This passage of Scripture firmly censures sin and leaves no justifiable reason for it. While this warning notice is frequently deciphered as a litmus test for salvation, John's particular crowd is really Christian believers. Salvation is not a good reason for someone to commit a transgression, since all sin comes from the Devil, not God. Sin generally upsets our walk with God. Furthermore, the people who just walk around in darkness and sin cannot profess to be the children of God.
In verses 4-5:
There is a contrast between committing a wrongdoing and staying in transgression. Indeed, even the most faithful followers of Christ at times may commit a sin, yet they do not love a specific sin and decide to do it. A Christian who commits a wrongdoing will make an atonement, will make an admission of that sin, and is then forgiven of that sin. On the other hand, an individual who stays in sin is not upset nor concerned for what he is doing. Hence, he never admits and never receives pardoning. Such an individual is against God, regardless of the religious cases that he makes.
In the Bible, the individuals who do not know Christ as Savior are designated as those that “work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23). Unbelievers may “outwardly appear righteous” but are “full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:28), and this iniquity (lawlessness) will expand (Matthew 24:12). Lawlessness was related with the people who violated the Law of Moses (the Torah) and as such are sinners.
At any rate, John is denying that the gospel is a permit to sin. Much as Paul does in the books of Romans and Galatians, John demonstrates that a genuine walk with Christ drives an individual to sin less. Sin will be sin, and despite the fact that Christians are equipped for erring, the presence of Christ implies they cannot do as such delicately.
In the Old Testament, a sheep without flaw was presented as a penance for wrongdoing. Jesus is “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Since the life that he lived was perfect and he gave his life as a sacrifice for our sins, we can receive forgiveness (2:2). We will never have to suffer an eternal death and separation because of his death for all humanity (1 Peter 1:18-20).
While the false teachers might contend that Jesus never came as a human, Christians acknowledge that Jesus coming to this world, which is called the incarnation, as a fundamental portion of the faith (John 1:1-14). Jesus had a specific reason for coming to this world. He did not come to just improve us. His central goal was to eliminate the force of sin from our lives. He did as such by addressing the cost of our sinful activities on the cross. Christ's sacrificing himself on the cross is the only way to take care of each wrongdoing, for the last time. John ended verse five with an emphasis that there is no sin at all in Jesus (Hebrews 4:15).
In verses 6-7:
Two significant truths are uncovered in this concise verse. In the first place, John has effectively characterized the people who “abide” as the believers that walk in an association with Jesus Christ. Here, he adds that nobody who persistently sins do so because of a relationship with Christ. The commonplace understanding of this verse is that an individual who consistently sins is an unbeliever. Although a Christian can sin, he must not repeatedly commit sin. While this is conceivable, the particular setting is about the consequences of a relationship with Christ. Genuine fellowship with Christ cannot bring about wrongdoing, this is important for John's guarding against the accusation that the gospel gives individuals a reason to foul up.
The overall setting of this entry, and the remainder of Scripture, is that a Christian is set apart by a changed life. A Christian's life will include some degree of development, known as purification or sanctification, and is relied upon to be recognizably opposite of the life of an unbeliever. Obviously, how much an individual develops in his relationship is dependent upon him, so an absence of spiritual growth is in no means a test for salvation.
Be that as it may, the individual whose life does not alter, who shows no reformation from their previous life, or a differentiation among them and the unbelieving, uncovers that the person has not seen or known Jesus. However, every Christian is undergoing a progression, each Christian’s life should display a perceptible distinction in experiencing a daily existence that turns out to be more similar to Christ. Assuming an individual's life is the same than that of a non-believer, then there is not a great explanation to be certain that they are a genuine believer.
Again, John alludes to his readers as “little children.” It is a term that he involves multiple times in this letter regarding believers. Jesus likewise alluded to his disciples as little children (John 13:33). He is warning them to not be deceived by the false teachers whose spiritual claims were fake and life threatening. For this reason, John uses strong verbiage all through this letter.
A Christian who is genuinely walking with Christ will rehearse what is correct, very much like Jesus did. Eventually, we cannot know for sure the spiritual state of others (1 Samuel 16:7). We may pass judgment on their practices and behaviors. Nonetheless, given the circumstances, there is no compelling reason to pass judgment on another person's salvation. Truth be told, we ought to be cautious with regards to making such decisions in any case. Notwithstanding of what their spiritual state is, in the event that an individual lives in opposition to the lessons of Jesus, they are not in fellowship with God and are not to be paid attention to or followed. False teachers have existed all through the history of the church, even at the time when John composed his letters.
What we have learned is that committing a sin and remaining in sin are two separate issues. For a Christian, even if he knows to do good but he does not do it is considered a sin (James 4:17). Christians should feel the Spirit convict our hearts of any sin in our lives, and when found, we should repent and ask for forgiveness, and turn away from that sin. We are not perfect, and we may sin on a daily basis. However, we should strive not to sin. The only way to remove sin is through the blood of Christ. (James 4:8)
