The
one who says he has no sin is divorced from reality and blasphemous to boot,
for he is calling God a liar and is devoid of truth himself.
1John 1:10
“If we claim we have not sinned, we make him (God)
out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
Having
received the divine nature (2Peter 1:4) while still retaining the old nature,
every child of God possesses two natures; one is incapable of sinning, and the
other is incapable of holiness.
“Through
these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through
them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the
world caused by evil desires".
2 Peter 1:2-9
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the
knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us
everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who
called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these (Gods abundant grace and
peace) he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through
them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the
world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to
your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge,
self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance,
godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness,
love. For if you possess these qualities
in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and
unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is
short-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his
past sins.”
Galatians 5:16-26
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not
gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is
contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.
They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not
under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord,
jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy;
drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who
live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law. Those
who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions
and desires. Since we live by the
Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”
And
we have his provision to accomplish these things...
“If we confess our sins (not to men but to God),
he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9.
How can God forgive us our sin and cleanse us so lovingly
and constantly as to insure our peace and joy?
Because he gave his life as a sacrifice for us, because he took our
judgement upon himself that we might be freed from it. The Father is faithful to the Son’s sacrifice
and he is justified by that sacrifice to forgive and to cleanse those who, in
faith, relate their sins to the Cross (in confession).
1 John 3:9
“No-one who is born of God will continue to (live
in) sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he
has been born of God.”
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