Faithful: Sinning or not sinning?

By Mark Farquharson

Are the faithful sinning or not sinning? The scriptures seem to indicate that the faithful are sinning still and that they are not sinning, which is correct? Lets study this to find out.

1John 1:7-10 Yet if we should be walking in the light as He is in the light, we are having fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, is cleansing us from every sin." If we should be saying that we have no sin we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us." If we should be avowing our sins, He is faithful and just that He may be pardoning {aphiemi} us our sins and should be cleansing us from all injustice." If we should be saying that we have not sinned, we are making Him a liar, and His word is not in us." {CLV}

Pardoning is incorrect, for you are not pardoned. If you were then you would still be guilty, but the faithful are not, for they are righteous, that is not guilty. It is more correct to use “send away” or “take away.” Christ has taken away the sins of the faithful and the sins of the whole world.

1John 3:5 And you are aware that He was manifested that He should be taking away our sins, and in Him is no sin." {CLV}

John 1:29 On the morrow he is observing Jesus coming toward him, and is saying, "Lo! the Lamb of God Which is taking away the sin of the world!" {CLV}

Thus getting back to 1John 1:7-10. A better translation is: “If we should be saying that we have no sin we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we avowing our sins, He is faithful and just that He shall be taking away our sins and should be cleansing us from all injustice.” For more on why it is not pardoning refer to the article: “Righteous, Forgiven and Pardon, What is the Difference?”

The problem is that 1John3:1-10 seems to contradict this:

1John 3:1 Perceive what manner of love the Father has given us, that we may be called children of God! And we are! Therefore the world does not know us, for it did not know Him." {CLV}

The majority of the world does not even now know the true children of God. Most of the Christians out there are not the children of God.

1John 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it was not as yet manifested what we shall be. We are aware that, if He should be manifested, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him according as He is." And everyone who has this expectation in Him is purifying himself, according as He is pure." {CLV}

Everyone who is a child of God has an expectation that when Christ is manifested they should be like Christ, and everyone who has this expectation is purifying himself. Now it is the next bit which seems contradictory.

1John 3:4-6 Everyone who is doing sin is doing lawlessness also, and sin is lawlessness." And you are aware that He was manifested that He should be taking away our sins, and in Him is no sin." Everyone who is remaining in Him is not sinning. Everyone who is sinning sees Him not, neither knows Him." {CLV}

Christ was manifested that He should be taking away the sins of the faithful. Everyone who is remaining in Christ is NOT SINNING. Everyone who is SINNING sees Him not, neither knows Him.

Wait earlier in 1John 1:7-10, it states “If we should be saying that we have not sinned, we are making Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

An explanation is this: The faithful have sinned before they were faithful, but now they are in Christ, they are NOT sinning any longer. The problem is that the faithful still sin, so how is in that they do not? For it sates also in 1John 1:7-10, “If we should be saying that we have no sin we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us" That is if the faithful should be saying that they have no sin they are deceiving themselves. The solution is that part of them that is in Christ is not sinning, it is their flesh that sins still, as explained a bit later in this article.

1John 3:7-10 Little children, let no one be deceiving you. He who is doing righteousness is just, according as He is just." Yet he who is doing sin is of the Adversary, for from the beginning is the Adversary sinning. For this was the Son of God manifested, that He should be annulling the acts of the Adversary." Everyone who is begotten of God is not doing sin, for His seed is remaining in him, and he can not be sinning, for he is begotten of God." In this are apparent the children of God and the children of the Adversary: everyone who is not doing righteousness is not of God, and who is not loving his brother." {CLV}

The children of God are doing righteousness and are just. Yet he is doing sin is of the Adversary, for from the beginning is the Adversary sinning. “Everyone who is begotten of God is not doing sin, for His seed is remaining in him, and he can not be sinning, for he is begotten of God." The children of God are not doing sin, for Christ‘s seed is remaining in them. “Everyone who is not doing righteousness is not of God.”

Not me, but my flesh:

Romans 7:14-17 For we are aware that the law is spiritual, yet I am fleshly, having been disposed of under Sin." For what I am effecting I know not, for not what I will, this I am putting into practice, but what I am hating, this I am doing." Now if what I am not willing, this I am doing, I am conceding that the law is ideal." Yet now it is no longer I who am effecting it, but Sin making its home in me." {CLV}

Sin is making it’s home in the faithful, and they are doing things that they hate, things that they are not willing to do, they are doing.

Romans 7:18-20 For I am aware that good is not making its home in me (that is, in my flesh), for to will is lying beside me, yet to be effecting the ideal is not." For it is not the good that I will that I am doing, but the evil that I am not willing, this I am putting into practice." Now if what I am not willing, this I am doing, it is no longer I who am effecting it, but Sin which is making its home in me." {CLV}

Good is not making it’s home in the flesh. Then Paul went on to say: “For it is not the good that I will that I am doing, but the evil that I am not willing, this I am putting into practice." Now if what I am not willing, this I am doing, it is no longer I who am effecting it, but Sin which is making its home in me."

