1 John 1: 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Sin is a nasty thing that plague us humans. It comes in many forms and experiences. There is a difference between being a weak human and sinning. All people are weak, get sick, tired, angry, emotional, depressed, and other frailties. We make poor decisions out of ignorance or with the best intentions. Sin, however, is a deliberate rejection of the light that God has given to us. We choose to walk in the darkness. We reject Jesus evidenced by our disobedience. These will be big themes in 1 John. We should live above sin. That is our goal and motive. But we must balance this with the reality that we are sometimes deceived by the darkness and sometimes even like the darkness better than the light. Hopefully this becomes rarer as we mature as believers. It is a growth process. In the Old Testament, God set up a sacrificial system so that the Israelites had a visible way to experience forgiveness. Some churches today have confessionals that do a similar thing by offering forgiveness to the repentant. Other churches use the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper) as a way to experience forgiveness. Those who are most mature and “holy” should be the first at the altar, the first to realize their weaknesses and express their need for strength, and the first to be sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
For older posts, click here.