There is a great discussion on if 1 John 1:9 was written for believers. The modern-day teaching is saying that this message is not written for believers. Let’s look at the context verse by verse, for further discussion.
Before that, let’s review 1 John 1:6-10 first.
(1) SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
1 John 1:6-10 (NIV)
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:6-10, NIV)
(2) POINTERS
Let’s discuss 1 John 1:6-10 on pointer by pointer as follows:-
> Pointer on verve 6
Non-believers are still living in the darkness.
How can non-believers that are living in the darkness have fellowship with God?
> Pointer on verve 7
How can non-Christians (Pre-believers) walk in the light? If non-Christians can walk in the light, why need to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour?
And importantly, to most, if not all non-believers, their God is not Jesus.
> Pointer on verse 8.
Non-Christians (Pre-believers) never know that they are sinners. They need not “claim” to live in sin. They have been living in sin. And they do not know what sin is. They don’t have the truth.
It is so easy to reach out to our non-Christian friends if they know what sin is.
> Pointer on verve 10
Again, non-Christians (Pre-believers) are still living in sin. If you try to reach out to them, they might mock Jesus. Need not talk about making God a liar. They might even mock Christians too
(3) SUMMARY
With all these pointers, it can only prove that 1 John 1:6-10 is written to believers. It is so easy to paraphrase a verse or half a verse. But the bible has to be interpreted in the context of the verses before and after; front and back, and cross reference if needed. Not jump here and there.
Of course, I can understand where modern-day teaching comes from. They are saying and arguing that only in 1 John 2, does the author addresses the letter as “My little children.‘ Nevertheless, not every time a preacher comes out to the pulpit addressing the congregation as “Good morning church’, right? He can talk for a few minutes before saying “Hey church”. Does that mean he is not talking to a church?
There again, for those who advocate “Once saved always saved”, adopting 1 John 1:9 becomes counter-effective to their theology and belief. That is the main reason they reject 1 John 1:9.
On the other hand, some said, 1 John 1:9 has to be read in conjunction with Psalm 32 verse 5. If it is so, please continue with “LAW (1) JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH’. Briefly, it can’t just take a verse from Psalm 32. It has to read the whole of Psalm 32, that is my personal take. Amenbible
CONTINUE READING:
LAW (1) – JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
READ:
ARISE, SHINE
AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD
I AM THE LORD WHO HEALS
MELCHIZEDEK, GRACE, TRUTH, AND LAW
