In verse 6, John had already spoken about someone saying that he has fellowship with God. Now John presents a second case.
Second case: Someone claims to have no sin
Someone says that he has no sin. What does that mean? If we look at the context, this does not seem to be about acts of sin. That is as in verse 9 (“If we confess our sins”) and verse 10 (“have not sinned”). Here it is about sin, meaning original sin within us.
Sins and sin as a ruling principle
Anyone who reads God’s Word carefully will quickly notice a distinction. It distinguishes between committed sins and sin as the ruling principle within us. See Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12. The latter is the root, and the other is the fruit that grows from it. We sin because we are sinners. So, man has a twofold problem and therefore needs a twofold solution. He needs forgiveness of his sins and liberation from the power of sin.
Forgiveness and freedom from sin’s power
Anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus may know his sins have been forgiven. He also died to sin with the Lord Jesus. See Romans 6:10–11. That means the sin dwelling in us no longer has power over us. The believer no longer has to sin. But he still can. See 1 John 2:1. It is true that God gave us a new nature in the new birth. That nature cannot sin. See 1 John 3:9. But we never read that we no longer have the old, sinful nature.
Three aspects: penalty, power, presence
We can summarize it like this. We have forgiveness of our sins, meaning we are no longer punished for them. In the same way, we have already been freed from the power of sin. So we no longer have to sin. But we will be freed from the presence of sin only when the Lord Jesus comes. He will take us to Himself in glory. See Philippians 3:21; 1 John 3:2. Or we will be freed when we die before that happens. 3333
Denying indwelling sin
But now we have someone who denies this very fact. He says: I do not have that. He claims there is no power in him that could lead him to sin. He is claiming nothing less than sinlessness for himself. Where there is no root, there are no fruits either. But how can someone who walks in the light (v. 7) say such a thing?
A sensitive conscience after conversion
It is remarkable that new converts often feel they sin far more after conversion. Objectively, it is very likely the exact opposite. But their sensitized conscience testifies to a new spiritual reality. However, denying these facts testifies to a very different reality.
John’s response: self-deception
It is striking that John neither tests this claim nor argues against it. The statement is so obviously false that it is not worth his effort. He does not address it in any substantive way. He simply writes: “… we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Note this carefully. We deceive neither our fellow human beings nor God. No, we deceive ourselves. We mislead ourselves. In doing so, we actually do what Satan wants to do to us.
Relevance today
These verses have not lost their relevance for our day. How many people deceive themselves by always looking for the culprit elsewhere? Is it not repeatedly claimed that man is good in himself? Then it is said only circumstances, society, or trauma caused a terrible act. How many may admit that they are “not perfect.” Yet they think they can regain God’s favor through “good works.” That is nothing else than denying that one has sin.
Coming to the knowledge of the truth
God wants us to come to the knowledge of the truth. That includes admitting our total corruption and guilt before Him. See 1 Timothy 2:4. But regarding people who claim to have no sin, John says this. He says the truth is not in them. That goes one decisive step further than verse 6. There it says that one does not do the truth.
What “the truth” includes
“The truth” includes everything God has revealed to us about Himself through the Lord Jesus. It includes above all the nature and the will of God. God is light, and every person is placed into God’s light. Yet whoever denies having sin proves something. He proves how greatly he has gone astray from God.
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