Tehom-at

Demonic History & The Rites of Exorcism

 

Appendix D: Commentary on Romans and 1 John

 

ictory over Sin is one of the most controversial doctrines in modern Christian history.  Two passages that come up time and again are taken from the books of Romans and 1 John, in an effort by some to maintain their position that “born again Christians sometimes sin deliberately.”  The following two sections are excerpts from past transcripts of the monthly studies I conduct on the internet.  In these two specifically, the books of Romans and 1 John are discussed in great detail.  The sections of the transcripts contain an examination of such relevant chapters as Romans 7 and 1 John 2.

 

Section A: The Book of Romans

 

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Chapter 5 talks about the way salvation works, as we have been seeing. Through Adam, all have come to need a Savior, and through Christ, the "Last Adam," all have obtained the grace of the Father, and may be restored to the image of Yahweh. Chapter 5 ends with the thought, "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Yahshua the Messiah, our Lord." (Rom 5:21)

 

Now we see that life comes to us through "grace," that undeserved gift that most of us saw illustrated during the recent study at [a previous] Camp Meeting. But now Paul takes this idea of grace and runs with it into the next chapter. He begins with an important statement: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Yah forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans 6:1, 2)

 

Paul then gives the reason why sin cannot be present in a believer.  He writes that "[as] many of us as were baptized into Yahshua the Messiah were baptized into His death," (verse 3) and the significance of this is that "our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin: for he that is dead is freed from sin." (Romans 6:6, 7)

 

Those who accept grace take part in Christ's "death" so that we can take part in His resurrection. But by taking part in His death, the part of us that "dies" with Him is the "old man" that sins, the tendency we inherited in Adam to walk after the flesh and not the Spirit. Again, this speaks to mankind's spiritual nature, not merely a biological condition of being susceptible to death. Paul goes into that in more detail with Chapter 8, so we won't touch on it too heavily here.

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But basically, what he lays out in Chapter 6 is the divine principle that frees us from sin. The wages of sin is death, as he writes in the last verse of this chapter, and so we must die. The beauty of salvation is that we may receive the life of Christ in exchange for the life of sin.

 

Chapter 6 is a teaching on this principle, and some other key verses are: "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto Yah through Yahshua the Christ, our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." (verses 11, 12) And, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." (verses 14, 15)

 

Paul is laying out the plan of salvation carefully, gradually. First (beginning with Ch. 1) he takes away the excuse for sin everywhere in the world, then he takes it away especially for those who have already heard the Gospel. Next, he presents the benefits of the truth, showing that it leads to peace, joy, glory, and eventually eternal life. He then explains how it works, that by entering into the hope of the resurrection, you also enter into the death of Christ, and by doing so you become "dead to sin." Being so dead, according to the gift of grace, we are no longer in our "old man" that follows after the flesh.

 

This is the confidence with which Paul then speaks to those whom he would have enter into this death: "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." (Rom 6:19-22)

 

Now, some take passages like this, and say, "Paul is writing to converted Christians, and he says they have yielded to sin, so therefore converted Christians may occasionally sin." But now that we've been looking at Romans as a whole, and seen the progress of Paul's thoughts we can see the flaw in that argument.

 

I do not write letters to [my pastor] saying, "Give your life to Christ." No, he has already done that, and therefore if I write a letter to him it isn't just to waste ink (or electrons). The fact that Paul needed to lay out the Gospel from its very foundations to the Romans indicates that he is trying to instruct those who are ignorant of the facts. The Book is included in the Bible to testify of Christ, and His power in our lives, and the instruction Paul is writing is for those who have "erred from the faith" (as in 1 Timothy

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6:21) that the Apostles taught, either because they never heard the full story, or misunderstood something.

 

Not everyone in the early Church came in understanding all the teachings. In fact, some like Apollos had not understood many things, and some had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 19:2) Aside from that, we see that the members who accepted the admonitions had these yieldings to sin placed strictly in the past, and they are "now ashamed" of their previous actions. Basically, we cannot take instructional letters to congregations and claim that those being instructed are the models for our own understanding in the last days. No, rather we must take the instruction itself and say, "This is the way it is to be." And in Christ, this is the way it is.

 

And now we turn to Romans 7, that greatly controverted chapter. With the foundation of Chapters 1 - 6, and the promise of Chapter 8 and beyond to come, we need only continue the flow of Paul's thought, and we can be assured we will see things in their true light. Romans 7 begins with an often-ignored Time Factor, and we'll go line by line if necessary so we can be sure we have a full understanding.

 

Paul writes, "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man." (Romans 7:1-3)

 

Paul lays out a principle, which will become the foundation for his argument in the rest of the chapter. The principle is this, that according to the law, if a woman enters into union with a man while she already has a husband, she is an adulteress. But, if her first husband has died, she may marry another and be innocent. Now, he takes that and applies it to sin and Christ. He says, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." (verse 4)

 

So Christ is like a "second husband," who longs to have us, but as long as we live by the law of sin and death, we are not free to be joined to Him. As long as we seek to justify ourselves, we are under the authority of the law. As long as we commit known sins, we are under the penalty of the law. Either of these means we are "alive to the law" and joined to it by the nature of our humanity, and we cannot lawfully marry another.

 

And now, having both laid the principle and showed how he applies it to sin and Christ, he sets the stage: "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of

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sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (verses 5, 6)

 

This is the time factor. There are two "times" being referenced Romans 7:

      1) When we were in the flesh, and

      2) When we are delivered from the Law.

 

Tiffany: Can you explain a little more?

 

All right. Verses 5 and 6 point out that there are two "times" being discussed. There was a time when we "were in the flesh," and our sins, which are pointed out as sins by the law "work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death." See that? And in the following verse he points out the second "time," "but now we are delivered from the law." And by being delivered we are dead to it, as if a first marriage was ended. Then, as the principle he uses follows, we are free to marry Christ.

 

Now, I'll quote verse 7, and you will see which of these two times are being expounded in the rest of the chapter: "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.'" (Romans 7:7)

 

This is Paul coming to know the nature of "lust." Paul, as you know, had some very violent tendencies when dealing with the Church before his conversion, but a statement made by Christ Himself to the author reveals that more was going on than was revealed at face value. We read this of Saul's conversion - after he was knocked off his horse by the light from Heaven, "he said, 'Who art thou, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Yahshua whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.'" (Acts 9:5)

 

That expression, "kick against the pricks," was a saying that meant “to offer useless resistance.” Paul's course of action had been one of resistance against the Gospel, and we read of a very real struggle that was going on in Romans 7 until he was delivered from the "old man," or as he terms it there in a later verse, the "body of death."

 

Mark: Paul was in the "flesh" time period.

 

Right, exactly. And we see that expressed even more clearly in the verses that follow. When he accepts the conviction, we read in the following verses: "But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by

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it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." (Rom 7:8 - 12)

 

Now, do you remember what I said before about conversion a little while ago? At conversion we are actually agreeing that the law is binding, because we are admitting that we are guilty of the transgression of the law (sin) and thus need to accept the Savior in order to live. We read in these verses of Paul going through exactly that process. He then says, "Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." (verse 13)

 

This is important, because some might simply say, "Well, if we are convicted of sin by the law, the easiest thing to do is simply get rid of the law, then we won't be guilty." That may be true of some human laws, but Yah's laws frame the entire creation... if you exist in this universe, those laws apply; and there's no changing them. The law is "good" because it points out sin, and in fact it reveals sin in its true light, an offense to a loving God, and a rebellion against His Kingdom.

 

By the way, Paul's reference to the law saying "thou shalt not covet" reveals that he is speaking of the 10 Commandments, not the "law of love" that some say replaced the 10. The Law of Love in the New Testament (Mat 22:40) is the foundation for the Decalogue, and sums it up (Romans 13:9), but it does not replace anything. The law has always existed to show us what sin (expressed in transgression) is, and thus its opposite: love (expressed in righteousness).

 

"Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth." (1 John 2:7, 8) The commandment to love is not new, but old... though John explains it as "new" to us, because the darkness is past, and we are able to receive it in a "new light," so to speak. Thus, it is both "new" and "old," but it is the same as it always was, and we can only truly define "love" in the godly sense by the Commandments through which they are expressed.

