I Have No Sin!

1 John Chapter 1

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

Genesis 1:1 speaks directly about Jesus.  It says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”  In doing this He, the creative force of the universe created something that was able to be touched and handled.  Centuries later God created a body for Himself and installed His living Word into it.  This word grew and matured like a child knowing no good or bad (Isaiah 7:14-16) until He became a mature man and was able to fully connect to and obey the spirit of God’s Word within Him.  He was subject to all the temptations, fears and passions that we are and yet through the Holy Spirit was able to remain above it all and without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

John is trying in his own unique way to describe the Son of God, Jesus the Christ (John 1:1-17).  He is trying to explain the inexplicable fact that Jesus is Lord of the Earth, that He is God and that He is also man.  John could not hold or handle the Father or Holy Spirit who is as the wind, but he could handle Jesus the man who stated that if you have seen me, touched me, and heard me, then you have seen and touched and heard the Father (John 14:6-11).

He wrote this because he knew that future generations would doubt even the existence in history of Jesus, much less that He was the Son of God and the Lord of all.  We try so hard to tell ourselves that Jesus is not any of the things the Bible says He is.  We twist scripture and corrupt its meaning while trying to swallow a lie that there is no God.  Many believe that the men and women of Jesus’ day are less intelligent because they are less technologically advanced. 

Really?

How is it that the great pyramid in Egypt is so perfectly placed and built that our own modern construction techniques would be unable to match it using computers and lasers?  The fitment of stones in that pyramid are closer and more accurately placed than the protective heat tiles on our space shuttle.  Perhaps that is why the space shuttle blew up and the pyramid still stands after several thousand years of attack by thieves, weather and wars.

Science has gone from studying and seeking the truth, whatever it might be, to trying to prove religion to be false.  It is obvious that if anthropologists, psychologist and all the other ‘ologists were to discover the truth that God is real they would hide it under a manure pit to cover their error.  These men who wrote our scripture always kept the understanding that the law came from Moses but grace and truth came from Jesus Christ.  To have deliberately lied or attempt to deceive never occurred to the men who brought us our Bible.  Their Lord was the Lord of truth and they could do no less.

2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

The life of was manifested, made obvious and apparent to Jesus’ disciples.  He was not ordinary and lived and ministered in such a manner that His disciples were forced to believe.  I think I may be a lot like Philip.  He wanted proof of who Christ was and what He was and Jesus mildly rebuked him saying, “Have I been so long with you Philip that you do not know me or know that if you know me you know the Father (John 14:8-11)?  Later we learn of Thomas who said, “Except I place my finger in the hole in his hands and feet or the hole in His side I will not believe (John 20:24-29).”

Peter, Paul, Mark, Luke and the rest all wrote that we might have clear and understandable doctrine.  John wrote that we might believe and believing we might accept that true doctrine and not keep watering it down to uselessness through unbelief.  He fought against legalists, spiritists, humanists and others who tried to twist the doctrine of Christ for their own purposes.  In his gospel, three epistles and the book of Revelation he battled tirelessly against the tyranny of the doubting scholar.

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

One of Satan’s most foul lies is to move true Christian faiths to attack one another over petty doctrinal squabbles.  It’s bad enough that there are false ‘Christian’ cults all over the world but it is even worse that the true faiths cannot get along because someone does not view your pet spiritual purpose with the same passion you do.  They forget that God has promised to distribute spiritual gifts as HE wills and that ministries can be totally different than yours while still upholding the basic doctrines of our gospel (1 Corinthians 12:11). 

There is a reason that some cried, “I am of Apollos!” and others cried, “I am of Paul (1 Corinthians 1:12, 3:4)!”  Apollos and Paul were totally different in terms of temperament and style of ministry.  There are churches I have been in that were vibrant Bible believing churches and yet I did not care for the tone and tempo of the service or the preaching of the pastor.  I have entered others and felt immediately at home like slipping on old comfortable shoes.  Both services were dynamic and honored God.  Only one reached out to me specifically.  This is a great truth about the body of Christ.  We have hands and feet, ears and teeth, legs and arms.  Each of these ministries are very different but they are also all vital and powerful (1 Corinthians 12:14-18). 

As long as your fellowship with the Lord God is unimpeded and fulfills His purpose for your life; no man or woman can speak against it…though many will try anyway.

4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Consider that John is writing this so your joy may be full.  He’s not specifically writing so your faith might grow or your wallet might be filled; but so your joy may be full.  It should fill us with joy to learn that God is real and Christ died for your sins and rose again to become our great high priest.  It should fill us with joy to learn that God abides in us and we in Him.  We worry so much about the burdens of life and success that we forget the eternal responsibilities God has placed upon us.  Love the Lord and He will set you free and keep you full of joy.

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

John has taken 4 verses to explain that they have seen, walked, talked and touched Jesus the Son of God so that you will understand that when you hear the verses that follow you will know they are eyewitnesses and not merely someone repeating a message.  Jesus said, “Thomas, you believe because you have seen, touched and talked with me after my death and resurrection; blessed are those who have not seen me and yet believed (John 20:29).  In our generation we are those who have not seen and there is a special blessing to us for following our spirit and not our flesh but God has still left eyewitness accounts so we can know their experience. 

