The Little Letters - Day 3

John 1:8-10–8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

John is interested in setting the stage for what comes next. He wants to address something that was happening in the church. There were people who were suggesting that they had no sin. This was a problem, and it continues to be a problem in some areas of the church. For those who say they have no sin, they are essentially saying that they have no need for Christ at all. It seems as if they are trying to take Jesus off the cross, and put themselves onto it. 

I understand that we have been saved by Jesus, and that Jesus has forgiven our sins. However, it is important for us to understand that while we are freed from the effects of sin–death–that does not mean we no longer are capable of sinning. We still have that capability, we still do sin. Therefore, we are to be ever vigilant about falling back into that habitual sin that we have carried with us for so long. 

While this can sound defeatist, it certainly is not. In fact, it gives credit where credit is due: With Jesus, who is the one who overcame sin for us in the first place. Giving Jesus the credit for our righteousness is absolutely appropriate. However, taking the claim of “sinlessness” is a bit different, and somewhat troubling, at least to me. 

This is still something that is claimed by some in the church. I think it actually comes from a misunderstanding of sin, and can lead to things like perfection or permissiveness. Both of which are ruts that can be dangerous.