 

But now here is where the "trouble" may begin in Romans. The next verse reads, "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin." (Romans 7:14)

 

The question we must now ask ourselves is this: There are two timeframes: 1) When we were in the flesh, and 2) When we are delivered from the Law. To which of these is Paul referring?

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Actually, you can get it right from the statement itself. Paul speaks of the unconverted as being "in the flesh," and those who are converted being "not" in the flesh, as we'll shortly see. But here he says, "I am carnal," which means exactly: "I am of the flesh."

 

Mark: Paul is speaking of the flesh.

 

Right. It can't be any other. He is now speaking using present tense verbs, but this is often the case in the New Testament... so the only way we can be sure is to look at the timeframe being referenced. It should be obvious to us that Paul's statement, "but I am carnal, sold under sin" lets us know without controversy when this takes place. Those who are converted, as he said in verse 6:7, are "freed from sin." Again, remember that he wrote of those who accepted the Gospel, "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." (Rom 6:18)

 

Now, here is where context solves the problem. One who is converted is not "sold under sin." And as I mentioned, Paul says to converts, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit," in the next chapter (Rom 8:9). I gave an example like this to Luke once when we were discussing this chapter: "Yesterday, I got out of bed and went outside. As I open the door, I see that it is a bright day, so I take a walk around the block and go back inside."

 

Mark: There is a term for this sort of narrative using present tense. This form of story telling was common in the Greek language.

 

Right. And I just gave an example in English above. The tense does not establish the "when" of those incidents, but rather the fact that you already know I am speaking about "yesterday."

 

The same thing takes place in Romans 7 - Paul has begun to describe "when we were in the flesh, [and] the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death." And he lets us know exactly when he switches back into present tense... but it hasn't happened yet. He has been speaking all along of the "fruit unto death" as we shall see climaxed way down in verse 25, but at the moment he is just building up to it.

 

"For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 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. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." (Rom 7:15 - 19)

 

Now, here is the matter: If we do not begin with the foundation laid all the way from Chapter 1, through Chapter 6 to get here, these verses cancel out

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all the promises that Christ left us. Paul here is saying, "I have no control, I can't do a thing right, and in fact I don't even know how." But Paul, the very Paul who authored this, says that one of the fruits of the spirit is "temperance," or self-control.

 

Peter tells us that a believer must be "sober" and "watchful." In every book, Christians are exhorted to do good, to perform righteousness; not because this will save them, but because it is our nature in Christ both to do righteousness, and to encourage others to do righteousness. There is verily a change in the nature of man, and we'll talk about that shortly. Hebrews tells us, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Heb 10:24, 25)

 

In my article "The Two Pauls," [1] I make a table of the things Paul says about himself in Romans 7, and the things he says about himself in Romans 8 and other places, where he is talking about life after conversion (and he says so, as we will shortly see). I will include the table with the transcript of this study that I post online, and the differences between Romans 7 Paul and Paul the Convert are glaring.

 

Pre-Coversion Paul (Romans 7)	Post-Conversion Paul (Romans 6, 8, etc.)
Dead in sin (Rom 7:9)	Alive in Christ (Rom 6:10, 8:2, Gal 2:20)
Carnal (Rom 7:14)	Spiritual (Rom 8:4,12; 1Cor 14:37)
Bound to sin (Rom 7:5,23)	Walking after the Spirit (Rom 6:7,18; 8:1, Gal 5:25)
Not in control of himself (Rom 7:16-20)	In control of his actions (Rom 6:12, 1Cor 9:27, Gal 5:23)
Condemned by the Law (Rom 7:7-9)	In harmony with the Law/under Grace (Rom 6:14,8:1; 1Tim 1:8)
In pain of spirit (Rom 7:24)	At peace (Rom 8:6, Phil 4:11)
Feeling guilt/hatred for his actions (Rom 7:15)	With clear conscience (Rom 8:16,9:1; Acts 23:1)
Member of the Body of Sin (Rom 7:24)	Member of the Body of Christ (Rom 6:23, 1Cor 12:27)
Nothing good dwelling in him! (Rom 7:18)	Christ dwelling in him! (Rom 8:9, 2Cor 1:10, Col 1:27, Gal 2:20)

 

In Romans 7, Paul is writing of a miserable state. He has seen that the law convicts him of sin, and the one about covetousness appears to have wounded him most deeply, and he writes, "Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against

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the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." (Rom 7:19 - 23)

 

Kimberly: "The evil which I would not, that I do" would conflict with "be not deceived; he who does unrighteousness is unrighteous," if Paul were speaking literally of his current status.

 

Right.  Also, the concepts of self-control and freedom. So when we read these, again we have to ask ourselves if Paul, who claims that one who has died with Christ is "freed from sin," is now turning around and saying, "But I'm still a captive, because of the law of sin in my body."

 

Now yes, it is possible to take the concept of "freedom" too far, and many have. We'll talk about those very briefly. There are those who, like the ones John had to correct in his letters, had come to believe that in the freedom from sin, they were somehow made holy of themselves.

 

The results of this doctrine took shape in two different ways. First, some came to believe that whatsoever they did was made holy because they were holy. Nothing would corrupt their spirits, because they were "once-saved-always-saved," in an absolute sense, and it was to these John wrote, "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as [God] is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:7, 8) This is the verse Kimberly mentioned.

 

Conversion changes our hearts, and destroys the "works of the devil," both in the world as a whole, and in the lives of the believers. Those who claim to have the faith of Yahshua yet do the "works of the devil" have been deceived and are deceiving themselves.

 

The second way an extreme view of the teaching of this freedom shows itself is similar, but subtly different. Some believe they are elevated to a place spiritually where they cannot be tempted with evil. Thus, whatever they desire to do, they are free to do. The first view makes all things that are evil "good" to the believer; this second view states that only good things come to the believer as opportunities, even if it appears to be evil on the outside. "If I want to do something, it means it must be good."

 

Kimberly: Is there an example of the latter deception in the scriptures?

 

There is an example of teachings against it :) This second view is rebutted by the words of the apostles in such places as this: "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." (1 Peter 4:7) And here in Paul's words: "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into

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subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Corinthians 9:26, 27)

 

Now in 1 Corinthians this is clearly not a "pre-conversion Paul" talking, because the chapter is speaking of his ministry as an apostle - nevertheless, we find that sin still dwells "in the flesh" of a convert; thus the flesh is not made holy until the resurrection/translation, when this Scripture is fulfuilled: "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:52)

 

Kimberly: Oh, I thought of a verse against it: "everyone is tempted" when he is led away by his own lusts... of course a Christian's seed will remain in him. [cf. James 1:14, 1 John 3:9]

 

Right. And we see from the verse in 1 Corinthians that he must, even in his converted state, "bring [his body] under subjection." There is no "holy flesh" until the resurrection or translation.

 

Now returning to Romans 7, where we see Paul struggling with conviction and sin... we next read what appears to be the climax of the narrative: "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Rom 7:24) Those who come to the Cross all have this cry, in one way or another. But, and we must understand this, they do not go away from the cross still crying this.

 

Pastor "Chick": Amen.

 

We read the parable of the two men in the Gospels: "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are: extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me, a sinner.' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:10 - 14)

 

Kimberly: He was self-deceived and absorbed in his own righteousness.

 

The first man, yes. But many, reading this parable, seem to have the second man, the publican, going back to his house still beating his breast - yet Christ says the man was "justified." If we believe that "Yah is no respecter of persons," then we believe that we also became justified when we fell before the Cross and confessed that yes, the law makes us guilty, and yes, the law cannot be changed... therefore yes, I need Christ to save me from this body of death.

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If we have accepted Christ, if we have truly humbled ourselves before Him, we need not continue to cry, "Who shall save me?" No, we begin to rejoice that we have found One who has saved us, who has borne the penalty for our sins.

 

Pastor "Chick": Hallelu-YAH!

 

And this is exactly what Paul does :) He immediately answers his own desperate question. He asks, "Who shall deliver me from this body of death," and immediately he answers: "I thank Yah through Yahshua the Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." (Romans 7:25)

 

Two major teachings are found in this verse:

 

      1) Christ is the One who saves men from the state Paul describes in Romans 7, about that there should now be no question, for we have examined the time in his life of which he has been speaking - a time when he found himself guilty by the law. Conviction had set in most sharply, and he sought in vain to find a way to be made right, for he knew he was condemned. Remember this, because it's important.