Having said all that, John states, “God is LIGHT and in Him is NO darkness at all.  There are no lies in God, only love and the faith it produces.  Satan on the other hand is the father of lies and all darkness.  If Christ and the Father are in us we are light and not darkness.  That light directs us to obey God in all things; even those things that require faith rather than feelings to follow.  If I want to buy the sports car because I can afford it and I love driving them but God says to buy the 4 wheel drive truck, I should buy the 4 wheel drive truck.  When I find myself in the midst of a storm that would drown a little sports car I can plow right on through IF I have been obedient.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

This scripture is difficult for many modern Christians who FEEL God would never send them to Hell for disobedience.  Walking in darkness when you have the light of God at your disposal is sin.  It might feel good to your flesh and have a false light that tickles your emotions but it is not the true light of God.  If we have fellowship with God we will walk in the light.  If we have fellowship with God we will make LIGHT choices and not DARK ones no matter how good they might feel to our flesh.  We cannot declare ourselves to be Christians; cannot declare ourselves to be walking in the light if we do not obey God’s Word.  If we do not obey then we do not WALK IN TRUTH and are LIARS.

Many are screaming right now, “But it feels good to me!  God’s way is uncomfortable to me.  I want to do it this way!  Surely God’s mercy and grace are sufficient.  Scripture says so!”  God’s mercy and grace are sufficient when you stumble through weakness.  God does not appear to consider DELIBERATE DISOBEDIENCE a weakness.  He seems to consider it to be walking in darkness with the purpose of walking in darkness.  When you fall into sin, scripture says a righteous man will get up seven times and continue on God’s path.  If you choose to walk on a path of darkness you have chosen not to get back up and have begun to walk a path of darkness for flesh sake, for sin’s sake, for darkness’ sake.

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Notice our fellowship comes from walking in the light of the Gospel as Jesus walks in the light of His person which just happens to be the Gospel made flesh.  Because He died willingly for our sins we are forgiven.  Because He rose from the dead and lives eternal in the heavenlies we have a sacrifice that never stops cleansing us from sin.  When you sacrifice a lamb for your sins it cleanses you up to the point where the lamb died.  After that you immediately begin to store up wrath.  I knew a Jewish man who said that the only day of the year he felt clean was on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. 

In our case our Yom Kippur happens day by day, moment by moment, instant by instant.  When Christ has cleansed us and we show this by walking in the light of His Gospel, His redeeming power is a constant flow of grace and mercy in our lives.  We will also have fellowship one with another through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.  I live in what is called, “The South,” right next to the Great Dismal Swamp where Harriet Tubman used to sneak escaped slaves to the north 150 years ago.  There is still a lot of tension and disharmony in this area even now between blacks and whites. 

Christ died for black Americans.  Christ died for white Americans.  He died for Muslim Pakistanis and Hindu Indians also.  Jesus has no problem with your skin color or religious past.  He is only interested in your current life and future.  I presently attend a church that is primarily African American.  I enjoy the services and the tenor of the worship and praise.  If I liked a more staid church that sings the Old Rugged Cross slowly and prays quietly, God would meet me there.  He isn’t interested in our color or former faith.  He told us to subdue the earth so the country you live in isn’t the problem either.  What God wants is that all who name the name of Jesus over their lives would also embrace our brethren of other cultures, races and temperaments.  If I am more willing to accept someone who lives in sin rather than someone who loves other races, I am not walking in the light of Christ’s glorious gospel.

8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Scripture says that if the blind leads the blind both will fall in the ditch (Matthew 15:14, Luke 6:39).  Have you ever watched the so called beautiful people in action?  They kiss each other on the cheek and say, “You are awesome, you are beautiful.”  Neither one speaks of the terror and pain they hide within their hearts.  Luke 8:17 says that nothing is hidden that will not be brought out and spread abroad.  Your sin will not remain hidden so it is far better to deal with it when God brings it to your mind.  Whenever we cry aloud, “There is no sin in me!” we are liars and have managed to deceive even ourselves.  How foolish to walk around filled with self delusion and pain rather than to have our crippled lives made straight.

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Don’t be like the self-righteous Pharisee in Luke 18:11-14, pointing at the sinners and criminals around him and praying in his delusion of holiness and piety.  It is far better to be like the Tax Collector and simply beg for God’s mercy while acknowledging your sins.  Jesus Himself said, “This tax collector went home justified while the Pharisee did not.”  A fool thinks he can hide his sins from our Lord while a wise man repents and throws himself on the chief cornerstone.  He arises broken but cleansed, humbled but purified.  Pride makes a terrible scrub brush.  It is too smooth and well oiled to get the dirt off.

AMP 10 If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts

It says repeatedly in the book of Judges, “And every man did what was right in his own eyes.”  What an indictment against their level of obedience to God.  There would have never been any judges had they not constantly been cast into tribulation for their sins.  God’s Word NEVER FAILS (Matthew 24:35).  Never.  The greatest sin in the modern church today is to lightly esteem the integrity of God’s scripture.  John says in his gospel, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  Jesus is the embodiment of God’s Word. 

Scripture has substance and life all its own and when we reduce all of it to mere allegory and cute story we reduce the very nature of God and the power and authority of Christ.  By our very disbelief we fail to submit to God and when we fail to submit, we find it impossible to obtain God’s power and blessings over our lives.  God’s Word says, “Be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath (James 1:19).  We instead have quick tempers, lightning tongues and an inability to quietly listen until we know the heart of the matter.  When this happens we cause those angry lost sinners to stumble because they see someone just like they are.

While we were yet in our sin, CHRIST DIED FOR US (Romans 5:8).  If He was as a lamb, dumb before its shearers (Isaiah 53:7) then why do we think we need to be so quick to defend our sacred…?  No…our profane honor.  The term Christian means that we are to be Christ like.  When someone sees us they should see Jesus.  The only ones Jesus verbally attacked were the religious leaders of the day who said, “We see and understand God.”  Jesus healed the blind and ignorant.  He punished those who should have known better because they knew the Word of God; people like us, the saints of God.   

Do you still say, “I have no sin?”