We've had several discussions on this in other threads. Jac has a lot on this book.
Verse 5-7 is the key, This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have
fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But 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.
This is about fellowship. (Koinonia) Are there Christians who are walking in darkness? Yes. As a beleiver, have you ever lived in a way that was in conflict with the Way? Me too. Yet, often we will say that we are walking in light, when we are in fact not. We are liars. Man oh man, that convicts me.
Many a time I ask people who say they are Christians why they live a certain way and they say it is because God will forgive them anyway so why worry. So that is what this is getting at, I believe.
As Jac and I have discussed, "can you judge a person's salvation by how they act?" Talk about a can of worms.
If people have the notion that they can do whatever they want and God will forgive them anyway, then they are using the Gospel as an occassion for the flesh. They are treating it with contempt. Does this mean they are not saved? We can't say, but I would have to wonder if they truly understood the cross to begin with. Not because they are sinning, but because of they simply see the cross as a get out of jail free card. Right salvation comes from right faith. Paul spoke of this attitude in Romans 6-7. We can't say this 'attitude' precludes someone from ever having rightly believed. We CAN say that they are most definately NOT in fellowship. But should we assume that they have come to a right belief? For one to come to right belief means they have come to see their sin in its right light, and thus can also see the cross for what it truly is. You can not seperate Christ from the cross. What does, "Jesus died for your sins," mean to someone who doesn't think they have a sin problem? The bible says it is 'foolishness.' I've known people who beleived carrying a rabbits foot would bring them good luck. How many have this same 'belief' toward Christ? How many are resting their eternal fate in that the cross is no more than a lucky charm?
So what should we do with such a person that you have described? "Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." James 5:20
If they are saved then we should seek to restore them to fellowship. And if not, seek to lead them to a true saving faith.
When I sin, I do have a great comfort in knowing that Christ has already atoned for my error. But I certainly don't delight in the idea, and I don't relish the next sin. If the HS has taken up residence, then there will be a war raging inside. If there is no conflict then one would have to wonder. "And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." (Rom. 8:9)
Sin itself is not an indicator that one does or does not have saving faith. If that were the case then v8 and 9 would make no sense. I have sin, you have sin. We all have sin. But, as Paul writes in Romans, our relationship to sin has changed. Just this morning I had to weep over some thoughts I had the night before. As I sat down for my morning scripture reading (Rom 7 and
the conviction was all over me.
So, is 1 John a book that speaks of true and false conversion, or a book that seeks to lead a believer into lasting fellowship?
-“The Bible treated allegorically becomes putty in the hands of the exegete.” John Walvoord
"I'm not saying scientists don't overstate their results. They do. And it's understandable, too...If you spend years working toward a certain goal and make no progress, of course you are going to spin your results in a positive light." Ivellious
Please read along and comment or inquire.
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