 

      2) The principle I mentioned above is expressed even here, that we are not given "new flesh," but a new "mind," or as other verses say, a clean heart and right spirit. (Psalm 51:10) Conversion is a change in the heart and the spirit... from what we once were, to what we become in Christ.

 

The Messiah, who had a perfect spirit and heart, was "in all points tempted like as we are," (Hebrews 4:15) and the reason why should be obvious from Romans 7. It is spelled out in the next chapter. Yahweh sent His Son "in the likeness of sinful flesh," (Romans 8:3) and we read that even for a convert, the flesh is subject to the law of sin.

 

But now it becomes important to understand what it means to say, "with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Does this mean that we continue to commit acts of sin, if with the flesh we serve the law of sin? Again, Paul immediately answers the question - but in order to obtain the answer, we must realize something about the Books of the Bible :)

 

The concept of the chapters and verses in the Scriptures did not occur until relatively recently. In 1227 the Books were placed in chapters for ease of study, and the verses were not added until the sixteenth century. The first publication of a Bible with both chapters and verses in the Old and New Testaments was 1555. It is interesting, and fortunate, that the Jewish scholars submitted to this "Christian" innovation, because it makes it a lot easier for there to be a standard set of divisions now, among all groups that

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use the Bible. But now, this is relevant because we must understand that Paul did not intend for his readers, or hearers, to take a pause at Romans 7:25 - he wouldn't even know what "7:25" meant. We must keep reading.

 

Paul writes, "I thank Yah through Yahshua the Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Yahshua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Yahshua hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 7:25; 8:1, 2)

 

Now, that makes quite a difference. Paul does not leave us with the thought that man, through his flesh, serves the law of sin without qualifying it very carefully. Yes, man's flesh remains sinful until the coming of Christ, but there is no condemnation in spite of this fact... and why? Because, though the flesh exists, and continues to be subject to sin and temptation, we do not "walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit." In other words, we who are converted do not follow the promptings of the flesh, but "walk after" or "conduct ourselves," as the word means, according to the leadings of the Spirit.

 

This is possible, verse 2 says, because Christ has made us free. No, we are not slaves to what the flesh prompts us to do. It is there, and we acknowledge it is there; this is the reason we must be "sober and watch," but at the same time we are confident in the way the Spirit leads us. Notice also that Paul begins chapter 8 with a time factor - "now." There is therefore "now" no condemnation. He has said what he intended about his struggle, he has shown his crying-out for the Savior, and the Savior's answer.

 

Remember, in Romans 7 he was convicted by the Spirit, and was condemned by the "body of death." But now, he directs us to the result... to the life after Romans 7. He changes the timescale again, to speak about what is currently happening in the life of a redeemed human being.

 

Okay, so we have seen Chapter 8:1, 2 speaking of the freedom that is ours when we do accept Christ, and receive a way of escape from condemnation. The "freedom" of which he speaks is that, although we may be in bodies of sinful flesh, in Christ we walk not after that flesh, but after the Holy Spirit by which the Son lives in us. Here the author underscores it: "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (verses 3,4) Here is the end of Paul's struggle.

 

Recall that obedience to the law does not reverse disobedience. What "the law could not do" was make Paul righteous in the sight of the Father, even if he felt guilty, and convicted, and decided to try to obey "through the

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flesh." The law cannot fix what is broken, it can only point out what is whole, and what is corrupt.

 

Luke: It sounds something like what we use doctors for... to diagnose, but never to cure.

 

Ah, that's a good parallel :)

 

Luke: An x-ray can't fix your broken bones... but it can show you what needs to be fixed.

 

Actually, it's a very good parallel. I can't think of the last time doctors really "cured" something. They prescribe treatments that "work on it." But with the laws of health, and prayer, we can get to the cause... and actually cure it.

 

Now, regarding the law... We understand that obedience can't fix what has already been broken. And I quoted Solomon earlier saying that what is crooked cannot be made straight. But our Father, knowing this, and loving us anyway, sent His Son to pay the penalty and fix what was broken. He is the "end of the law for righteousness." (Rom 10:4)

 

Probably the most quoted verse of the Bible lets us know, "For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

 

What the law could not do the Son did, and He condemned sin "in the flesh" by overcoming it through the Spirit. And now, what Paul has been pointing out John says this way: "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." (1 John 2:6) Paul's next few verses point out the importance of understanding this freedom in Christ, freedom from the law of sin in the flesh. It is not "optional" for those who are professing Christianity, for if we do not understand it and accept it, we are not "free" to marry Christ.

 

Paul writes, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:5 - 8) Here, Paul seems to almost adopt the style of his fellow apostle John, and he repeats himself several times, in different ways, because this is a particularly important point, and one that non-victorious Christians have overlooked or diluted.

 

Those who are in the flesh do the "works of the flesh." Those who are in the Spirit have the "fruit of the Spirit." Christ said, "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." (Mat 7:18) And a short while later He presents us this very choice: "Either make the

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tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit." (Mat 12:33)

 

After telling us the truth about this, that those who follow the promptings of the flesh cannot please the Father, Paul says something very significant: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Romans 8:9) Although Paul just spent some time explaining that Christians still have a sinful flesh, he now says, "but ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit." This isn't a contradiction :) The answer was found back in Romans 6, where Paul says, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Yahshua the Messiah, our Lord." (Rom 6:11)

 

In the same way, the principle is used when Paul writes, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) You remember the example of Abraham in Romans 4? Abraham could not "see" how Yah's promise would be fulfilled... but he believed the promise anyway. In the same way, we may "see" that we are in the flesh, but nevertheless we walk after the Spirit. "The just shall live by faith." (Rom 1:17b, Gal 3:11b) The place where that passage appears in 2 Corinthians is very important, by the way, because in that same chapter he writes, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor 5:17)

 

Can you see how there is one consistent thought here, throughout Romans and into his other letters?

 

Pastor "Chick": The doctrine is "Rock solid".

 

Yes.   It appears in some form or another in just about every epistle.

 

And we can establish it still further in Romans 8. This idea of faith vs. sight has wide applications to the victory and beyond. We are not "in the flesh," although to our sight it is obvious. Where our true life and being is, is in the Son, and we live according to His Spirit and not the flesh. This is the same argument Paul used before the philosophers in Athens, saying, "That they should seek Yahweh, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'" (Acts 17:27, 28) The focus was different but the idea is the same - through Christ we live, no matter who we are; but in the convert specifically, this life is poured out most abundantly and transforms us by His Spirit into His image.

 

Continuing, we read, "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised upYahshua from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ

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from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." (verses 10, 11)

 

Again, if we have entered into His death, and like Him have considered the body dead, we die to sin, and perform it no more. Then, when this operation of grace is accomplished, we have the assurance that the same loving Father who raised Christ from the dead so raises us, and thus we have everlasting life. "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (verses 12 - 15)

 

Here is a hard saying to many these days, and it points out that the way is indeed strait and narrow. The world of Christianity is full of people who say, "But the flesh overcomes me from time to time," or "We all fall short." Paul tells us that those who are led by the Spirit of God are His sons - and not anyone else. While the argument might be attempted that a Christian can be led by the Spirit sometimes, and the flesh other times, what did Christ say? "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." (Mat 7:18) There is a choice all men must make: Will they be a good tree or a corrupt tree? Will they continue as they were, in the oldness of the man of sin, or will they die (through the grace of Christ) and be reborn as those who walk after the Spirit?

 

There is a death between the two - so how can one resurrect the "man of sin" every now and then?

 

Kimberly: Yahshua will not be joined to a harlot. If we are still alive to the law we are not married to Yahshua.

 

Right, not to a harlot... or to a "zombie." Adventists and some others understand that the "dead know not anything," (Ecclesiastes 9:5) therefore it is impossible to say that we are alive sometimes and dead sometimes... no, conversion is a more powerful thing than that. "Old things are passed away [dead]; behold, all things are become new."

