
Originally Posted by
Door
The "we" and "our" and "us" are Christians, Jerome.
The man finally got something right! Give the man a hand!
The "we" does not include those to whom he is writing. If it was, then the "we" would also mean that those who he is writing to were also witnesses of the risen Christ whom they had touched. The "we" is John and those who touched, saw, and handled the Lord Jesus.
Even if you are right John is saying that he must confess his sins in order top have those sins cleansed:
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 Jn.1:9).
Are you saying that only those Christians who saw and heard the Lord Jesus are to confess their sins but other Christians are not?
I cannot understand what point that you are trying to make.
...in no way do I reject or deny that a believer is to sanctify their bodies and their minds.
But you close your eyes to the state of a Christian when he does not sanctify his body.
When he sins he becomes defiled and is no longer holy. That is why the Christian is told the following:
"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of living; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Pet.1:16-17).
The Apostle Peter tells the Christian to be "holy" in all manner of living. That means that a Christian can sin and become unholy, defiled by that sin. And the Lord has made provision for the Christian who sins and therefore becomes unholy:
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 Jn.1:9).
But you deny that the Christian ever needs cleansing from the defilement that is caused by sin. Can you not understand that the sins which any man commits, whether he be saved or not, defiles that man? The Lord Jesus said:
"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man" (Mt.15:18-20).
You say that since a Christian sin's were cleansed earlier at his conversion then he no longer needs cleansing. Then you quote verses that are in regard to a Christian's "standing" in order to attempt to prove your assertion while ignoring all the verses that are in regard to his "walk."
You just cannot seem to understand that any sins that a Christian commits during his "walk" defiles him. Then you deny the very provision which the Lord makes for cleansing the Christian from the defilement caused by sin. Here John, who is a Christian, speaks of this provision for himself:
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 Jn.1:9).
And why would the Lord tell His disciples to pray in the following way?:
"Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil" (Lk.11:3-4).
In His grace,
Jerry