I John “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves”

I John

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves”

Luke 7:36-38

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. NIV

A discussion broke out about this seemingly

 inappropriate act and Jesus’ approval.

Jesus says, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.   You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven — for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Luke 7:44-47 NIV

Sin, what is it?

Most often we associate sin with a wrong act.

We also categorize sin as lust sins, addiction sins, anger sins, etc.

But what is sin?

The Greek word for sin means to miss the mark, to err.

You could say it means not to do something perfectly.

Anything not perfect is sin.

Of course there are none perfect.

Some of us learn to accept our inability to get it right.

Others beat themselves up and live in fear of making a mistake.

John wants us to get a healthy perspective about sin.

Our inability to be perfect.

Some of us think that when we invite Jesus into our

heart our sins are forgiven and we are now perfect.

John is telling us that sin is something we need to recognize.

We do it all the time.

  

John is saying you and I are not perfect.

No matter how well we have perfected every area of

our lives we all fall short of the glorious perfection of God.

Truth is the only thing that reveals sin.

If we accept the truth and confess our sin, our errors, our mistakes,

God will not only forgive us, but purify us from unrighteousness.

Righteousness is not making a mistake, it is perfection.

John also points out the importance of God’s Word to be in us.

The person who says they are ok, denying sin and

truth, does not have the Word of God in them.

When we recognize our inability to

be perfect we recognize these things.

The truth is the standard.

The Word of God teaches us how to live perfect.

Our confession of sin, imperfection

will bring God’s forgiveness.

Because sin condemns,

like the woman who lived a sinful life,

 she recognized her sin.

Therefore, the woman loved much.

Our recognition of God’s forgiveness,

the truth of His Word to help us get it right,

is the reason we love God.

Our love for Him should grow every day.

Because every day we do not

measure up to His perfection.  

  

Scripture Reading

1 John 1:1-2:1 NIV

1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.