 

We are almost finished... but there are a few things that are key remaining in Romans 8. The next few verses continue to draw a sharp contrast between the Romans 7 mindset and the freedom found after Christ delivers us from the body of death. We see a widening chasm between the pre- and post-conversion Paul. He writes, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 'Abba, Father.'" (verse 15) And again, "Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (verse 21)

 

Now, don't let the "shall be delivered" trip you up either :) Paul is not saying we must wait to be delivered from the commission of sins. The next

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verse says, "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (verse 22) What the apostle is talking about here is the pain that comes from the consequences of sin. Though we walk in the Spirit now (as the first half of the chapter says repeatedly) we must still wait to "see" the ultimate deliverance, when the sinful flesh is shed, and we are fitted for Heaven.

 

The proof of this comes in the next verse: "And not only they [the elements of all creation], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." (verse 23)

 

Now we can be assured our understanding is correct. Our lives are ordered after the spirit now. We are set free from sin now. We are the Sons of Yahweh now, and we do not commit known transgressions. But yes, we are still awaiting something, we are still groaning for something - "the redemption of our body." This is the "blessed hope" of the Christian, and while we claim it in faith, we look for it with an "earnest expectation" when Christ shall return according to His precious promises. "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" (verse 24)

 

But while we wait, the rest of Chapter 8 is quick to encourage. We may desire a better thing in the resurrection, but this does not mean we are not content now. Paul writes, "But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of Yah. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love Yahweh, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Rom 8:25 - 28)

 

Let me briefly summarize what it says, because its wording can be difficult. Yes, we are awaiting something, but we are not left alone in our hope. We have the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which gives us all we need, even if we do not rightly know what to ask for. (This is not a teaching on unknown tongues, we just need to look at the flow of thought in Romans.) You see, we have this confidence that even though there must be a delay, even though there must be trials in the meanwhile, all things work for us, and not against us, because we love the Father who permits these trials, and we are called according to His purpose, which we learn from Jeremiah 29:11 is "an expected end," or "the ending you are hoping for."

 

The next passage in Romans 8, and that continues into Romans 9 and 10, is the subject of "predestination" which is a study all of its own :) We won't get into that now... but the basics of it as it relates to this topic is that we who have accepted Christ are the "very elect," the chosen ones of the

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Almighty. Some say that humans have no real choice in the matter, and that those who were "predestined" for life from the beginning are saved no matter what they do, and those who are "predestined" for death are doomed even if they seem to accept the Gospel.

 

We can discuss that in another study if anyone would like, perhaps, but it is sufficient for now to point out that Peter says, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." (2 Peter 1:10) Yah is no respecter of persons, and desires that all should be saved. Therefore, His "predestination" is not arbitrary... He doesn't just pick a random sample of humans, but He calls them His "elect" based upon their faith, if they are foreknown (Rom 8:29) to accept the gift He offers them by grace.

 

Now it is true, He does select "nations," such as those represented by Jacob and Esau, due to no actions of their own. This is what connects to Paul's earlier statements about Jews and Gentiles... And this is what Paul discusses in Romans 9 and 10, yet some apply that to individuals, which the author never intended should be done - and that is how they run into problems with verses like Romans 9:13.

 

But for the elect individuals, now, it is their responsibility (again through faith) to make their "election sure." We are not destined for Heaven regardless of what we do - that is to say, if we commit wicked acts, it shows we are not destined for heaven. Rather we who are destined for Heaven walk after the Spirit, and by doing so we will never fall or even fear failure. Remember, we are given a spirit of "adoption" or acceptance, and not a spirit of fear.

 

And finally I will conclude with Paul's own words, for the last few verses of chapter 8 could not be stated in a better way by anything I may think to comment, then we will briefly review before we close:

 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, 'For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of Yahweh, which is in Christ Yahshua our Lord." (Romans 8:35 - 39)

 

So to review briefly as we close, Paul begins in Chapter 1 by speaking of the Gospel, and that Yah's influence in humanity has existed among all people by His Spirit; therefore those who fall into sin are without excuse. In the next chapter, he stresses that those who have had the advantages of hearing the Gospel are in a worse state than even the heathen being

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discussed, for they know what the Almighty considers "good" and "evil"; thus they enter into great condemnation if they agree with the principles but do not keep them. In this, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile.

 

Chapter 3 speaks to the hopelessness of the "natural man," but begins to introduce the topic of faith, through which even fallen humans may be made right. Then Chapter 4 goes into more detail, pointing out the superiority of faith over works, using Abraham as an example. At the very end, he speaks of Christ, who according to the symbol of Isaac, "was raised again for our justification." (Rom 4:29) Chapter 5 continues to speak of Christ (and I am just now beginning to appreciate how smoothly the topics in Romans flow), explaining that though all are guilty of sin in one man (Adam), so all may be made free in the obedience of One (Christ). We go from guilt under the law, to redemption in Christ, and then onward in victory.

 

Chapter 6 speaks of this victory, saying that in grace we do not continue in the sins that characterized our time under the guilt of the law, and in fact "God forbid" that we should sin, for "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (6:2) By the death of Christ, Chapter 6 tells us, we also enter into His death so that we may enter into His eternal life, and that entrance into His death renders us free from the works of the flesh, from the commission of sin.

 

Chapter 7, where we spent some time, shows the dramatic difference between one under the condemnation of the law, and one free from Christ through faith. The table I include with the transcript shows just how different these two times and experiences are. Paul's experiences in Romans 7 are entirely incompatible with his experience as a convert and an apostle, and he gives us without room for controversy the setting of which he speaks: "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death." (Romans 7:5)

 

But now we are "delivered" as 7:6 points out, and after tracing through the process of conversion for us, he goes on to Chapter 8, where there is no condemnation. Though we may have sinful flesh until the return of Christ, we consider it dead already by faith, and walk after the Spirit, letting It be our guide and the way by which we order our lives. Those who do this are the "Sons of God" and have a share in that final, everlasting inheritance. We may have confidence in our election, Paul writes in Romans 8, for we were not chosen randomly, but because we have a calling to endure to the end, and our boast is not in our own merits but in the promises of Christ, from whom nothing – not tribulation, or trial, or famine, hunger, thirst or the sword – nothing can separate us from His love.

 

And finally: because our Father loves us, we are indeed "more than conquerors." If we believe this, and if we speak this in faith, we will all be a part of the Redeemed on that day when the faith becomes sight, and the last

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expectation is met; when our bodies also are reclaimed and we are fully restored to the image of our Creator from which we fell so very tragically, so very long ago.

 

Section B: The Book of 1 John

 

[Start of the transcript]

 

This meeting will be somewhat similar to our last one. In our last meeting we looked at the book of Romans, and we went from chapter 1 all the way through chapter 8, seeing how Paul's thoughts developed to point out the power of the Gospel, and the true Victory message.

 

This week we are going to be looking at another book, 1 John, which some have considered to contain "difficult" verses in regard to the meaning of the Gospel.

 

Now, last month we went through eight rather long chapters, and so we had to move rather quickly, and even then it took us a while. It is my hope that since 1 John has only 5 chapters, and those a little shorter, we can move a little more carefully, cover ground in some more detail, and handle any relevant questions that may come to mind. Let me begin, then, with John's first words of the epistle.

 

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life, (for the life was manifested, and we have seen It, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us). 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 Yahshua the Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." (1 John 1:1 - 4)

 

Here the apostle writes down his intention for the letter. John's epistle, like several others in the New Testament, is called a "general" epistle, because it is not written to a specific congregation like, for example, Paul's letter to the Galatians. This is a document that deals with eternal truths, that deals with the nature of the Godhead, the Father and Son, and that deals with their working in our lives.

 

John writes, he says, that the joy of his readers may be full, and we will see from the errors that he attempts to correct in this book that there was reason, perhaps, for the uncertain and fearful to be concerned about their joy. We will talk about the errors he is rebutting as we go along.

 

But notice John's claim to authority - this is an important idea. He writes, "that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you." That is a powerful statement. It lets us know that John does not consider his thoughts

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mere opinions of a man, or a guess, or a doctrinal position – it is something he has seen and experienced for himself.

 

It is often the case in evangelism for the Church that people will tell us, "But you can't really be teaching that you live without sin... don't you know, everyone sins?" Such things we cannot help but see as foolishness, because the things we declare unto them, the Gospel of Christ and freedom from the death and pain of sin, these are things we have "seen and heard" for ourselves.

