The Sins of the Saints
1 John 1:5-10
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Introduction:
I. The Reality of Sin in the Life of a Saint
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
a. Our vulnerability
The Apostle Paul describes a struggle that he faced in his Christian life that is a present reality for every believer. Here's what he says:
Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
To put it simply, as long as I am in the flesh we are "...prone to wander from the God I love..." and you are too!
b. Our volition
Let me share a truth with you that some seem to have forgotten. When God created us in His image He gave us the capacity of free moral agency, or will or the power of volition. This is something that we never lose. We have when we are born and we will have it when we die. We have the power of volition before and after become to Christ.
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
c. Our values
Saints also sin because of the difficulty we have in putting God first. We see this in what we do with our time, our talents, and our treasure.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Saints also sin because we fail to appreciate a truth about ourselves that even Satan knows.
Job 2:4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
We must decide who and what will come first in our lives. The hymn writer said it best in the great old song: "I'd Rather Have Jesus" he writes,
I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I'd rather be His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Refrain:
Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway;
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause;
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
I'd rather be true to His holy name
II. The Remedy for Sin in the Life of a Saint
What is the remedy for sin in the life of a saint? It is found in the opening words of verse 9 "If we confess our sins..."
I am convinced that the greatest hindrance to spiritual health and vitality in the lives of most Christians is unconfessed sin.
"Much of the impotence of American churches is tied to a profound ignorance and apathy about justification. Our people live in a fog of guilt. Or just as bad, they think being a better person is all God requires." Kevin DeYoung
Listen to what the Bible says about unconfessed sin in just one area of the Christians life, the area of prayer.
Isaiah 59:1-2 "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."
Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
What are some of the causes of unconfessed sin? Let me suggest three:
a. Ignorance
The word ignorance means unlearned. How do we learn about sin? We learn about sin from the Scriptures. Someone said recently that the church today is the most biblically illiterate generation of all time. This statement is true in spite of the fact that we have more Bibles in print that ever before in the history of the church and greater access to the Bible than ever before. How many of you have a Bible app on your phone or pad or computer?
1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
The more we know of God's Word the more sensitive we will be to sin.
b. Indifference
Someone asked this question of a well-known musician. "Is it ignorance or apathy? Hey, I don't know and I don't care. Jimmy Buffett
This would characterize the attitudes of many Christians today.
"We may have found a cure for most evils; but we have found no remedy for the worst of them all, the apathy of human beings." Helen Keller
Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
c. Insensitivity
What can produce this lack or loss of sensitivity in the life of a believer? God uses three things in the life of believer to bring us to a place of repentance from sin and confession of sin.
First, He gave us a conscience. Ideally we want a clear and a clean conscience but when believers violate the dictates of our conscience then we diminish our capacity to know right from wrong. Continual violations will produce a "seared or calloused" conscience incapable of feeling.
Second, there is the convicting power of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. When we sin the Spirit of God will seek to lead us to a place of repentance and confession through reproof or conviction. What happens when we refuse His reproof? We grieve Him and harden our hearts.
Proverbs 29:1 "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck..."
Third, there is the chastening of the Lord. Do you discipline your children when they misbehave? Your heavenly Father does as well. Listen to this passage in Hebrews.
Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
What happens when we rebel against the "chastening" of the Lord? Rebellion is serious with serious consequences. Listen to this last verse on this point:
Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
When believers resist His chastening there are always serious consequences.
III. The Remission of Sin in the Life of a Saint
9 ...he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
a. The character of the Sovereign
Confessed sin is forgiven sin! I can make that statement without fear of contradiction for two reasons. First, God is faithful, to His word and to His nature. He cannot violate His word or His nature and still be God. He is God so He cannot change and to violate either His word or his nature would be to change and therefore prove or reveal that He is not God. When you sincerely and genuinely confess you sins you will be forgiven because He is faithful. Second, you will be forgiven because He is just.
"Not merely the mercy, but the justice or righteousness of God is set forth in the redemption of the penitent believer in Christ. God's promises of mercy, to which He is faithful, are in accordance with His justice." Jamison, Fausset and Brown Commentary
b. The cleansing from sin
The blood that saves us is also the blood that sanctifies us, that cleans us and keeps on cleaning us which is what the verb says in this passage. When we confess our sins, the blood of Jesus is effectual in cleansing us.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
c. The clearing of the saints
The last thing that confession does for the saint is what Paul refers to in his second letter to the church at Corinth as "...clearing of yourselves..." They had sinned but they had repented confessed their wrong and now they were "...clear..." in "...all things..."
2 Corinthians 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
Conclusion: Let's review what this passage teaches us. Do Christians sin? The answer is yes, we do sin. Is there an answer for this sin? The answer is yes again. The fundamental truth is confessed sin is forgiven sin. How is this possible? It is possible through the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us from all sin. May I ask you a question dear Christian friend? If there an unconfessed sin in your life. Remember, this unconfessed sin will rob you of your joy, diminish your testimony, hinder your prayer life, grieve the Holy Spirit and displease your heavenly Father. Have you felt the pangs of conscience, the pricks of conviction and the pain of chastisement? If we are going to walk with God we must be in agreement with God! You may be out of fellowship with God and not even realize it. You have become insensitive to His presence and indifference to His claims and call on your life.
ILL - Sin has become commonplace among God's people. We have become somewhat hardened to it, given the constant exposure we have to it through modern media. Sin is a problem in the life of a Christian, and unconfessed sin will hinder the prayer life of anyone. Consider the following example of a young woman seeking counsel from a pastor's wife. She said, "Jill, I've lost my joy, I've lost my peace, and I want it back." "Where did you lose it?" I asked. "That has nothing to do with this," she replied. "Help me to get it back." "But where did you lose it?" "I don't want to talk about that." But eventually she did talk about it. She lost it when she moved in with her boyfriend. That'll do it. (Jill Briscoe, "Hanging Up Our Faith," Preaching Today, Tape No. 148.)
