<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Early in 1 John, the author portrays authentic Christian living as involving honest and ongoing acknowledgment of one’s sins, God’s forgiveness of the same, and the cleansing from all unrighteousness (1:8-9). However, later in the same letter, while seeking to distinguish his opponents from those who were the true children of God, he says: ‘No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him’ (3:6); and ‘those who have been born of God do not sin, because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God.’ (3:9). These latter statements stand in tension with his earlier statement which says that anyone claiming to be without sin is a liar. In one place he rejects sinless perfection, in the other he appears to assume it. In this article these apparently contradictory statements are examined and a possible resolution of the tension existing between them is suggested.</p>
</abstract>

Early in 1 John, the author portrays authentic Christian living as involving honest and ongoing acknowledgment of one’s sins, God’s forgiveness of the same, and the cleansing from all unrighteousness (1:8-9). However, later in the same letter, while seeking to distinguish his opponents from those who were the true children of God, he says: ‘No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him’ (3:6); and ‘those who have been born of God do not sin, because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God.’ (3:9). These latter statements stand in tension with his earlier statement which says that anyone claiming to be without sin is a liar. In one place he rejects sinless perfection, in the other he appears to assume it. In this article these apparently contradictory statements are examined and a possible resolution of the tension existing between them is suggested.

Sin and Perfection in 1 John

Perichoresis

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Sin and Perfection in 1 John"}

Early in 1 John, the author portrays authentic Christian living as involving honest and ongoing acknowledgment of one’s sins, God’s forgiveness of the same,...

Sin and Perfection in 1 John

Published Online: Jun 07, 2024

Page range: 68 - 79

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/perc-2024-0016

Keywords
Sin, perfection, fellowship, children of God, anomia, assurance, eternal life

© 2024 Colin G. Kruse, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Sin and Perfection in 1 John

Published Online: Jun 07, 2024

Page range: 68 - 79

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/perc-2024-0016

KeywordsSin, perfection, fellowship, children of God, anomia, assurance, eternal life

© 2024 Colin G. Kruse, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Sin, perfection, fellowship, children of God, anomia, assurance, eternal life