 

We have an example we sometimes use of someone who shares with you a recipe for a cake, and then you ask them the reasonable question, "So is this cake any good?" If they reply, "I don't know, I have never tried it," that's not quite a response that inspires confidence. But we can be confident in John's words here if we put faith in his testimony, that he has seen and heard the things he is describing.

 

Next John goes into his initial topic: "This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that Yahweh is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:4) Now what does this mean? I will ask you, who may be familiar with this passage, what are some of the applications of this teaching that "Yahweh is light, and in Him is no darkness at all?" Let's talk about that general idea for a while.

 

Luke: That when He lives in us we likewise have no darkness, but light, in His image.

 

That is one of the applications that can be drawn from those words, yes :) I see at least two, and they should both be obvious for those who attended the last Camp Meeting, where we saw from The Two Temples [2] that the statement "ye are the temple of the living God" has both an individual and a corporate application. Similarly, the fact that the "temple of God" has nothing to do with idols (as Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 6) has two meanings for us; and that teaching is based on the same concept.

 

Barbara: That we, as individuals have no idols, and that the Body of Christ allows no idols within it. So, there is no darkness in either.

 

Right.  Paul deals with one meaning, when he says, "'Wherefore come out from among them [false teachers], and be ye separate,' saith Yahweh, 'and touch not the unclean; and I will receive you,'" (2 Cor 6:17) and John deals with another in this letter we are studying. Again, the principle is the same in both.

 

Crystle: Can you explain what you are meaning by both an individual and a corporate application?

 

I will.

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Paul's meaning was that believers should not fellowship with unbelievers, at least not on a regular basis and in a position where they can be fed leaven. This is the "corporate" sense. John's meaning of the same principle deals with the "temple of God" on an individual level, and the next two verses point this out.

 

Here is that previous verse, and then the ones following it, put together to flow smoothly: "This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that Yahweh is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth; but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Yahshua the Messiah, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:5 - 7)

 

So both Paul and John acknowledge that Yah is light, and in Him is no darkness at all, and that we, as His temple, must have no intimate union with darkness, for the two (darkness and light) are opposites. Paul applies this to Church fellowship and membership, and John applies it mostly – on an individual level – to sin.

 

If we claim to be Christ's yet walk in darkness, and continue in sin, "we lie and do not the truth." This teaching is vitally important to the very next verse, and so we must be sure we understand exactly what John is getting at before we move another step forward.

 

Crystle: I have a question.

 

Go ahead.

 

Crystle: So... does that mean that those that we are helping we should not have much association with them if they walk in darkness?

 

Paul talks about this a bit more, saying he isn't telling us to avoid all sinners, because we would have to leave the world to do that. But if one calls himself a "brother" or a convert/Christian, and yet commits sin, then with such a one do not even eat. [1 Cor 5:9 - 11]

 

Is that helpful?

 

Crystle: Okay... that does help some.

 

All right.

 

Luke: I have a question now...

 

Luke: It stems from your last answer; does the same distinction apply today, regarding not eating with people who call themselves Christians

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while sinning? Or has the responsive action been lessened with the gospel being less known among "Christians"?

 

Well, at our feasts we have certainly "eaten" with people who called themselves Christian while sinning. In an evangelistic sense, that is - when trying to reach them, the only way to do that is to associate with them. But I think Paul there is talking about open, unrepentant sinners who have shown from their conduct that they are not trying to "learn" anything. I can't imagine that meal would be anything but unpleasant anyway.

 

Again, speaking of our feasts, we have seen people who have been unwilling to learn packing up and leaving. They didn't want to eat with us :)

 

Luke: What about those whose conduct shows they are not trying to learn anything, but they are not quite open unrepentant sinners?

 

If they are not trying to learn, they are "unrepentant." Maybe not forever, but certainly for the time being.

 

Here we see, at least on a general level, that there is to be a difference between those who walk in darkness and those who walk in light. And internally, one who is "in Christ" cannot be "in darkness" at the same time. This is a theme John repeats many times throughout the course of this letter. So here is that next verse, and it is often a great stumbling block for many who do not do as we have done with Romans and now with 1 John, read for principle and read in context. In fact, let's look at it with the two that follow it to close out chapter 1. We will then be 20% through our study.

 

John writes, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (1 John 1:8 - 10)

 

Some will take verse 8 by itself: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." They will then say, "See, you cannot claim to be free from sin, because if you do the truth is not in you." Further they will argue, "Verse 9 says 'If we confess our sins,' meaning that a converted Christian must still have sins to confess!" And then they dismiss us, being assured that they are right.

 

You see, they have not read deeply, nor are they aware of John's intention or his style of writing. Anyone reading John's writings will take note of the fact that he repeats himself almost compulsively. His very first words to readers of the Bible are these: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:1 - 3)

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And so you see, John is consistent with this style of teaching. He will say something, say it again, and then say it in a different way, just to make sure we do not miss his point. The same holds true not only for this, his Gospel, but also his epistles, and the Revelation. In fact of that last book, there have been many mistakes made by those who attempt to read Revelation linearly... they do not understand that John is giving portions of the same vision several times, in several different ways, just as Daniel did.

 

Now, that is relevant to 1 John in this way: When John says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us," he is not introducing a new thought. Rather he is repeating his point from the verses before: "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth." I will give additional evidence of this shortly, but for now I just want to point out that understanding John's style makes this abundantly clear, as will reading the first two chapters of 1 John without taking a break. And then of course there is the history of his audience. This is also important for understanding verse 8.

 

John is writing, as all good commentaries point out, to Christian communities that are under attack by a heretical teaching known as Gnosticism. I covered this in a previous study, but a brief recap here might be good.

 

Gnostics believed, among other things, that Christ had not actually come "in the flesh," but that He was an illusion of God designed to teach us "good" principles. They did not believe that He actually died on the Cross, or that He truly suffered, but gave us a "show" of what sin does. The reason for this is that Gnostics taught that all flesh was evil by its very nature.

 

This is similar, but not the same, as Paul's teaching that sin dwells in the flesh. (Romans 7:18) Christians believe that the body was created pure and holy, but that through sin it became degraded and now there dwells within it a tendency to evil. This does not change at conversion, but at conversion we receive the Holy Spirit, and as we order our lives after the Spirit we "shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16) "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Rom 8:13)

 

Now, Gnostics believed that the flesh, in fact the entire physical world, was created evil. In fact, it was created by a secondary, evil deity known as the "Demiurge," and that it, and all its creations, are at war against the true, unknown, god of love. The consequence of this is that those Christians who were being misled by these beliefs were coming to the conclusion that whatsoever they did in the body was not important. As long as their spirits were "saved" the things they did in the body did not matter.

 

If that sounds familiar, it should be - it was reincarnated in the Catholic Church by Augustine. It was actually rejected by Catholics as being untrue,

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but it was picked up again by some of the Reformation groups, and we see it today in such teachings as "Once Saved Always Saved" type of salvation.

 

What it did back in John's day, however, was to get Christians to be less aware of the extreme "sinfulness of sin," and so they were walking in darkness, in error, sometimes in open sin, yet claiming to have fellowship with God, because: "I'm only human/physical, and my flesh forces me to sin."

 

All right. Now John says here: if we claim to be a child of God, yet we commit sin, we are deceiving ourselves. More important than that, perhaps, John says we make God a "liar." For one thing, inspiration tells us that, "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23) so obviously, if we claim to have never sinned, we make God a liar.

 

But what about those who commit known sins while calling themselves Christians? They may acknowledge that they once sinned, but they continue to claim sinful actions and habits after they have been saved. You notice I added the word "known" in there. This corresponds to "walking" in darkness. John does make a distinction between known and unknown sins, but not until a later chapter - you see again the importance of not building a doctrine based on single verses, but on complete, inspired thoughts.

 

Now, to clarify this matter about calling Yah a liar... Paul tells us, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" (Rom 6:1 - 3) And again, the truth of the Gospel is stated plainly in the words of Christ, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:34, 36)

 

If we claim to be of the Son, yet we testify that we are NOT "free indeed," we make Him a liar. If we say, "I'm free in my spirit, but my flesh still causes my body to actually sin," we separate the spirit from the flesh - and you know what happens with the spirit is separated from the flesh?

 

Luke: Death.

