In every century the church has had such people in it. Jesus Himself says that these people call Him "Lord," but He does not know them (Luke 6:46, Matt. 7:21-23). Even the apostle John, who is famous for his emphasis on the love of God, has some rather strong words to say about anyone who walks in sin. As we read a moment ago from 1 John, he makes it clear that "no one born of God will continue to sin." The believer who is truly born-again "cannot go on sinning."

John does not mean that anyone who claims to be a believer and sins even one time is not truly saved. After all, it is in this context that he says:

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 1:8-2:2).

Thank-God there is provision for our sin - before we are saved and after we are saved. Even though God’s will is for us not to sin, if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful to wash us clean. Certainly this is a glorious truth that brings comfort to us and daily encouragement. But we must, as Michael Brown says, be careful to put the emphasis where it belongs (see Brown, Go and Sin No More, Regal, 1999, 99ff.). Intentional sin in the life of the believer should be something that is very rare.

John was not making excuse for our sins, nor was he giving believers a license to sin. John did not view sin in believers lightly. There is nothing God hates more than sin. The whole purpose of John’s first letter was to call his readers to a closer walk with Christ. He challenged them to holiness, while encouraging them when they fell short.

However, his emphasis is on holiness, not on falling short. Anyone who really understands the gospel would never think for a moment John was telling his readers it was fine to sin freely, as long as they confessed their sins along the way. No, his emphasis is very clear: Believers must live radically different from unbelievers.

Believers live in light, unbelievers live in darkness. The righteous walk in truth and overcome sin. The unrighteous walk in lies and do what is wrong. Michael Brown notes immediately after John talks about Jesus pleading our case with the Father when we do sin, he writes:

We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, "I know Him," but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did (1 John 2:3-6; cf. Brown, Go and Sin No More, 100).

John was not telling his readers how they could live like this, but he was telling them and us that this is how we are to live. After all, he was only reinforcing standards that God had already laid out in the Old Testament centuries before - standards that Jesus took even deeper in His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.

You remember, through the prophet Isaiah the Lord had said, "Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight. Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!" (Isaiah 1:16-17). The psalmist asked in Psalm 24:3: "Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?" His answer was direct and clear: "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false" (Psalm 24:4). That person is the only person who can live in God’s presence. Such holiness is demanded by God in both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Lev. 11:45; 1 Peter 1:16).

In fact, all the Old Testament prophets, with one voice, brought the same message from the Lord to the chosen people. In 2 Kings 17:13 we read, "Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets."

The good news of the New Testament gospel is that now, by the indwelling Spirit of God, we can fulfill the Law’s demands (Romans 8:1-4; 6:12-14). Now, holiness is written on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10; 10:16' cf. Jer. 31:33).