Jesus accomplished something on the cross that completely altered our relationship with sin. When we believe in Him, we step into a whole new reality. As Christians, our relationship to sin has completely changed. In 1 John, John writes some very challenging statements about our relationship to Jesus and how that affects sin in our life. I think that John wrote this book to make people ‘question’ their salvation. This is opposite of how many teachers interpret it however. In 1 John 5:13 it says, “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.” Many times this verse is used to assure people of their salvation, but John says he ‘writes these things’ so that you may be assured. So that means we have to look at what he wrote; and this particular book has some of the most challenging verses within scripture.
Here are a few of the most challenging verses:
“If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (1:6). “The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him (2:4).” “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him (2:15).” “No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him (3:6).” “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God (3:9).” “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him (3:17).” “The one who does not love does not know God for God is love (4:8).” “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen (4:20).” “We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him (5:18).”
So these are challenging verses for us, the main focus that John takes is on sinning. It seems very clear that he is stating that if we ‘know’ Jesus then we do not and will not sin. For the vast majority of us this statement is ‘obviously not true.’ Why do we respond that way? It is because it contradicts our experience of sin. For many of us, our experience reveals that we do sin, and at the same time we say we know Jesus. This puts us in a very uncomfortable position, because either we have to re-think and re-work our understanding of these passages or we need to question our faith in Jesus, and therefore question our salvation. Although this is can be an uncomfortable thing to dive into, it can also be a very ‘freeing’ and joyous revelation as well.
These are the questions we are forced to answer; 1) is it possible not to sin, and 2) How does belief in Jesus affect our relationship with sin? The first question is easier to answer then the second, and although it is not taught in many churches, and in fact I was never taught it till this last year, scripture does seem to say it is possible not to sin.
“How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death (Romans 6:2-3)?” “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it (1 Cor. 10:13).” “For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble (2 Peter 1:9-10).” “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin (1 John 2:1).”
There are many more passages than this, and if you like you can dig into scripture and discover them yourself, but it will suffice to say that it is at least possible to live a sin free life. Not by our own strength, but because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross and by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. If I say that I will sin, then I am falling into unbelief; having more faith in Satan’s temptation then in Gods ability to keep me from that temptation (1 Cor. 10:13). I was never taught this, rather I was taught that we will always struggle with temptation and always fall into sin. I think that the ‘old teaching’ was birthed out of unbelief; because people realized that their ‘experience’ didn't match with scripture. They then created theology to match their experience. Because some of this theology was created to accommodate common experience, the church actually stopped having actual ‘faith’ in that area.
Our theology has been wrong because we have aligned it with our experience. We do not create our beliefs based on experience; and in fact much of my theology still does not match with my experience. However I know that it should match, that God has equipped me with every ‘spiritual blessing’ in the heavenly places. I want my life to match the life that scripture portrays/says I should have. There is a standard of living in scripture that seems impossible to live up to; it is. Whenever we realize that we are not living in the fullness of what we have been given, it’s not a point to strive harder but rather to wait on the Lord for a revelation of the truth.
Faith itself is the ability to believe outside of experience, which ultimately transforms experience to another level. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).” Throughout scripture the people of faith were able to live above and beyond their circumstances; as well as above their own capabilities. Faith allows us to ‘exalt in our suffering (Romans 5:3)’, to ‘be content in all circumstances (Phil 4:11-13)’, and to ‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ (1 Thess. 5:16-18)’. We see this multiple times throughout scripture where the reaction of Jesus and/or the disciples seems contrary to their circumstance. When Paul and Silas are thrown in prison they end up singing and praising God! Paul says he exalts, he doesn't just grudgingly say ‘thank you God’ for this trial, but literally exalts in it! That is crazy faith. Jesus tells us that faith is taking God at his word and basing our expectations on his ability rather than our own. When we do that we do seem ‘other-worldy’. The nature of God is to ‘call things that aren't as though they are (Romans 4:17).’ By faith scripture shows people doing the impossible and living radical lives for God. Is there struggle? Yes, but that is not what defines them. “With God all things are possible; I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Paul actually rebukes the church in Corinth for acting like 'mere men' (1 Cor. 3:3).