 

Right. Death follows. Now, the flesh and the Spirit may be at war, but they are not two persons dwelling in one flesh. I wrote an article called "The Two Pauls" that I refer to every now and then, but both Pauls were not alive at the same time :) One had to die for the other to come in.

 

So then, if we say, "I am saved in my spirit, but I continue to do known wrongs," we can be sure we have been influenced by this very old error.

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Kimberly: I have heard people claim to be "free" while admitting to committing known sins from time to time.  When you confront them they call you a liar, and plead that they truly are free and that they are not the ones who are deceived... at least that has been my experience. It condemns Heaven's testimony against them. [It is] very dangerous to judge Yah.

 

Yes... this is "Babylon," confusion, where death does not really mean death, freedom from sin does not really mean freedom, and victory does not truly mean victory.

 

That is "another tongue," and one not acceptable in Heaven. But the truth is not confusing. In fact, if John truly meant, "no human can ever claim to be without sin" of even a known kind, we have a problem. The Bible records the words of men who have said just such a thing, and have been confirmed in their faith by Heaven.

 

Daniel said to the king of Persia, "My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt." (Daniel 6:22)

 

Daniel claimed to be innocent in the eyes of a most holy Father. "And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, 'Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.'" (Acts 23:1) David also said, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee," (Psalm 119:11) remembering that the word "might" there is actually stronger than it sounds in the English version here.

 

We thus see from both the Bible as a whole, and John's immediate setting and intention, that 1 John 1:8 cannot possibly be used as a refutation of the Victory message, and in fact John is one of the strongest advocates OF the Victory two chapters later. A Christian confesses his sins when he finds them, when he becomes aware that something is sin; this is true sanctification. If John's readers became convinced he was right, and turned away from the Gnostic errors, they would have to confess their sin.

 

Let's move on to chapter 2, because we will have a chance to discuss 1 John 1:8 again in chapter 3.

 

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, 'I know him,' and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." (1 John 2:1 - 6)

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1 John 2:1 presents another apparent "problem" if it is taken without regard for John's consistent theme. He says, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

 

Many, many translations, and all traditions of human origin, change the meaning, if not the actual wording, of this passage and declare, "John writes to say we are not supposed to sin, BUT if any man sins, we have Christ to take us back."

 

The mercy of Christ is well known to His people, and it is undoubtedly true that Yahweh is a forgiving God - but is that John's meaning here? The word "And," is a Greek word kai, and it is never, in my accounting, translated as "but." The meaning given in Strong's is, "apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force." In other words, it not only joins two arguments, but can strengthen the first with the second.

 

It cannot have the meaning "but." The word for "but" in Greek is de and again, this word is never in my readings translated "and." Some words in Greek DO overlap somewhat in meaning, but kai and de do not. Kai is never used to make an exception to what comes before, or to weaken an argument already made - its use is the opposite, to make stronger those things that came before it, or to add similar items to a list. If anyone, while studying this, ever comes across an exception to this, please let me know, I would be quite interested in seeing it.

 

But now, what does John mean? It may help to realize that the phrase "that ye sin not" is in a tense of Greek that is either translated as a simple past tense, or a past perfect tense. To simplify, it is the same word and tense used by Paul when he writes, "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

 

We see there what it means by looking at the way the word is used in other verses. John is actually saying, and without contradiction, "I write to you so that you do not sin (now), and (not but) if any man has sinned, we have an Advocate with the Father," one who restores us to our relationship with Him, and sets us on the path of righteousness.

 

The rest of that first part of 1 John 2 gives further evidence for our reading of 1 John 1:8; John repeats his theme again and yet again - those who claim to be without sin, if they are breaking the commandments, deceive themselves, and the truth is not in them. This is, by definition of the commandments and "sin," true.

 

Verses 12 to 14 let us know that John is speaking to both young and old, to "children" and to "fathers," that they may know their sins have been forgiven, though they may have accepted the leaven of the Gnostics, erring

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from the faith. He appeals to them on the basis that "ye have known the Father," (verse 13) and "ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." (verse 14) He says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15) In this and the next two verses, he argues for the superiority of faith over worldliness and worldly ideas, and we see from his previous verses that, like Paul, he is persuaded better things of his readers. (Hebrews 6:9) Though they may have been in error, he is confident they will hear his words and repent.

 

John then gets more specific in the last part of the second chapter. He writes of those who are attempting to mislead the congregations, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." (verse 18) A couple verses later he lets us know exactly who he is talking about: "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Yahshua is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also." (1 John 2:22, 23) Let me know when you've finished reading.

 

In these verses John speaks about those who have been misrepresenting the Godhead: the Father and the Son. To deny one is to deny the other, and there were those who were saying that Yahshua was not the Christ, was not the Son and, as we will see in chapter 4, that He had not truly come in the flesh.

 

Of course, many were saying that Yahshua was not the Messiah at all. Some who accepted Him as the Messiah did not see Him as the divine, uncreated Son of the Most High. And some, while they accepted Him as both Messiah and Son, denied that He came in the flesh. Here are three errors, progressively more subtle, each one a little closer to the truth - but as we read with some satisfaction, the apostles could not let errors go unrebuked.

 

It didn't matter how slight the mistake, if it was a mistake it could not be comfortably overlooked. Paul wrote that the Church was to be "holy and without blemish," (Ephesians 5:27) and that its members "be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Cor 1:10) Yes, there is room for individual freedom and differences of opinion in matters of conscience and preference, but as far as the pillars of our faith go, and the foundations of the truth, the slightest deviation could lead to a loss of souls - and while the apostles would never take a sword (literal or judicial) to punish heretics, they would use the "sword of the Spirit" to appeal to the hearts and souls of their members setting their feet once again upon the Rock.

 

The rest of Chapter 2 is John's solemn appeal to his listeners to stand fast in the message they have heard from the beginning - one of victory over sin, of the sufferings of Christ on Calvary, of the infinite sacrifice paid on our

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behalf. He concludes, "And now, little children, abide in Him that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him." (1 John 2:28, 29)

 

1 John 3 opens with a wonderful thought: "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." (1 John 3:1) Then he tells us what this means to us, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure." (verses 2, 3)

 

This is an amazing teaching... we may not know the full measure of Christ with our minds' eyes... we may not grasp the fullness of His purity, but because of our faith, we have confidence that when He appears, we will be just like Him - our characters will match "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13) And because we have this confidence and hope, we are motivated to purify ourselves. Knowledge of Yah's character is the same as a perfect hatred of sin, and it is our natural process in the Christian walk to put away all known wrong. Christ in us, by His Spirit, is both the power and the desire to be pure.

 

John brings this home forcefully with his next few verses: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him." (verses 4 - 6)

 

This in no way contradicts 1 John 1:8 or 2:1. Indeed, it completes their thoughts, if they are rightly understood. John does not in one place say, "We can never claim to be without sin," or, "A Christian will sometimes sin," and then say, "Christ came to take away our sin, and those who abide in Him do not sin."

 

Kimberly: Alright.

 

We cannot make Christ a liar by claiming to be His while sinning, but just as bad as that is this: claiming that He did not really take away our sin. If we are His, He has taken away our sin, and if we do sin, John says, it means we have not yet truly known Him.

 

Again John reminds his audience of the Gnostic error facing the Church in his day with these words, "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For

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this purpose the Son of Yah was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:7, 8)

 

Let no man deceive you. A Gnostic would claim to be "saved" although his works are unrighteous; in these last days, so do nominal Christians. But let no man deceive you.

 

And here is a big verse for Christ's people: "Whosoever is born of Yah doth not commit sin; for His Seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (1 John 3:9)

 

Let's spend a little time here, though we will not spend as much on some of the other verses we read. Who is "His Seed"?

 

Luke: Yahshua.

 

Right. And how does He abide in us?

 

Luke: By His Spirit.

 

Do you have any verses come to mind when considering this?

 

Luke: Peter, when he says we are not born of corruptible seed but incorruptible. [1 Peter 1:23]

 

That is a good one, yes. And the one I thought of was Galatians 2:20 - "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

 

Even those who do not believe in the victory over sin acknowledge that 1 John 3:9 is "troublesome" to those who wish to say we can both sin and be in Christ. I did some reading in my library at school, various commentators on 1 John. They say some interesting things.

