This letter of 1 John...
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This letter of 1 John has led quite a number of Christians to the conclusion that once a person is a Christian he or she does not ever sin any more. Unfortunately, like the idea that becoming a Christian guarantees a life free of suffering, this notion of "sinless Christians" frequently compounds the problem of sin and suffering. The sick or suffering person harbours unnecessary guilt. The "sinless Christian" adds the sin of holier-than-thou self-righteousness to sins for which 1 John in fact urges regular confession.
On two occasions in my life I have gone into court to explain traffic citations because I felt there were extenuating circumstances. In the one instance, for example, I had unintentionally made a left turn in unfamiliar surroundings where the non-verbal signs forbidding left turns were difficult to see. The judge reduced the fine because my "sin" had been unintentional and because the "instructions" I had disobeyed were not entirely clear. The citation remained on my record, but mercy was there for a heart that had been in the right place. The system of justice was flexible and responsive, and I was glad to be an American.
God in his justice calls us to confess all our sins, even our unintentional ones, and then God does something that human judges often are unable or unwilling to do - God both pays the fine for us and clears our record!
Christians do not sin on purpose just so they can be forgiven. But they do confess their sins on purpose so that they can be forgiven and can be glad to be Christians.
On two occasions in my life I have gone into court to explain traffic citations because I felt there were extenuating circumstances. In the one instance, for example, I had unintentionally made a left turn in unfamiliar surroundings where the non-verbal signs forbidding left turns were difficult to see. The judge reduced the fine because my "sin" had been unintentional and because the "instructions" I had disobeyed were not entirely clear. The citation remained on my record, but mercy was there for a heart that had been in the right place. The system of justice was flexible and responsive, and I was glad to be an American.
God in his justice calls us to confess all our sins, even our unintentional ones, and then God does something that human judges often are unable or unwilling to do - God both pays the fine for us and clears our record!
Christians do not sin on purpose just so they can be forgiven. But they do confess their sins on purpose so that they can be forgiven and can be glad to be Christians.
