The Word: 1 John 1:8-10

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgives 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.“

The Apostle John, who walked with Jesus as a disciple (1 John 1:1-3), wrote this letter to a church to encourage them in their faith. In 1 John 5:13 he said, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” John clearly acknowledged his readers as Christians and wrote both to assure them of their salvation and to establish mutual fellowship between himself (and possibly his church or companions) and these Christians (1 John 1:3). For the understanding of the current passage, an important fact must be kept at the forefront: John is writing to Christians.

Why is this fact significant? In 1 John 1:8-10, John’s central focus will be on sin, and since he is writing to Christians, he is focusing on the Christian’s relationship with sin. In short, John is saying plainly: Christians sin. “If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) The “we” here refers to the assumed believers that are the recipients of this letter. Furthermore, the phrase “we have no sin,” is present tense, strengthening the understanding that John is referring to the reality of sin in Christians even now that they are Christians. In short, Christians sin.

Interestingly, the understanding that even Christians still sin is crucial to being a Christian. John continued to say that any “Christian” who denied having sin was deceived and devoid of the truth (“the truth in not in us”). This declaration reveals that foundational to being a Christian is the ongoing acknowledgement of one’s sinfulness and dependence upon Christ because of our sin. Anyone who refused to do so ultimately revealed that they lacked understanding of the true Gospel and were not truly a believer. This point is reiterated in verse 10: “If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” Woe to the one who would dare say that God is a lair!

Yet, despite the reality of our sin as Christians, a glorious promise remains: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) This verse is rich with promises for every Christian. Sure, this passage could be used evangelistically, and often is, but the significance of this verse is lost when it’s focus on the already saved is not kept in focus. As Christians, we have this promise: When we sin as believers, we can come before God in confession and expect forgiveness and cleansing. Because of what Christ has done for us (see 1 John 1:7, 2:1-2; 3:4-8; 4:9-10), we can come to God with the expectation that He will not only remove the guilt of our sin (forgiveness) but also, through His grace, remove the sin itself (cleansing). God’s grace is not in the business of just dealing with our guilt so we can keep on sinning; rather, God’s grace helps rid us of our sins as they arise in our lives. This is an ongoing way of life for the Christian.

With this truth in mind, John is clear on the nature of true confession. Biblical confession of sin is not truly practiced if one simply desires forgiveness of their sin without repentance. The promise that God will both forgive and cleanse implies that Christian confession requires a desire for both forgiveness and cleansing. Christians are not seeking to just remove the guilt of their sin, but also the sin that makes them guilty. Therefore, Biblical confession assumes repentance, a turning from sin with the desire to be free from it. The promise is that God will forgive and cleanse. These two benefits of grace must be held together. God’s grace is not divided so that sometimes He forgives and sometimes He cleanses. When God gives His grace (justifying and sanctifying grace), He gives every benefit that comes with His grace.

In summary, even we as Christians still sin, and this truth must be maintained for a true understanding of Christ and the gospel. Yet, with our sin, God graciously provides cleansing and forgiveness through the blood of His Son, Jesus (1 John 1:7) as we confess (and repent).

The Confrontation

Some significant applications arise from this passage. First, we should recognize what God’s requirement of believers is. Too often, we Christians can get too fixated on perfection and being perfect. This desire is not bad because ultimately the goal is to be like Jesus, the perfect Son of God. Yet, we must remember that a significant difference exists between Jesus and us: He is actually sinless, and we, although redeemed, are not. John makes this clear. So, God’s expectation is not for perfect people but repentant people. To put this another way, the “perfect” Christian is the repentant Christian, the one who recognizes their sinfulness and their ongoing need for God’s grace for forgiveness and cleansing. This keeps us humble and dependent upon Him.

To expand more on this application, further practical points can arise from God’s call for us to be repentant over perfect (sinless). The sin of perfectionism is a struggle for many people (I myself used to struggle with it), but freedom can be found in the truth that God, in His wisdom, has not deemed to make us actually perfect in this life. Therefore, in every aspect of our lives, whether personal holiness, marriage, parenting, work, church life, etc. we must recognize that the goal is repentance, not perfection. To actually be the “perfect” Christian, spouse, parent, worker, church member or leader, is to be repentant, not sinless. So let us stop fretting over the fact that we are not perfect (sinless), because we obviously are not, and let us start actually being “perfect” (repentant).

Second, as Christians we should be weary of anyone or any doctrine that denies Christian sin or promotes any idea of sinless perfection. If John’s warnings about the denial of sin within the Christian are taken seriously, then we have to be bold enough to say that such individuals and such teachings cannot be considered Christian at all. John says such persons and doctrines are contrary to the truth of the gospel and ultimately undermine the character of God Himself. These are bold statement that should not be taken lightly. We as Christians must have the confidence to stand firm on this truth, and any who believe such false doctrines need to recognize their error and lack of salvation and repent.

Third, may we continuously give the Father praise for the amazing grace that He has given us in the Son. The ongoing forgiveness and cleansing of our sin is only possible because of Jesus, who is the gracious gift of the Father (John 3:16). Praise Him!