Eternal Frustration
My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 1 John 2:1 NASB
May not sin – Seriously now, can John actually mean this? Does John really think it is possible to not sin? After twenty centuries of Augustine and Luther, can anyone claim that he or she hasn’t sinned every day in word, thought and deed? Apparently John was either living in fantasyland or he was seriously deluded. It’s not that we wouldn’t like this to be true. It’s just that we know all too well that is can’t be true.
But John seems to think that his words will guide us to the place of not sinning. I need to know how that is possible. First, of course, I need to correct my spiritual depression. I need to realize that if the inspired word of God suggests that it is possible, then it must be possible. It doesn’t matter what I have believed as a result of prior theological training. It doesn’t matter that I have convinced myself it can’t be done. Clearly, the authors of the Bible believe God expects me not to sin and He shows me how to do this. So I must start with John’s point of view, not mine. And John makes it pretty clear that sin is the exception, not the norm.
Second, I must realize what sin is. Sin is missing the mark. That means there is a mark to miss. And that means I must know what the mark is before I recognize that I have missed it. As far as I can tell, there is only one consistent mark (standard) in all of Scripture to which the authors of Scripture hold themselves accountable, that is, Torah. The measure of blamelessness is Torah. If I live according to Torah, I have hit the mark. I have not sinned. If I don’t live according to Torah, I have missed the mark. I’ve sinned. I must know what it means to hit the mark (James says, “Know what is right”) and then fail to hit it.
Third, while there are certainly many, many implications based on the principles of Torah, the measure of my marksmanship is Torah, not the extensions of Torah by men or institutions, and certainly not the extra moral and ethical targets offered by anyone else. It might be true that you were trained to not speak at all if you don’t have something positive to say, but that isn’t biblical and is therefore not one of the targets. With this in mind, it is perfectly reasonable for David to claim that no wicked way is to be found in him and for the young ruler to claim that he has keep some particular set of the commandments since his youth. In fact, if this isn’t true then Paul is a liar (he claims to have lived blamelessly according to the Law) and John is a charlatan. Certainly all the Jewish context of Scripture, from Moses to John, believes and teaches that sinning is not necessary. Perhaps the most important part of not sinning is discovering that it’s possible.
What are John’s words that led him to conclude I don’t have to sin? He says that I must stake my life on Yeshua’s real bodily existence. He is the Messiah, the sent-one from God. Then I must believe that God is entirely good (light) and there is nothing in God that promotes or intends any form of darkness. Then I must have fellowship with God and that means obeying Him, trusting Him, listening to Him and relying on Him. In essence, this is the prayer, “Make my heart so malleable that I will be content with whatever You bring into my life.” In other words, I stop fighting for my rights, my way, my choices. I let God lead. Then I recognize, admit, acknowledge and confess that I have in fact sinned (past tense). I am in need of grace and God so abundantly provides it. I am weak, but He is strong. My yetzer ha’ra has been well trained to find every possible excuse for my own choices, but I can learn otherwise. I have been a rebel, but I want to be a servant. And the Father is running to greet me.
Anything and everything that promotes fellowship with Him is my sole purpose.
And then John says, “keep the commandments.” Well, of course. Moses told me long ago that they weren’t too difficult and too remote. Right now, at the moment, I am keeping them. All I need to do is continue.
Topical Index: sin, yetzer ha’ra, 1 John 2:1
~ His mother said to the servants,
“Whatever He says to do, do it.” ~
Jn 2: 5
My chief ambition in life these days is to come to a point of knowing when I’ve sinned. We realized just a few days ago we can’t spay or neuter our animals anymore. We are commanded to take dominion and rule over them but not alter their physiology and render them unable to accomplish their duty to be fruitful and multiple. Is there no end to the roots of our pagan culture? It’s like trying to eradicate dandelions by pulling them out. Grrrrrr!
How interesting, Pam. God just keeps bringing me more and more and more food for thought… and prayer… and seeking Him all the day long!
Hi Pam,
Interesting comment.
