The Two of Us 1John 1:8 & 1John 3:9, 5:18

1John 1:1-3 The use of we, us make it clear John was writing to Christians. Why? (V4) That our joy, your joy, could be full.

V1:8-10; 2:1-2 With the use of we, us and our John included himself along with these young Christians (little children). 

·       Their joy could be full because John taught in these verses that God saved them in spite of knowing that after they were saved they were going to sin. And that Jesus Christ the righteousness was their representative before God.

·       He it the daysman that Job yearned for in Job 9:33 and believed in, in Job 19:25-26

*** Question was John saved when he wrote this? Yes

In Rom 7:14-17, 19-21, 24a Paul makes it clear that there remained in him a sinful nature and there were times when his sinful nature would come out seem to win.

*** Question was Paul saved when he wrote this? Yes

Do you have comfort in knowing that John and Paul were just like us; sinners saved by grace and were apt to sin after they were saved? You should. The God that created us knows more about us than all man’s knowledge put together. Our salvation is not based upon past sin or future sin.

In 1John 3:8-9,10 , 5:18 John wrote that if you are born of God you do not commit sin and in fact you can not commit sin.

·       Most commentaries want this verse to say a Christian will not continue in the same sin over and over. Or continue in gross sin. That is not what these verses say.

In chapter one of 1John he tells us we sin. Paul also makes it clear we will sin. But later in the same letter John tells us we do not sin and cannot sin. It appears they are teaching we Christians have dual or split personalities. The two of us.

·       Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is when a person has two or more sets of thoughts, actions, and behaviors.

In Romans 7 Paul explains the two natures of Christians.

In Romans 7:18, 24b Sin dwells within our bodies of fleah.

·       V25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Within us a battle between our mind and our flesh takes place.

·       Eph 5:18 Being filled with the Spirit is being under control of the Spirit or placing our wretched flesh under subjection to the inner man that is in Christ.

Key phrase in understanding the two natures of Christians is in Christ or in him.

1John 3:5 no sin in him

2Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new

2Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Eph 2:6; Jude 24 teach that we are in Christ in heavenly places When we accept Christ as our savior the Holy Spirit places us in Christ

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus

****1John 3:8-9,10, 5:18 apply to the inner man that is perfect, sinless seated in heavenly places in Christ.

****1John 1:8-10 apply to the body of flesh that Paul called wretched and that he wrestled daily to keep it under subjection to his inner man.

·       Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, 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.

·        2Cor 5:1-4; 1Co 15:51-54

1John 3:2 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.

·       Php 3:20-21 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.

·       Our wretched bodied must be changed before they can stand in the presence of our sinless savior.

Today we are both

·       wretched in the flesh

·       but also perfect in Christ

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Your joy should be full knowing that even though you may sin all is well between you and God because you are in Christ.

Warning! Christians do not have a license to sin!

Romans 5:20-21 with Romans 6:1-2