Acknowledging Our Sin

Both Peter and John clearly stated that the message they preached was based on what they had experienced with Christ, seeing him fulfill the Old Testament Prophecies.  Peter was concerned that Christians would either follow false teachers who perverted the Word of God or would drift into sin, forgetting what God had done for them. 

John deals with this latter concern at some length, starting with I John 1:5-7.  “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.  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 Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”   John’s premise is that there is no evil in God, and he will not surround himself with those who do evil. 

As a result one’s behavior is an indicator of his relationship with God.    A life of sin indicates that the person does not really know God at all.  This in no way implies that our works save us, but that because Christ has saved us, we walk with God, allowing him to lead us, and no longer practice that sinful lifestyle.  Because our attitudes and actions are changed, we get along easily with others who have a Godly attitude.   As I Corinthians 3:3 tells us, conflict among Christians indicates an unspiritual state. 

While Jesus’ blood cleanses us from all sin, we do not attain a state of sinless perfection, which is why Peter was concerned.  I John 1:8-10 advises, “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.”    

As a result of Adam’s sin, human beings are born with a conscience to make them aware of what is not right.  Repeated sin damages that conscience preventing it from working properly.  When a person accepts Christ, the Holy Spirit renews that conscience so that it works properly.  If a person has no consciousness of sin, clearly they cannot be a Christian, because their conscience has not been renewed.  If we recognize and take responsibility for our sin Christ can be depended on to forgive it and to purge it.  If we refuse to take responsibility for sin, we are in effect calling God a liar for saying what we have done is sin, and clearly do not accept his word. 

For several years, I have been concerned about the popular teaching that one should never admit they are wrong because it makes them look weak.  Unfortunately, until one admits there is a problem one also will not fix it so they are stuck with the problem, whether we are talking about physical things such as a worn out tire, a bad financial decision, or how we relate to our families.    A refusal to admit we have sinned will prevent us from accepting Christ as savior, or from receiving forgiveness for sins after we get saved. 

We don’t have to fear admitting our sin because God has provided a way of dealing with it if we have, as I John 2:1- tells us.  “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.”  Our conscience was restored so we would know how to avoid sin.  If we sin in spite of the warnings from the conscience, Christ is still there as our advocate before God, and if we acknowledge we have done it, he will include this sin as part of the package for which we have been forgiven, somewhat like a lawyer setting up a plea deal for a defendant.  If we refuse to accept responsibility for the crime, it cannot be included in the deal and must be addressed separately.   

When a court grants a plea deal, there are certain things expected of the defendant.  For example he will be expected to change his behavior and avoid committing the same or other crimes in the future.  If he refuses, his deal will be revoked, and he will have to serve out the proper sentence, because he was clearly not repentant for what he had done.  Similarly, if we have been sincere about asking for forgiveness, there will be a change in our lives.  I John 2:3-5 is very clear.  “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.”  If there is no change in attitude or behavior, it is obvious the person has not sincerely accepted Christ.  If he is really a Christian he ought to begin to show a concern for what God wants.