Do you realize that you still sin?
On the one hand, we must understand that Jesus came in our flesh and didn’t sin. On the other hand, we must acknowledge that we are sinners that need salvation. But we don’t stop there. We must also realize that as long as we are alive, we will still sin.
In the previous section we see that truth makes us realize that the target is nothing less than perfection. In this section we see that truth causes us to realize that we will never reach perfection.
The apostle John was an honest man – even after walking with God for many years, and being a spiritual leader to many, he observed that he still sinned. In fact, he realized that people who think that they have stopped sinning are totally deceived.
1 Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
Now it is easy to think that we are sinners. I mean, we all think we are sinners, right? But ask yourself how you behave when someone, like your spouse or teenage child or boss or coworker, points out your fault. Do you always have a ‘good’ reason for why it really isn’t your fault? Do you realize that what you are really saying in that situation is that you have no sin! Now may be sometimes it really is not your fault, but if it is never your fault then maybe you should ponder on what the apostle John is saying here.
Some people get really upset with themselves when they sin. Why do they get upset? Perhaps it is because they think that they had achieved perfection and are disappointed to learn that they haven’t.
So then, we need to be careful – because the attitude of ‘having no sin’ is not as uncommon as one might think and surfaces in subtle ways.
The reason why people think they are perfect is because God is not exposing their sin to them. The reason why God is not doing that is because they are not in contact with God.
People who are in contact with God (i.e. people who have fellowship with God, who is the only source of truth) will find that God is Light – Light that exposes our sin. Therefore, if we think we have no sin it is a clear indication that we are not in contact with God, and if we are not in contact with the source of truth then we cannot be receiving truth. This is what John points out in 1 Jn 1:6.
1 Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
Scripture exposes our sin.
Heb 4:12-13 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
It is sharper than a two edged sword in the sense that it can distinguish between truth and lies very, very finely. Scripture helps us understand our motives and when we heed it carefully we find that we sin in so many ways.
Since Scripture exposes our sin, if we think we are perfect then it is clear that Scripture is not doing its job, and that can only be because we have misunderstood Scripture.
A contrite man is a man who is learning truth – about himself, and is humbled by it.
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