Can you please show me where we are not allowed to spay or neuter our animals? Also, please show where YHVH commands the animals to be fruitful and multiply?
Thanks,
Marie
I believe Paul says it another (not another as different but another as the same thing but using a different approach)
“Likewise YOU ALSO (you also…Christ did in bodily form, so should you) reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lust…”
I think many people read this chapter (Romans 6) and think of it as a “magical” moment when I don’t want to sin any longer. So we go and tell people, “You died with Christ so you shouldn’t want to sin anymore” but then they still want to sin, then many times give up eventually because it seems unattainable. But the chapter is very practical! Its about obedience to whatever I CHOOSE to obey! Either sin leading to death (under the law) or obedience leading to righteousness (under grace). Its the same message that we have had from the beginning…..”You must rule over it…..”
As you have said this weekend Skip, “God was the first advertisement for Nike….Just Do IT”
Or perhaps obedience leading to righteousness (according to the law)
Yes Pam. The two: (under grace) and (according to law) are in essence saying the same thing to me! Or to be under grace is to live according to the law. Obedience leading to righteousness! Thanks
I get the “may not sin” and agree with your exegesis. It perfectly dovetails with the whole import of the Torah of what it means to be both human and righteous via choice. What doesn’t make sense to me is when John, in the same book, says: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” Cannot? That seems to fly in the face of choice and its “may not sin” flagship. Is this a mistranslation, a gloss or a new rabbit hole we’ve yet to explore? Michael
He that is born of GOD does NOT practice sin… we begin to practice holiness.. THe key word is practice as far as I understand because of NEW HEAVENLY DESIRES
Michael, I choose first to “be born of YAH” and in so choosing I am also choosing the wonderful results of being born of YAH, and that is so “I cannot sin”. Halleluyah! Isn’t that our goal? No longer to sin?
I like to split the hair one more time and call grace the covering that protects us as we are turning from our old way of life toward obedience to G_d.
The Jerusalem council is a fine example of this concept for the gentiles who were coming out of their pagan practices. They required the very basics regarding table fellowship and then directed them to the synagogue where they could be taught Torah and grow (covered) in grace. Grace covered them in their ignorance.
However once they were instructed they were expected to live a righteous life (according to the law/Torah) as they were being taught. There was no other reason to learn it except to live it! You can’t live it until you are instructed in it and G-d offers grace in the learning process. And BTW that process never ends so grace is always needed. Adam and Havvah were covered in G-d’s grace before they left the Garden. Grace is not new it’s just true!
Even Yeshua went through this process. Lu 2:40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
I like that, Pam.
(ETERNAL) RESTORATION OF RELATIONSHIP
~ if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness ~
What does it mean to “confess” our sins, – and to who are we “confessing” them?
“Forgive me Father, for I have sinned,” is addressed to who? The “most holy Father” is right!- but not that one- not the pope (or any other man) but to “the” Holy Father, – to God (Himself). But, how is this possible? We need a Mediator- an Advocate, Someone to represent us, Someone who is human just like us, – to represent us and to present us to God. Who might that Mediator (the Mediator of a better covenant) be? ~ For God is One, and The Mediator (or Intermediary) of God and the sons of men is One: The Son of Man, Yeshua The Messiah, who (btw), gave Himself as a ransom for ALL, the testimony given at the proper time. (1 Timothy 2.5)
And so we shouldn’t be left wondering (or frustrated), maybe we should know this today: ~
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to (all) mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4.12) ~
Ahh, yes. And “Whosoever (a rather open call- this “whosoever” isn’t it?) shall call upon the Name of the LORD, shall be saved. (Romans 10.13)
Saved? Saved from what and (again) by who? What does it mean to be saved? Saved from the penalty of sin. Saved from the power (or dominion) of sin. And one day, (soon, I hope) saved (delivered) from the presence of sin! Heaven is a totally “sinless” place! C U there? – Hope so? or Know so? Can “any man” actually know he (or she) is saved? Yes sir, and yes m’am. Absolutely and positively, Yes. We may “Rest Assured.”
