Deceiving Ourselves

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 

I John 1:8 

Jesus Christ died for the ungodly and His righteousness covers all those believe that He is the only begotten Son of the living God who bore His wrath upon the cross in our stead. Though this covering of Jesus' righteousness upon us separates us from the bondage of sin, frees us from the guilt of sin, and removes the burden of bearing the immense weight of our sin, it does not cause our sinning to cease. Our bodies were formed under a curse that they should die and though the righteousness of Jesus cover our souls He has not unjustly removed our bodies from that judgement. God, while greatly merciful and gracious, is still holy and thus while our perfected souls will one day be able to stand in fellowship in His presence by the blood of Jesus our corrupt bodies must still perish because of sin. We cannot, by the very existence of our remaining on this earth, say that we have no sin.

To say that we are perfect and without sin is a lie. It is deceptive not only to ourselves but to those around us. We may rightly say that we are not living in a particular sin, or that we do not go about practicing sin (our actions will confirm this), but we can never in this life say that we have no sin. Who among us can say there are no thoughts that creep into our minds that we dwell on till sin is conceived be it lust for money, power, sex, or property? Who among us has not looked upon our neighbors belongs and coveted for anything of his, even after conversion? Who among us has not gone a day without an action of some kind great or small confirming that sin remains in this present life? Isn't this the plight of the Christian? We are not bound to sin because Jesus has freed us. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light (Matt. 11:30). When He has cleansed our spirits and washed away our sin with His blood we earnestly desire to put away sin and bring our flesh into subjection because we desire to be like Him.

God is truth and truth must be in us for us to be in fellowship with Him. Dear children of the living God, do not deceive yourselves into believing that the activity of sin has yet passed from us. We are not yet perfect in glory with the Father and until we are we must remember that our fleshly bodies, and those of our brothers in faith, are not yet without sin. And understanding that we know and can say that the truth is in us because of Jesus.