Some time back, I posted a blog on Romans 8:12 and demonstrated that we are free from the bondage of sin. Although the doctrine of Christian perfection is also evident in other verses, I believe Romans chapter 8 makes a compelling case for Christian perfection. If we are free from the bondage of sin, then to sin is voluntarily and intentionally making a choice to resort back to sin. The problem we have is the motive and the heart where there yet lingers a desire for the things of the world.
Christian perfection and the imitation of Christ are recurring themes in 1 John. (See also 1 John 5:3, 4:16-17, 3:7-9.) In 1 John 1:6, we find this plainly taught. We cannot have fellowship with Christ if we are walking in darkness. We understand that by darkness John is referring to the sin, evil, the world, and the practice of sin. In the very next verse, He says that if we walk in the light of Christ He cleanses us from all sin.
This tracks right along with Romans 8:12 and the thrust of Romans chapter 8. If we walk in fellowship with Christ and in His light, we are free from the grip of sin. To continue practicing sin is to walk in darkness, and we cannot do both. Matthew 6:24, Joshua 24:15
Yet John also makes the argument that we are not without sin. In 1 John 1:8, he says that we deceive ourselves if we claim that we have no sin. Here, John is saying that if we claim we have no need of Christ we deceive ourselves. Then, in verse 10, John says that claiming we have not sinned and have no need of a Savior makes God a liar. These are strong words!
I also have a blog post on this topic of saying we are good enough that God would accept us without believing on Christ or repenting of sin.
If we say we are good enough without the need for a Savior, we are rendering Christ’s sacrifice void and of no effect. We are saying that Christ suffered and died needlessly and in vain. This is a high form of blasphemy. There is not time to hash this out now, but I believe the Scripture teaches that Lucifer’s sin brought sin into heaven, and heaven needed to be cleansed. Christ agreed to offer Himself as a sacrifice to cleanse the sin in heaven when Lucifer should have stood for his own sin.
The sacrifice Christ made was immeasurable, and we must never diminish the glory of Christ. Yet, we do diminish His glory when we claim we can go on sinning even after we have been cleansed from sin or claim that we have no need of a Savior.
Still, John assures us that the confession of sin leads to cleansing from all unrighteousness. Again, John helps us understand that we are free from the grip of sin. Being cleansed from all unrighteousness does not mean prior sins are forgiven with the possibility of continuing to practice sin. Cleansing from unrighteousness means the old nature has died. Romans 6:11, Galatians 2:20
This does not mean it is impossible for us to sin. It is very much possible to sin even after we have been cleansed by the blood of Christ. The object, however, is that we are free to discontinue sinning. The extent to which we will surrender ourselves to Christ determines the extent to which we embody the righteousness of Christ or imitate Him.
We’ll look more at Christian perfection in the next post before moving onto chapter 2 of 1 John.
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