Biblical Exegesis of 1 John 1:8 - Calvinism Refuted by Jim Gilles

[jimgilles]

Thanks Jesse for recording and uploading this message.

[OpenAirOutreach]

The key in interpretation is context. And 1 John 1:8 is right next to 1 John 1:9 which promises not merely forgiveness but cleansing, and not from some sin but all sin.

[shiphrahhopeful]

Wow Bro. Jim! This was the clearest explanation of 1 John 1:8 I've ever heard. Thank you.

[Devonte]

This was great, teaching and preaching. Praise God for truth.

[BroCope]

1Jo 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

You asked the question why this is true. There is no darkness in God, therefore if one is walking in darkness, that cannot be in God. There IS NO DARKNESS in God.

Great preaching

[OpenAirOutreach]

Calvinists cannot debunk this teaching.

[gomitch]

Wonderful! I feel sorry for Daniel Stowers who commented below. If you aim low, you will hit low, but if you aim high, you will hit high. This is basic.

[theministryoftheholyspirit]

Beautiful truth.... Live and walk in the truth....

[mugishacharles]

Very insightful sermon by Jim. I wish every calvinist could watch this.

[thelordwillprovide]

Beautiful Preaching! Thank you Lord Jesus for your word!

[tomgregory]

1John 1:8

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (I John 1:8) Many have used this verse to try to prove that no believer in Christ can be without sin, but closer scrutiny of the context shows that John was talking about an altogether different concept that had already begun to be taught, and would continue to be propagated throughout the church age. This doctrine teaches that once a person becomes a believer, sin is no longer an issue, that once he is under grace, (or under the blood of Jesus, as some would say) he can never again be held accountable to God for sin. They will boldly say: “When Jesus forgave my sins, He forgave all my sins, past, present, and future.”
Let us now, in the light of this statement, examine the context of I John 1:8. Verse 5 says: “This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” This verse proves that there is no darkness (sin) in God, and verse 6 says: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, (sin) we lie and do not the truth.” This shows clearly that anyone that has sin, while claiming to be in fellowship with God, is not doing, by works, the truth. Verse 7 says: “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we fellowship one with another, (us with God) and the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanseth us from all sin.” This shows that in order to be in fellowship with God. We must be walking in the light exactly as He is in the light (see chapter 2:6, 3:7 & 4:17) and the blood of Jesus will keep us cleansed from all sin.
So we see that the one who says that he has no sin, because he is somehow positionally without sin, while his experience is that he does have sin, is the one who is deceiving himself and the truth is not in him according to the context of I John 1:8. This false doctrine is also called “state and standing, ” declaring that though your state of being is sinful, your standing with God is that you are sinless. John’s solution to this situation, that if we find ourselves deceived and come to our senses, is: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteous.” (I John 1:9) Then we can truly say that we have no sin. But if we persist in saying that God somehow justifies us in our sin, by saying that no matter what I do I’m already forgiven, and so technically I have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word (truth) is not in us, according to verse 10.
Why did John write all this?  The next verse says, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if (not when) 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.” (I John 2:1 & 2) In chapter 1 vs.4 John says that he was writing these things that their “joy may be full, ” in chapter 2 vs. 1 he says that he’s writing these things that they: “sin not.” So what is full joy? It’s when we are free from sin. Read on in the context through verse 6 for even more understanding.
The whole book is full of encouragement that we have been set free in Christ. Notice especially chapter 3 verses 1-10. Verse 3 has been used to say that we are not yet pure and that we must submit to a process of purification, but the overwhelming scriptural evidence shows that we have already been purified in Christ. (I Peter 1:22, 23, I Timothy 1:5, 3:9, 2 Timothy 1:3, 2:22, 2 Peter 3:11, to site a few) The true meaning of the text is that we keep ourselves pure, even as He is pure, as Paul exhorted Timothy. “Keep thyself pure.” (I Timothy 5:22) As you read on in I John notice also chapter 5:17-19, here we see clearly that it is the world that lies in the power of the wicked one, not the believer in Christ who has been delivered. (See Colossians 1:13) 
We must understand that the purpose of saving faith is to purify our hearts. “And (God) put no difference between us and them, (Jew and Gentile) purifying their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:9) Jesus said “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) And Paul said, “But without faith it is impossible to please him…” (Hebrews 11:6) “Who (Jesus) gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14)  "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (1 Peter 1:22&23)

[ronburhans]

Wow! Clearly explained a common misunderstood text.

[logicalconceptofficial]

Logic (The True Source of True Knowledge) who is The One True God that Moshe’s Torah was actually talking about (in a time and language where they didn’t call Logic “Logic” but where Logic was still The One who said “I will be who I will be” to the universe as Logic still does and always will) is how I know what I know.

This preacher keeps asking how we can know things, yet doesn’t mention Logos (Reason aka Logic) despite “Theos en ho Logos” being the opening words of John 1.

Logic is The Source of Truth, and The One True God, and there is no other.

[logicalconceptofficial]

If you are talking about matters of theology and about the gospel of John, and if you don’t study it LOGICALLY and start out with understanding what John 1 says before going on to the rest of John then you will not understand it.

God is Logos (Reason aka Logic) and is “The One Who Makes x=x” who makes 1=1, God=God, nothing=nothing, and all be all.