 

One writer states, "in 3:6, 9 John describes Christians as 'not able to sin.' Both the verb ('to be able') and the infinitive ('to sin') appear in the present tense. It is useful to outline these verses carefully since they can be difficult in most English translations. Using this interpretation John may well be emphasizing that ongoing, habitual sin should find no place in the believer's life." That is John M. Burge in his NIV Application Commentary: Letters of John.

 

Kimberly: Romans 8:10.

 

Luke [Quoting Romans 8:10]: "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."

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That is true, but here this commentator is outlining the "common" view, that the verse means that a Christian will not "continue" in sin. Now look at what he adds after saying that: "But a number of interpreters have outlined problems with this view." He describes some of these, saying that there are some irregularities in the way John uses tenses, and that "even IF John does indeed affirm that Christians will indeed sin, still, he is making a strong case for the holiness of the believer."

 

A little later on, the author confesses that he has had trouble with the verse, saying it might be a "paradox" of the Christian experience. I found several inconsistencies in the commentaries as they attempted to make this verse "fit" their salvation-in-sin theology - unfortunately we haven't the time to go into that too much. But take note of this: the reason he gives for his trouble is the same reason all the other commentators I found give. They have not had the experience, therefore it "cannot be true" just as it reads.

 

This writer I quoted above says, "we will have to ask ourselves how closely this teaching squares with the practical realities of Christian life." [Emphasis mine] That quote raised my eyebrows... but sadly it is the rule, and not the exception, that men will judge the Bible by their experiences, and not their experiences by the Bible.

 

Pastor "Chick": "Let no man deceive you..."

 

Right. Exactly.

 

The interpreters know exactly what this verse teaches, and only because of their traditions do they try to find ways around the realization: "I still sin - I am not a Christian!" Hearing they would hear, and seeing they would perceive, and they would be converted, and seek out the people of Christ.

 

In the remaining portions of the Chapter, John points out that you can use this knowledge, that "whosoever is born of Yah doth not commit sin" to determine who our teachers should be, and with whom we should have fellowship:

 

"In this the children of Yah are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of Yah, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." (verses 10, 11) One cannot claim to "love" in a godly sense, and still "sin." There can be no communion of light and darkness, and those who are of the darkness are not of the light - not even a little bit.

 

Certainly hidden, "small," sin is as dangerous as open sins like murder. For example... some say, "But they teach a lot of good things at that Church." That may well be true. Every church organization I can think of is "right" to a very large degree, some more than others. But the Bible says, "To the law

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and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah 8:20)

 

We see here that, according to this test, it doesn't say there is a "little" light in them, or "some" light in them... it says NO light. They may have some of the teachings right, some of the words correct, but of light, if they are not of Yah completely, they have none at all.

 

The world will hate us, as Cain hated Abel, because we do the will of our Father. And though they may not kill us literally, as Cain did, John assures us that we are equally justified with Abel who WAS actually slain, for "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." (verse 15)

 

John closes out the chapter with a strong set of principles about the power of love. It is not "in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." (verse 18) This is how we love, and James confirms it, saying, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, 'Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled,' notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" (James 2:15, 16)

 

As chapter 3 closes, we see a couple important points being raised. Sometimes, even when we are doing the right thing, our heart may condemn us... John may have been writing verses 21 - 24 to tell those he is correcting that righteousness does not always seem pleasant for the time being. This is a direct rebuke to the Gnostics, who thought it was okay to do whatever "felt" good, since they were bound for paradise anyway.

 

Abraham did not enjoy climbing the mountain to sacrifice his son. Christ did not like the thought of being nailed to the Cross. But Yah is stronger than our hearts, and if our hearts do not condemn us, meaning that our feelings are in accord with the principles of truth, then we are encouraged, and may have confidence in what we do.

 

Of course, we must act from principle whether our feelings are in accord or not, yet Yah's desire for His people is not to have them be in emotional hardship all the day long - He gives us His "Comforter" that we may be drawn to Him with bands of love.

 

Chapter 4 gets more specific as to the nature of the deceptions facing the Church back then. John writes, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of Yah: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of Yah: Every spirit that confesseth that Yahshua the Messiah is come in the flesh is of Yah: And every spirit that confesseth not that Yahshua the Messiah is come in the flesh is not of Yah: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have

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heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (1 John 4:1 - 3)

 

 

Some people have done interesting things with this passage. Just like 1 John 1:8, they take it out of context, they use it in a universal sense and say, "Now I have a way to test every prophet and teacher." But we well know, many false teachers and false prophets freely say, "Jesus is come in the flesh." That is not a test of every heresy, but of the error John was specifically addressing. If we think everyone who can say the words, "Jesus is come in the flesh" is of Yah just because his or her tongue works... we are heading for a world of trouble. Sadly, some people have told me they believe this...

 

Now, we can tell false teachers and false prophets of Gnosticism with this test, and this is the only application John has in mind. No doubt, the principle to "try the spirits" is useful against every error and in every age, but the test will not always be the same. If someone comes up to me and says, "Purgatory is a Biblical doctrine... and Jesus Christ has come in the flesh." He has passed the test of 1 John 4, yes... but he is still a false teacher. I can test his spirit by other means, and I can certainly test his doctrine by the "Law and the testimony."

 

Kimberly: I have heard people say they believe that Messiah came in the flesh...but then they will talk from the other side of their mouth and speak theology that undermines that principle.

 

That's very true.

 

Chapter 4 is really a wonderful chapter, full of encouragement and faith. We won't spend a lot of time here, but I encourage all of you to read it. In this chapter we find, for example, John saying, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (verse 4) And, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." (verse 7)

 

Verse 12 is another that has caused questions in some minds. It is written, "No man hath seen Yah at any time. If we love one another, Yah dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us." (1 John 4:12)

 

That is a useful one against Mormon theology, and it is a wonderful promise, but some ask about Moses and Abraham and the prophets, all of whom claim to have seen Yah. The answer to this one is found in the words of the prophets themselves.

 

Though it is written that Moses spoke with Yah "face to face," (Exo 33:11) we find that this was an indication that he spoke with a representation of

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Yah as Abraham did on the plane of Mamre, (Genesis 18:1, 2) for when Moses asked to see Yah in His full and true glory, the Almighty responded, "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live." (Exo 33:20)

 

Further evidence of this may be found from the other prophets, who wrote as Ezekiel, "And above the firmament that was over [the Cherubim's] heads was the likeness of a Throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the Throne was the likeness as the appearance of a Man above upon It." (Ezek 1:26)

 

When the prophets saw Yah, they saw a likeness, an appearance. They saw a representation of Him, even as Christ is called "the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person," (Heb 1:3) who declared "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father." (John 14:9)

 

Luke: I have one...

 

Go ahead, Luke.

 

Luke: Daniel seemed to go into detail about the "Ancient of Days"; was that a representation?  What was he seeing, if not the Father?

 

What verse is that?

 

Luke: [Daniel] 7:9-10.

 

Okay. The "Ancient of Days" is the Father... for it is written, "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him." In 7:9 Daniel has a vision of Yah on His throne, much as John did in Revelation.

 

Luke: Right; 9-10 describes the Ancient of Days.

 

Right. It is like Stephen seeing the Son sitting on the right hand of the Father :) Like Ezekiel, they saw a likness of Him when in vision. In fact, there are several parallels between the visions of Daniel and Ezekiel: the wheels, the fiery throne, etc.

 

Does that answer your question?

 

Luke: Yes, thanks.

 

All right. Near the end of the chapter we have this precious teaching, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)

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There is no fear in love - no fear of pain, or torture, or failure, or deception, or even sin. We may hate sin, and claim freedom from it, but we need not "fear" it. When one is delivered from bondage, truly delivered, he does not fear bondage. When one is delivered from death, he does not fear death. We who have been delivered from sin do not fear sin, but we avoid it because it is death, and because it causes pain to both ourselves, and to those around us. It is an intelligent avoidance, not a fear response. That is important for us to realize, I believe; many who would be useful to the cause of Yah hold back, because they fear being deceived, or they fear that Yah will not keep them from tripping over some stumblingblock.

