1 John 1 Amplified Bible
1 [I am writing about] what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life [the One who existed even before the beginning of the world, Christ]— 2 and the Life [an aspect of His being] was manifested, and we have seen [it as eyewitnesses] and testify and declare to you [the Life], the eternal Life who was [already existing] with the Father and was [actually] made visible to us [His followers]— 3 what we have seen and heard we also proclaim to you, so that you too may have fellowship [as partners] with us. And indeed our fellowship [which is a distinguishing mark of born-again believers] is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things to you so that our joy [in seeing you included] may be made complete [by having you share in the joy of salvation].
“What exactly does God want us to do?” the people asked. Jesus answered, “God wants you to have faith in the one he sent.” - John 6:28-29 CEV
They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. - John 6:28-29 ASV
Hebrews 4:11 King James Version (KJV)
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Hebrews 4:11 Amplified Bible (AMP)
11 Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience [as those who died in the wilderness].
If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,
O L0rd, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared (revered, worshiped). - Psalm 130:3-4
1 John 1 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
1 The Word, which gives life!
He existed from the beginning.
We have heard him,
we have seen him with our eyes,
we have contemplated him,
we have touched him with our hands!
2 The life appeared,
and we have seen it.
We are testifying to it
and announcing it to you —
eternal life!
He was with the Father,
and he appeared to us.
3 What we have seen and heard,
we are proclaiming to you;
so that you too
may have fellowship with us.
Our fellowship is with the Father
and with his Son, Yeshua the Messiah.
4 We are writing these things
so that our joy may be complete.
5 And this is the message which we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him — none!
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him while we are walking in the darkness, we are lying and not living out the truth. 7 But if we are walking in the light, as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of his Son Yeshua purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim not to have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we acknowledge our sins, then, since he is trustworthy and just, he will forgive them and purify us from all wrongdoing.
10 If we claim we have not been sinning, we are making him out to be a liar, and his Word is not in us.
~~~~~
Some say they have never sinned. I don't believethey don't know what sin is. Some say they are obeying the commandments. And many are obeying them. But can anyone now living in his or her earthen vessel say they are flawless, and will never sin again? Can any say they now no longer need to confess their sins?
The Old Covenant commandments are not able to save us. God's chosen people were not able to keep the 10 commandments. If they had, there would have been no need to add the additional 603 commandments. Had those (then) 613 commandments been kept, and if the blood of sheep and rams been able to cleanse and save us, to reconcile us to God, there would be no need for Jesus to have given His Life's blood for our salvation. To count on obeying commandments to save us is to ignore the rest of the story. Jesus came to fulfill the law and to keep it. His death was the expunging of all our sin and guilt. His blood took away the sting of death.
>>>>----> The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: 1 Corinthians 15:56
Jesus came to lift the condemnation of the law off of those who would trust that He could do it!
>>>>----> For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. Romans 8:2
2Corinthians 3 Is a very powerful Chapter. We cannot excuse our sins and walk well in the Spirit. But can we walk well in the Spirit confessing them? We cannot live if we walk in the law.
2Corinthians 3:4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away: 8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11 For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.
The law would be sufficient if we could keep it. My observation has been that those who try to"keep" the law, the 613 commandments become embittered with an inner discouragement that no joy is produced by that effort. And not only, they seem to think that those who do not as they do are heretics and lesser beings.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
I do not live in a constant state of spiritual ecstasy. But I know that the law, though glorious, is given to expose my sins. It IS "the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones."
I have often wondered at Psalm 119 and other Psalms. Why did David love the law so much? I think it was because David KNEW the Lord in the Holy Spirit. The law had humbled him and he drew near to the Lord out of that humility. That is the message of Romans Ch. 5, yes? That while we were yet sinners God loved us and had our redemption prepared for the new birth of our faith.
There is the failure of sin. And there is the failure of unbelief.
Romans 5 American Standard Version (ASV)
1 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness; 4 and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: 5 and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us. 6 For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life; 11 and not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
12 Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:— 13 for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam’s transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many. 16 And not as through one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment came of one unto condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses unto justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous. 20 And the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly: 21 that, as sin reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
