August 7 | 1 John 1:5-10

David Thompson
7 days ago
3 min read

DAILY READING

REFLECTION

Sin and Purity

By David Thompson

This is a rather tricky passage for some denominations. Of course I think that the Lutherans have it all RIGHT. No, actually I am not sure that when we adopt the essence of the most tricky passages; ones that have been debated for years and years, when we get to Heaven, we might see our own folly. Perhaps the Wesleyan Methodists have it mostly right or the Brethren. It could be the "once saved always saved - eternal security" Baptists (of all flavors? that nailed it. If we have pride about anything (this side of Heaven), we might fall into wrong thinking and doctrine.

For as long as men (women) have been alive and have considered things of God, there has been dissonance. You see humans are fail-able. The passages today make that very clear. And anything fail-able has a really hard time getting it right all of the time. As they say, "We are human and that is a fail-able state.

l John 1:6 states, "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth." But if we could always walk with Him in His light, we would be right continuously and also be saved.

I John 1:7-9 continues, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth

is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Positionally we are saved due to believing in Jesus and trying to live for Him. But we are human and we will fail on the sin topic way too often and then we need His forgiveness again."

Finally, l John 1:10 finishes today's passage stating, "If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us." Case closed, unlike the Crusades, we will never be 100% in the right. Unlike the Wesleyans, we will never reach perfection called Sanctification this side of Heaven. The Baptists must embrace the need to continually seek forgiveness to assure the truth in verse 10. You see, this is just one theological point and for most churches, there are hundreds. The key for us is to stay in God's light, believe in His Son, Jesus Christ and seek forgiveness often to cover our sins with Jesus' blood.

PRAYER

Thank you, Jesus for the positional assurance that we are saved and the continuous process that we are forgiven when we ask for our sins to be taken care of. It gives us great assurance that a person doesn't have to be perfect as no one is, but that we need to try to follow you and the Holy Spirit daily. Be with us now and forever. Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Thompson

I am the administrator of the Daily Worship Blog. My wife, Carla, and I have been attending UALC for seven years at the 9 o'clock service at Mill Run. We have two children, Catherine and Aaron. I have been a Christian for 53 years and am thankful that my Savior has given me two spiritual gifts that have carried me both spiritually and vocationally all my life: they are teaching and administration. I look forward to spending many years here at UALC to serve my Lord and Savior.