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John was not writing to Gnostics John in his first letter writes to the church and addresses some of the Gnostics teaching. I Jn 1:5-10: 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. Notice the we (which includes himself), the us What the Gnostics taught John is telling the people not to believe them and listen to his biblical correction. There is a difference of darkness and light. There is sin, It is the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all sin. He is speaking to believers, and 1 John 1:8-10 is absolutely crucial 1 John 1:8 We have no sin hamartian (NT:263) ouk (NT:3708) echomen (NT:2159). For this phrase see John 9:41; 15:22,24. That is, we have no personal guilt, no principle of sin. This some of the Gnostics held, since matter was evil and the soul was not contaminated by the sinful flesh, a thin delusion with which so-called Christian scientists delude themselves today. We deceive ourselves heautous (NT:1423) planoomen (NT:4054). Present active indicative of planaoo (NT:4054), to lead astray. We do not deceive others who know us. Negative statement again of the same idea, "the truth is not in us." V.9 If we confess ean (NT:1421) homologoomen (NT:3627). Third-class condition again with ean (NT:1421) and present active subjunctive of homologeoo (NT:3627), "if we keep on confessing." Confession of sin to God and to one another (James 5:16) is urged throughout the New Testament from John the Baptist (Mark 1:5) on. Faithful pistos (NT:4052). Jesus made confession of sin necessary to forgiveness. It is God's promise and he is "righteous" dikaios (NT:1327 a). To forgive hina (NT:2408) afee (NT:858). Sub-final clause with hina (NT:2408) and second aorist active subjunctive of afieemi (NT:858). And to cleanse kai (NT:2498) hagiasee (NT:36). So again with hina (NT:2408) and the first aorist active subjunctive of katharizoo (NT:2477) (1 John 1:7). V.10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. If we say ean (NT:1421) eipoomen (NT:2008). As in 1 John 1:6,8.We have not sinned ouch (NT:3708) heemarteekamen (NT:261). Perfect active indicative of hamartanoo (NT:261). This is a denial of any specific acts of sin, while in 1 John 1:8 we have the denial of the principle of sin. David Smith observes that the claim to personal perfectionism has two causes, one the stifling of conscience in making God a liar pseusteen (NT:5517), the word used of the devil by Jesus in John 8:44), and the other ignorance of God's word, which is not in us, else we should not make such a claim. (from Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament) What further solidifies whom John is writing is the next chapter which squashes all those who teach this was to the Gnostics. 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: That ye may not sin hina (NT:2408) mee (NT:3319) hamarteete (NT:261). Purpose (negative) clause with hina (NT:2408) mee (NT:3319) and the second aorist (ingressive, commit sin) active subjunctive of hamartanoo (NT:261), to sin. John has no patience with professional perfectionists (1 John 1:8-10), but he has still less with loose-livers like some of the Gnostics who went to all sorts of excesses without shame. If any man sin ean (NT:1421) tis (NT:5043) hamartee (NT:261). Third-class condition with ean (NT:1421) and second aorist (ingressive) active subjunctive again, "if one commit sin." We have echomen (NT:2159). Present active indicative of echoo (NT:2159) in the apodosis, a present reality like echomen (NT:2159) in 2 Cor 5:1. An advocate parakleeton (NT:3827). See the notes at John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7 for this word, nowhere else in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit is God's Advocate on earth with men, while Christ is man's Advocate with the Father (the idea, but not the word, in Rom 8:31-39; Heb 7:25). As dikaios (NT:1327 a) (righteous) Jesus is qualified to plead our case and to enter the Father's presence (Heb 2:18). (Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament,) We only have an advocate if we admit we have sinned. If we do not than he cannot be our advocate, he cannot cleanse us because we are not walking in the light, then we living in a false view of ourselves and not the truth. Watch over yourselves that you do not listen to present day teachers(and there are many) who claim we are no longer sinners nor have a need to confess sin when we know we have transgressed the word of God. |
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