Read that last line again, who was it that was doing the things that he did not want to do? It was no long Paul effecting it, but Sin was effecting it, which was making it’s home in him. That is it was once Paul effecting it, but it is no longer, it is Sin which is making its home in Paul.

Romans 7:21-23 Consequently, I am finding the law that, at my willing to be doing the ideal, the evil is lying beside me." For I am gratified with the law of God as to the man within, yet I am observing a different law in my members, warring with the law of my mind, and leading me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." {CLV}

Paul is gratified with the law of God as to the man within. However he is observing a different law in his members, warring with the law of his mind. This leads him into captivity to the law of sin which is in his members. That is the Sin in his flesh leads him into captivity, however with the law of his mind he is doing the ideal. In everyone who is faithful there is a war going on, between the flesh and the mind. The faithful want to do that which is idea, but the flesh wants to sin.

Romans 7:24-25 A wretched man am I! What will rescue me out of this body of death? Grace! I thank God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Consequently, then, I myself, with the mind, indeed, am slaving for God's law, yet with the flesh for Sin's law." {CLV}

Everyone of the faithful is a wretched man, including me. The faithful are stuck in their bodies of death. Paul is asking what will rescue him out of his body of death? The answer is Grace! Paul with his mind was slaving for God's law, yet with the flesh for Sin's law. Ultimately the faithful will get a new body when Christ returns, which will not be a body of death.

Romans 8:1-2 Nothing, consequently, is now condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. Not according to flesh are they walking, but according to spirit, for the spirit's law of life in Christ Jesus frees you from the law of sin and death. {CLV}

Those who are in Christ Jesus are Not walking according to the flesh, but are walking according to the spirit. The spirit’s law of life frees them from the law of sin and death. The sins commit by the flesh do not condemn them that walk according to the spirit, for it is the spirit that frees them from it.

Romans 8:3-4 For what was impossible to the law, in which it was infirm through the flesh, did God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sin's flesh and concerning sin, He condemns sin in the flesh, that the just requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who are not walking in accord with flesh, but in accord with spirit." {CLV}

Romans 8:5-8 For those who are in accord with flesh are disposed to that which is of the flesh, yet those who are in accord with spirit to that which is of the spirit." For the disposition of the flesh is death, yet the disposition of the spirit is life and peace, because the disposition of the flesh is enmity to God, for it is not subject to the law of God, for neither is it able." Now those who are in flesh are not able to please God. {CLV}

The faithful are in accord with the spirit, yet the rest of mankind is in accord with the flesh. The disposition of the flesh is death yet the disposition of the spirit is life and peace. Those who are not of the faithful are refer to as being dead, even if they are alive. When someone comes to Christ, they are spiritually resurrected, from death to life.

Romans 8:9-10 Yet you are not in flesh, but in spirit, if so be that God's spirit is making its home in you. Now if anyone has not Christ's spirit, this one is not His." Now if Christ is in you, the body, indeed, is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is life because of righteousness." {CLV}

The flesh, the body of the one who is in Christ, is dead because of sin, yet the spirit of that one is life because of righteousness. The body is considered to be dead, and the person who is in Christ, is in a body of death, however he has a spirit of life.

Romans 8:11 Now if the spirit of Him Who rouses Jesus from among the dead is making its home in you, He Who rouses Christ Jesus from among the dead will also be vivifying your mortal bodies because of His spirit making its home in you." {CLV}

The one who roused Christ from among the dead was the Father God. Christ did not rise himself from the dead. There is no trinity, Christ is not God. Christ was dead and could do nothing, he need someone to raise him, or he would still be dead. For more on there being no trinity refer to the article: “Trinity Is God three Persons”

Romans 8:12-14 Consequently, then, brethren, debtors are we, not to the flesh, to be living in accord with flesh, for if you are living in accord with flesh, you are about to be dying. Yet if, in spirit, you are putting the practices of the body to death, you will be living." For whoever are being led by God's spirit, these are sons of God." {CLV}

The brethren are not debtors to the flesh, they are not living according to the flesh. Those living in spirit are putting the practices of the body to death.

Colossians 2:13-15 Who rouses Him from among the dead, you also being dead to the offenses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He vivifies us together jointly with Him, dealing graciously with all our offenses, erasing the handwriting of the decrees against us, which was hostile to us, and has taken it away out of the midst, nailing it to the cross, stripping off the sovereignties and authorities, with boldness He makes a show of them, triumphing over them in it." {CLV}

True believers, the faithful are dead to the offenses and the uncircumcision of their flesh. Christ vivifies the faithful together jointly with Him, dealing graciously with all their offenses, erasing the handwriting of the decrees against them, which was hostile to them, and has taken it away out of the midst, nailing it to the cross.

It is good to know that I no longer sin, but my flesh does. However one day soon Christ will return and the problem will end when I get my new body.

Copyright © Mark J Farquharson 2010

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