Our theology cannot be based on our experience. Experience is not to dictate faith, but rather the other way around. Experience tells us that mountains are static, but the faith of Christ makes that mountain move. It is very important to understand how experience fits into our theology, because the two are very connected. It isn't about our experience, but our experience aligns with our faith. Language is very important for us as ‘believers’; we can either adopt a language of faith or a language of unbelief. It is not the language itself that gives us power over our experience but our words can bring life or death (Proverbs 18:21).
Jesus altered the entire cosmos when He died and rose again. He is the ‘lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).’ This alteration revolves almost entirely around sin; and even more so our sinful nature. What is it? And do you we still have it? It seems clear to me that scripture says we do not have a sinful nature anymore! Alleluia! Sadly this isn't taught, and instead we are told that not only will we inevitably fall into sin, but that we are naturally preconditioned for it. Here is a short look into our sinful nature, the law, and sin.
Paul says that the law brought about an awareness of sin. “I would not have come to know sin except through the law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, ‘you shall not covet’.” He goes on to say that when the law came, sin came alive with it (Romans 7:9). At the beginning of Romans seven we see Paul give a metaphor of our relationship with the law.
For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulterous; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulterous through she is joined to another man (Romans 7:2-3).”
So we too are married to the law, the commandment of ‘do this do that’, the husband we are unable to please. It also says that this covenant is established until there is a death that breaks the agreement.
Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter (Romans 7:4-6). Notice that Paul is writing in the past tense when he says when ‘we were in the flesh’.
The whole point of law was to show us that we were unable to do what we wanted to do. Why can’t we do it? Because of our ‘flesh’ or in other words our sinful nature. “For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did (Romans 8:2).” We were predisposed to sin, we couldn't help it. Even if we knew what we should do we couldn't do it. Since the time of Moses, Israel tried to do the things that God wanted to do but failed. That is what Paul is emphasizing in Romans 7, his inability to obey the law. If he is emphasizing the normal Christian life then nothing has changed after Christ’s sacrifice! If we still have our ‘sinful nature’ then we are still predisposed to sin and are still under its bondage. So now we need to look to scripture to see what it says about our sinful selves. In Romans 7 it says that we ‘died’ to the law and now are in a new covenant with Jesus. In enters Romans 8 that is set up by Romans 6 and 7. “For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did; sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sins. He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us (Romans 8:3-4).”
The sinful nature is what made us predisposed to sin and what made it impossible to do what we wanted to do. There is a mystical exchange that takes place on the cross with Jesus; our sinful nature was crucified with Him! Many teachers will admit to some degree that something died with Jesus on the cross; but rarely have I heard that teaching contain the actual conviction/faith of believing it. In other words, if someone stresses that their sinful flesh is no longer there, and they are free from sin completely; they will be called a heretic by many other Christians. This burdens me as I see it being the central truth to the Gospel. Here are passages about our sinful nature being gone and the new reality we live in because of Christ’s sacrifice.
“How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death (Romans 6:2-3)?” ‘However you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit (Romans 8:9).” “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ (1 Cor. 6:15).” Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Cor. 5:17).” “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is not longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh (good sarx) I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20).” “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).” “And that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Ephesians 4:24).” “And in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ (Colossians 2:11).” “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).” “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).”
The interesting thing to note is that these are all past tense definitive statements. They have happened, it is completely true. Now I understand that this doesn't necessarily make sense to our ‘experience’, and again that is where many people run into trouble and are misled. Your experiences might contradict the truth that your sinful nature is dead, in fact, everyone, when they first accept Jesus, will think that their sinful nature being gone is a preposterous statement! That they died to sin and are no longer a sinner seems ridiculous to everyone who comes to Jesus. It is a promise and a reality that seems impossible and improbabl; and that is exactly why we need to have faith. Faith in the truth is supposed to radically change our experience.