If you ignore John 1 or fail to study John 1 in its original Greek language and do not understand what it means for God to be Logos then you won’t know how to know good from evil, and you won’t understand how Logic, through logical division, divides order from chaos, truths from lies, good from evil, light from darkness, up from down, etc.

If you are looking to actually study and obey God then you MUST study Logic and not be mindless.

[D]

Hi. Whichever 'calvinist' you encountered with twisted the Bible to give license to sin. But not all calvinists interpret it that way. I and many other well known calvinist teachers fully agree with the exegesis of 1 John 1. So don't accuse people of what they didn't teach. We do not justify sin in our lives. Will appreciate it if you be fair in your statements and not ascribe a general accusation against all calvinists because in doing so you are laying a false accusation, which is dishonorable in the sight of God. thanks.

[inTruthbyGrace]

plus Jesus tells us that he who _does_ truth comes to the LIGHT that his deeds may be made manifest that that they are wrought in God (John 3:21) folks that LIGHT is the Word of God (Psalm 119:105, 130; 1Pet1:23, 2Tim3:15-17) we are to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exults itself above the knowledge of God bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2Cor10:5) which you do not do with 100% conformity bc your knowledge of God is not perfected until you are glorified (Col until you are glorified you sin simply bc you are not perfect yet, you are in a fallen world and you do not know God's Word and will with 100% certainty yet so you fall short of perfect forgiveness, mercy, love, justice, and patience and knowledge and virtue and godliness and endurance and agape *_all the time_* do not pretend you do not sin folks.. if righteousness came by obedience we would not need the righteousness that is of Christ by faith (Phil 3)....you are NOT *_that righteous_* and if you are trying to rely on your own righteousness you will be sadly mistaken about how far you are from being sinless... trust the Lord's righteousness... not your own. Receive a love of the truth and have the humility to let the Spirit of Truth work in you, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Phil 2:12-13)

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Phil 3:7-21)

[logicalconceptofficial]

If you are logical then you stand with God (Logic) if you are illogical (lost in darkness) you will have turned your back on Logic, The One True God.

Consciousness (us) has made countless errors in reasoning (aka “committed countless sins”) both collectively and through us conscious individuals (pieces of the one subject of consciousness). Those who don’t think they have ever made an error in reasoning (sinned) are making an error in reasoning as they say that and sin as they currently speak.

Only Logic has never made an error in reasoning and never will.

The mind (consciousness) likes to make a false god unto itself (thinking it decides what is good or evil, and true or false) but it is not God and never will be.

The sooner the mind gets this concept the sooner we can submit to Logic and go THE proper way rather than our own subjectively correct (and objectively incorrect) ways.

[jeffreylardizabal]

"He who dwells in the secret place of the most high, shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty, " - Psalm 91:1 - whereas, contrarily, "He who, " DOES NOT, "dwell in the secret place of the most high, shall" NOT, "abide in the shadow of the Almighty. We can get sunburnt!!!

Thank God when we are not - even then, "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, " - Colossians 2:13.

Peter failed with Christ in his presence - failing when looking to the storm rather than to Christ walking on the water.

Peter failed again when he denied Christ three times, after just being departed from him when they took Christ to trial.

Peter failed - yet, his failures did not separate him from the love of God, and when Christ returned he asked Peter to feed his sheep.

The sin of pride comes into play when we "say we are without sin, " - it's a sin to argue such.

We are forgiven and can sin this side of heaven, even after having come to Christ, humbled before him, and having already submitted ourselves to him - as Peter did, yet sinned, for he had already followed him; yet sinned.

Come - let us have fellowship in season and out, "for now we see as through a glass, darkly..." - 1 Corinthians 13:12

We need to be humble when asking for forgiveness - "for all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, " - Isaiah 64:6

Sinless perfectionism - arguing "since 8 years ago, 8 months, and 8 minutes, since I was saved, I have not sinned, " - is a sin of pride brother, and neither pride nor anger, one of pride's fruit, works the righteousness of God.

We're all toasties - and are responsible for our sins, for they are not of the Father, as 1 John 2:16 tells us - "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, " - yet, with the temptation, he also gives us a way out (There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.) - 1 Corinthians 13:12

Our joy is that - yet, though we have tribulation, we can be of good cheer, as John 16:33 commands:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

We'll be judged according to one of two things Christ will say to us:

1. Well done my good and faithful servant; or,
2. Depart from me, I never knew you

In between those two is a whole lot of forgiveness - and we who are humble enough to know we sin, do so thankfully, praising and thanking God for Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, who is faithful to teach and remind us of all that Christ said in his Word to us (John 14:25, 26 - the Bible).

It's 2:42 p.m. Eastern Standard Time as I am typing this now, and have already asked God to forgive me for having held contempt for someone calling me a liar, when I stood against Calvinism, and I had to recant and love him as Christ commands us to - of all our enemies, to love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us (Matthew 5:44) - and does that make me any less saved?

NO - just needing to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, as is commanded of us all - Philippians 2:12

[Hovsep]

I like the form of his preach but i not acept a little bit when he say, if we walk occassnely in darkness, WE can Come back again, i think hé accept than chrisitan IS sinner and hé still sinner with ocasionelly sins...it's disgusting

[danielmurphy]

Ha ha ha ha ... This man is perfect. .ha ha ha ha ha