No one is ready to live until he or she is ready die! ( A dark subject, but) What if it were today? May we be assured of our “relationship?”- and this is what salvation is.. (in shortest terms) it is -“restoration of relationship!”
Because of Christ, our Messiah, and His atoning, propitiating blood shed for us upon the Tslav of Calvary, we are (now) the sons and daughters of Elohim. We have been redeemed.Bought. Purchased. We are now His purchased possession and we now belong to the (always) Good Shepherd. We are under new “ownership” and also under “new management.” We have (for lack of vocabulary) “exchanged” one life for another and have exchanged one “boss” for another.
~ For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus ~ (Galatians 3.26)
~Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is ~ (1 John 3.2)
Relationship!- not rules or rituals or religion! Christianity is not a code or a creed -or even the church! Christianity is Christ! He is our identity!
~ Let the redeemed of the LORD, – say so! ~ those who He has redeemed from the hand of the Advesary! ~
Very well then..- I shall. I have been redeemed! I am saved! Who does the saving? Him. Who does the trusting? Me.
And if.. And if I may trust Him with my “eternal soul”- then why (pray tell) do I not trust Him for my “daily bread?” He has promised- (and at every meal I consume I “see” (come to know and to understand- “see” His word fulfilled)- ~ I will feed you with the finest of wheat! ~ (Friends) ~ O Taste and “see” (understand) that the LORD is good! ~ With every mouthful of delicious (whatever) we should be thinking (silent prayer?)- Thank you God for my teeth and my tongue and each tastebud! Once again, “The LORD will provide and has provided!” -our “daily” bread!!
Ahh.. but what about the “trouble” we see! Pardon me, -please. I must have but a moment.. If God does nothing “randomly”, but is “purposeful” in all He says and does (He does “all things” well,- btw) then why do we “in this world”- have “tribulation?” Is there a (greater) “purpose” in pain? and in sorrow? and in “affliction?” And the answer is?? Yes. For (again) He does all things- well.
What does pain do for “any man?” If (let us NOT try this at home- okay?) If we were to (theoretically only, please) smash our thumb with a hammer (which I have done and therefore may testify), pain will focus our thinking upon the (now) sore spot- the thumb. I am not thinking at this particular junction in time about “I wonder who won the world series in 1963”- no, all my faculties and facilities are in total concentration – “focused attention” upon the immediate “area of interest”- said thumb. “And the truth often – “ouch!”
In short, (it’s about time!!)- Pain is an “attention getter” and whom the LORD loves He (what?)- He “chastens.” Please do understand the “difference” between “chastening” and punishment! We (hopefully) chasten our children, we punish criminals. But even our penal system “exists” with an eye towards (the goal or purpose) of rehabilitation. Is there any hope for this man or woman? Yes. As long as there is a God and a human heart that will listen to “what He says” and will trust and will obey, – there is hope- and there is a future.
~ I know the plans I have for you- says the LORD your God~ Oh? What plans are these? Plans to “prosper you!” Plans to give you (both) a hope and a future! And?? Oh beloved! – ~ It is the “ferocity?” of God? No, not at all. ~ It is the “goodness of God” that leads us to repentance! For God is not willing that any (no, not one) should perish, but that “all men – everywhere” should come to repentance.
You know, – we keep “bumping into” these “Bible” words! Words we do not use or are no longer in use in our everyday “marketplace” or workplace “lingo.” Words such as “repentance!”
What on earth does “repentance” mean? In simplest terms (I’m trying!)- it is to “think different!” God is not “against us!”- He is “for us!” He wants us to win! He wants us to be victorious in everything and(?) in every place.. and(?) in every situation and circumstance. ~ We are (always) more than conquerors (how?). Through Him who loved us. And (?)- I’ll ask the question- When (ever) did He stop loving us? And(?) – I’ll answer this question.
– “Never!”
~ For He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all- how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ~
Yes, LORD. I confess, -I agree with You- It is so! (amen),
~ we (all) do (greatly) “err,” -not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God! ~ (Matthew 22.29)