Faith allows us to live in a reality outside of our experience, and true belief can actually dictate our experiences. So scripture says our sinful selves no longer exist, what do we do when our experiences don’t match this reality? Which is more true? Are they both true? No. Paul gives us instruction on what we should do when our experience isn’t matching up with reality. “Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11).” “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity. . . (Colossians 3:5).” Even if we are not experiencing it, it does not make it any less true, it just shows we are struggling to ‘believe’ this reality. We still died with Jesus, what we need is faith to believe it, for faith will produce what works could not. Faith is powerful! “Faith without works is dead (James 2:17).” If we aren't ‘experiencing’ something we claim to believe, it is only because we actually don’t believe the truth as much as we thought we did. The issue is ‘faith’. We cannot please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6).
Thankfully it is not even our faith that saves us, but rather the faithfulness of Jesus! Jesus saved us 2000 yrs ago, we have just need to be given grace to believe in it. How do we get faith? “Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17).” Hearing what? The good news. What is the good news? The good news is that you have died, that Jesus paid the entire penalty for your sin, and took away sin itself! When the truth is spoken over us it is only the Spirit who is able to give us grace to believe it.
So sin is dead in me, where does that place me in relation to God? “That I may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ (Philippians 3:9).” ‘He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).” Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill the law (John 3:17). The full righteous requirement of the law has been met in me, and you (Romans 8:4)! Alleluia! I am righteous, I am holy, I no longer live from a place of lack but from a place of complete fullness. We are ‘more than conquerors (Romans 8:37) because Jesus finished the job. It’s not based on our performance anymore. I don’t need to get rid of sin, Jesus already did it! I don’t need to become righteous, Jesus made me righteous! The objective reality occurs before the subjective one. I am given the gift of faith to believe what Jesus accomplished; and then I live out of that accomplishment not for it.
I cannot take away from my righteousness and I cannot add to it. The question is do I believe it. When I believe I am the righteousness of Jesus then I will manifest it. If I believe I am predisposed to sin and that I am a sinner, then I empower that lie and allow sin to reign in my life. After all, God wants everyone to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4), to ‘know the truth and the truth will set us free (John 8:32).’ What is the truth? That you have already been set free 2000 yrs ago on Calvary! It is finished. If I say that I am a sinner, than I am agreeing that sin has power over me, which isn't true anymore! I am either agreeing with God (the truth) or with Satan (lies).
So finally bringing this all the way back (thanks for bearing with me), we must agree with 1 John; that when we ‘believe’ in Jesus we will not sin anymore. This of course is not based on our ability to fulfill the commandment not to sin, but in living by faith the life that has been made available through Jesus. When we are struggling with sin, we are struggling with unbelief; therefore if we do ‘actually believe’ in Jesus then we will not sin. But remember, it isn't our job to increase our faith, or even to have faith in the first place!! Alleluia! There is no condemnation, none. So we just wait upon the Lord and let Him do the work for us! Paul writes to the Philippians, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13).” In verse 12 the ‘work out’, means to narrow down or come to a conclusion of. It’s like ‘working out’ a math problem. You find the answer and agree with it. In verse 13, the ‘work’ that God is doing is the actually process and/or interworking of salvation itself. We come to agree with God on what He worked out through Jesus.
There are a few more things that helps to solidify what I have already written; primarily having to deal with what sanctification is, and what role repentance has in our lives. Ask the Lord about them yourself, and dig into scripture! But know that you are set free, you have been redeemed, evil has nothing on you. You don’t need to sin another day in your life! Amen. Oh and don’t worry, ‘if you sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2).’ Sinning just means we have room to grow in our faith in Jesus. I definitely do, I struggle with unbelief, but the promise of the finished work of the cross has set me free unlike any other. I am still learning about this freedom, and having my mind ‘renewed’ to God’s perspective, but it is a glorious journey; a journey that, in fact, is one of moving from ‘glory to glory’ (2 Cor. 3).
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