
beginning” (1 John 2:14), that they can be said to be perfect in the sense of being free from evil thoughts and dispositions. In the first place, they are free from evil or sinful thoughts.
But here let it be noted that thoughts concerning what is evil are not always evil thoughts, that thinking of something sinful and having a sinful thought are two very different things. For example, a man may think of a murder which another has committed; but this is not an evil or criminal thought. Our Lord Himself doubtless thought or reflected on what was said to Him by the devil in these words: “All these things will I give thee, if thou shalt fall down and worship me” (Matt. 4:9). And yet He had no evil thought; for He was not capable of having any; whence it follows that the true Christian has none either; for “every perfect disciple will be as his Master” (Luke 6:40).
If, then, He was free from evil or guilty thoughts, true Christians
are also free from evil or guilty thoughts.
Besides, where would evil thoughts come from in the servant who is like his Master? It is “from within, that is, from the heart of men that evil thoughts come (Mr 8:21).” If therefore his heart is no longer evil, evil thoughts can no longer come from it. If the tree were evil, the fruit would be also.
But the tree is good; therefore the fruit is good also (Mt 12:33).
This is what the Lord Himself declares: “Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit (Matt. 7:17,18)”
Christians are delivered from every evil disposition as well as from every evil thought. This is evident from the Lord’s statement mentioned above: “A disciple is not above his Master” (Luke 6:40).
He had just expounded some of the doctrines of Christianity, at once the most sublime and the harshest to flesh and blood: “I say unto you, Love your
enemies, do good to them that hate you; and to him that
smiteth thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other also (Luke 6:27,29).” He well knew that the world would not receive such precepts. That is why he immediately adds, “Can the blind lead the blind?”
Shall they not both fall into the pit? (Luke 6:39) It is as if he had said, “Consult not flesh and blood concerning these things, that is, with men void of spiritual discernment, whose eyes of understanding God hath not opened, lest ye and they perish together.” In the next verse he refutes the two great
objections which are continually made to us by these foolish pretended sages: “These insults are too great to be borne,” or else, “These precepts are too high to be fulfilled.” To which the Lord answers, “The disciple is not above his Master”; therefore, if I have suffered, be content to walk in my footsteps; and then doubt not that I shall fulfill my word: “For every perfect disciple shall be as his Master.” Now the Master was free from all evil feeling, from all evil disposition; so his disciple is also, and every true Christian will be.
Every Christian can say with St. Paul: “I am crucified with
Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (Gal 2:20).
These words evidently describe deliverance from inward sin as well as from outward sin. This is what is expressed, either negatively: it is no longer
I who live, (my evil nature has disappeared, the body of sin is
destroyed); or positively: Christ lives in me, and therefore all that is holy , just, and good, lives in me. Moreover, these two things: Christ lives in
me and it is not I who live, are inseparable from each other;
“for what communion has light with darkness, or Christ with Belial? (2 Cor. 6:14,15)” He therefore who lives in true
believers has “purified their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9);” so
that whoever has Christ in him, the hope of glory, “purifies
himself, even as He is pure (1 John 3:3)
He is cleansed from pride ; for Christ was humble in heart. He is cleansed from selfishness and covetousness ; for Christ desired nothing but to do his
Father’s will, and to accomplish his work. He is cleansed from
anger , in the ordinary sense of the word; for Christ was
meek and gentle, patient and long-suffering. I say in the
ordinary sense of the word; for not every kind of anger is evil.
We are told that the Lord Himself once “looked” around with anger (Mk. 3:5). But with what kind of anger? The next word shows: “being grieved for the hardness of their hearts.” So then, He was at the same time angry at sin and grieved at sinners; seized with indignation and displeasure at the
offense, but moved with pity for the offenders. It was with anger and even with horror that He looked upon the thing, but it was with sorrow and love that He looked upon the persons. Go, thou who art perfect, and do likewise.
Be angry in this manner, and thou shalt not sin; feeling displeasure and
indignation at every offense against God, but nothing but love and tender compassion for the sinner.
So Jesus saves his people from their sins (Mat 1:21), not only from outward sins, but also from sins of the heart, from evil thoughts and evil dispositions.
“This is true,” say some, “we shall be saved from our sins; but
not before death, nor in this world.” How then are we to explain that declaration of St. John: “Herein is our charity made perfect, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, that as he is, so we are in this world” (1 John 4:17).
The apostle here speaks, without contradiction, of himself and of all Christians here below; and (as if he had foreseen this false interpretation, and had intended to overthrow it in its foundations) he affirms emphatically that, not only at death or after death, but in this world, they are as their Master.
St. John expresses the same thing in this text: “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we walk in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of his Son Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin (1Jn 1:5,7,9).” And
further, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It is evident that the apostle is here again speaking of a deliverance accomplished in this world; for he does not say that the blood of Christ will cleanse us at the
hour of death, or at the day of judgment, but that it “cleanses” us now, “from all sin.
” It is equally evident that if any sin remains in us, we are not cleansed from all sin; that if any iniquity remains in our soul, it is not cleansed from all
iniquity.
Whoever is tempted by any sin can avoid falling, for no one is tempted beyond what he is able ( 1 Col 10:13)