 

John closes chapter 4 with a return to a steady theme: "If a man say, 'I love Yah,' and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love Yah whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, 'That he who loveth Yah love his brother also.'" (verses 20, 21)

 

Now chapter 5 begins with another way to test the spirits: "Whosoever believeth that Yahshua is the Christ is born of Yah: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him." (1 John 5:1) This one certainly has a wide application. If one truly loves Yahshua, and truly believes He is the Messiah, he cannot likely be of the darkness.

 

We understand that to some extent Judas, who betrayed the Master, loved Him to some degree, and believed well enough that He was the Messiah - but he had a greater love for his own desires, his own finances and power and ideas, and this overcame him ultimately. For this reason we are not told merely to love Yah, but "Thou shalt love Yahweh thy Almighty One with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Mat 32:27) That is the degree of love that keeps us from putting "self" first, and that is the kind of love that makes 1 John 5:1 an essentially universal test of the believer.

 

John also applies this to true belief, not just true love. He writes, "By this we know that we love the children of Yah, when we love Yah, and keep His commandments. For this is the love of Yah, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Yahshua is the Son of Yah?" (verses 2 - 5)

 

This is the passage that taught us to call the "Righteousness by Faith" message the "Victory" over self and sin :) True love of Yah leads to obedience to His commands. True faith in Yahshua leads to obedience to His commands. This obedience that is based on faith, and not on a keeping of the law to become righteous... this is a victory that overcomes all the world, all sin, all unrighteousness.

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"Who is it that overcomes the world?" John asks. The answer is this: "He that believeth that Yahshua is the Son of Yah." We must believe, not as the devils that know and tremble, but "Even as Abraham believed Yah, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." (Galatians 3:6) This is righteousness, and righteousness by faith.

 

Kimberly: Submission of the will = a saving faith.

 

Yes.

 

[A break until the next verse relevant to Victory over sin]

 

All right, just a couple more things to go. Just before he ends, John explains something necessary to getting the most out of his epistle. Throughout the letter, John has been using the word "sin" on a constant basis, and now he tells us, "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death." (1 John 5:16, 17)

 

What does it mean, "a sin not unto death?" We are told plainly that "the wages of sin is death," (Rom 6:23) and no exceptions are made regarding the type or degree of sin.

 

The only way to understand this is to realize that John has been speaking of Christ all along, and rebuking an error claiming that Christ was not truly given for us as a sin-offering, that He did not truly die on the Cross to release us from the guilt of the Law. This matter of a sin unto death, and a sin not unto death, is spoken of only in one other setting... the Old Testament passages that deal WITH the offerings for sin.

 

We read passages such as this: "If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of Yahweh; then he shall bring for his trespass unto Yah a ram without blemish out of the flocks..." (Leviticus 5:15) And this, "And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering." (Numbers 15:27)

 

But we read further in Numbers 15: "And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before Yahweh, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth Yahweh; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of Yah, and hath broken His commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him." (verses 28 - 31)

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We see a difference, and it is certainly clear. The word "presumptuous" means to be "lifted up," and do not think that this is an old idea that was changed under the New Covenant. You see, one who is converted, one who knows sin and has turned away in his heart, he is "enlightened." (Hebrews 6:4 - 6) The only way such a one can sin in a thing known to him - that is, not in ignorance - is for him to "lift himself up" above Yah, as Lucifer did, and this is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit or, as Numbers puts it a "reproach" to Yahweh.

 

A known sin, a wrong act about which you are already convicted, this does not change Yah's desire to take the sinner back... not at all, but it changes the sinner, and hardens the heart so that they cannot repent, even if they would. They become a "profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." (Hebrews 12:16, 17)

 

In a way, this is a fearsome teaching. But remember John's words... perfect love casts out all fear. We move forward in confidence, aware of the danger, but never saying "what if," and allowing Satan to plant a seed of doubt in the mind. Yah will have a people who endure to the end... by faith, we know we are that people. We move forward, finding and forsaking sin, but never committing a "sin unto death," which we now see is a sin that is done "presumptuously," or in open rebellion against the commandments of Yah with which we are already familiar.

 

In the immediate context of this letter, John is pointing out the extreme danger of those who were once of the flock of Yah and yet "went out from among us" because of their various errors and the Gnostic beliefs they had come to accept. Because they did these things with a "high mind," not submitting to the elders, (Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:5) some of whom had BEEN with Christ, many of them had placed themselves outside the grace of Yah. They called light darkness, (Isaiah 5:20) just as those Pharisees who accused Christ of having an evil spirit.

 

They blasphemed the very Spirit of holiness, and what can save a man when he, having once known the truth, no longer even recognizes the truth that he might obey it? David wrote, "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." (Psalm 19:13) May it even be so with all of us.

 

Kimberly: If they go out from us they were never one of us... so they can't be "brothers." If they come to Yah's people with confessions and manifest a repentant spirit by their works, is it possible that they are finally "brothers?"

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If their reason for leaving was an ignorant deception, that is possible. But if they have "tasted the powers of Heaven" that is a much harder thing from which to recover. To taste and see that Yah is good is to "know" the truth.

 

Pastor "Chick": I have never known of any that "went out from us" and came back.

 

Kimberly: I suppose only Yah would know that, then...and those to whom He reveals it.

 

When Paul describes this he talks about those who have been "enlightened." But pastor has said it right... when they hear this message, it is enough light to "Seal" them if they continue in it. If they reject what they have received, they cannot obtain new knowledge elsewhere to set them back on the path, unless perhaps a beam of light directly from Heaven.

 

Kimberly: I've heard you both say at times that perhaps some of those who hesitated will join during the persecution...is that genuine?

 

We have cherished hope that when the actual persecutions begin, some will have their consciences awakened and may limp back into the Kingdom. But... it is a slim hope at best. It is a "hoping against hope."

 

Okay, we are just about finished... John closes his book with something that is a familiar theme to his readers by now, along with a promise and an instruction. He writes, "We know that whosoever is born of Yah sinneth not; but he that is begotten of Yah keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of Yah, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of Yah is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Yahshua the Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." (1 John 5:18 - 21)

 

Lest we forget, John reminds us one last time: whosoever is born of Yah sinneth not :) This is worded differently than 3:9 which says, "doth not commit sin," and therefore if anyone wishes to question John's intention, he rewords it here to make it even more clear. This verse cannot be interpreted "does not habitually, constantly sin."

 

Even the Greek Diaglott, which rather liberally translates 1 John 3:9 as, "No one who has been begotten by God practices sin," is forced by the clear language of 5:18 to render it into English this way, "We know that everyone who has been begotten by God does not sin; but the one begotten by God guards himself and the evil one does not lay hold of him."

 

Pastor "Chick": Amen!

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Even the NASB, which can be used by some to weaken the force of 3:9 reads here, "We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him."

 

The nominally Christian commentaries on this verse, as one might expect, are useless; but there are too many witnesses, and this one is most clear, declaring that the Victory over sin is a true, and unquestionable teaching of Christ and His apostles.

 

Pastor "Chick": And, we who have "seen and heard and tasted", are living testimonies to "the Truth."

 

Yes.  We know our witness is true, says John, and say those who follow after his example. We know because Yah has given us wisdom and understanding. We "know" that whosoever is born of Yah does not commit sin.

 

And finally, the last words are, "Keep yourselves from idols." This final instruction is not out of place. There are many false teachers out there, there are many with a psalm, a doctrine, a prophecy. There are many who would mislead, or use sophistry to quiet the voice of conscience.

 

Kimberly: Sin is idolatry.

 

There are many who, on hearing this message, delight in going to their former teachers and seek to see what the "smart ones" will do when they hear this message.  But beware, the apostle tells us, keep yourself from idols. Idols may be traditions, comfort zones, maybe even people we trust. But, "let no man deceive you;" if ANYONE, even an angel from Heaven, should teach contrary to this Gospel which Christ delivered to us by the Messenger of His own blood, let him be anathema.

 

Keep yourself from idolatry, and you will "know" that the witness of these words is true, and that the message taught by Christ, taught by John, and taught by every true believer down through the ages has been accepted and is being heralded by the Remnant Church of Yah's people, and no other people in all the world have, as a body, been so very, very blessed.

 

[End of Transcripts]

 

1 – Note: The article “The Two Pauls” may be read online at this web-address: http://creationsda.org/binary/essays/erom.html

 

2 – Note: This book may be found online as well: http://creationsda.org/binary/books/TwoTemples/ttt.html

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