In 1 John 1:5 and 3:5 we are told that “GOD IS  (only) LIGHT (holiness), and IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS (sin) AT ALL.”  We are told by holy men of old who spoke and wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21) that God’s true saints are spiritually “IN HIM.”  This being the case, those who are “IN HIM” must not sin, for that would result in darkness being “IN HIM” where there can be “no darkness at all.”

We all have sin in our past that must be forgiven in order to be converted (1 Jn. 1:7,8).  Anyone who denies having sin in his past “is a liar and the truth is not in him” (vs 10).  The first step in qualifying for future salvation involves being cleansed of all PAST sins–justification (Rom. 3:25).  Following justification, one must spend the rest of one’s life resisting Satan’s call to sin.  Resistance is possible ONLY by obeying God’s (Law–Genesis to Revelation which is summarized in the Ten Commandments).  Sin is the breaking of the Law (1 Jn. 3:4).  Righteousness is the opposite of sin.  Righteousness results from keeping the Law.  “He who practices (lives in) righteousness is born of Him (converted)” (2:29; 3:10).  “He who practices righteousness is righteous, just (the same) as He (Jesus) is righteous” (3:7).  “Whosoever is born of God does not sin for His seed (Word) remains in him” (3:9).  Sinners ignore God’s Word, which separates them from God (Isa. 28:9,10).  This separation is evidenced by prayers not being answered, physical and mental illness, financial problems, natural” disasters,  etc.  See The Coronavirus Pandemic: The Cause is the Cure.

GOD IS RIGHTEOUS.  TO BE ONE WITH HIM ONE MUST BE RIGHTEOUS.  THE BIBLE (LAW) IS GOD IN WRITTEN FORM.  JESUS WAS THE BIBLE IN HUMAN FORM.  OBEYING THE BIBLE PRODUCES RIGHTEOUSNESS.  ONE MUST BE RIGHTEOUS IN ORDER TO BE SAVED.  TO OBEY THE LAW/WORD/BIBLE PLACES ONE “IN HIM.”  TO DISOBEY THE LAW FILLS ONE WITH SIN/DARKNESS.  SINNERS SAVED BY GRACE CANNOT BE “IN HIM.”  TO BREAK ONE COMMANDMENT IS TO BREAK THE ENTIRE LAW.  ONE MUST BE CONVERTED–OBEY THE LAW–IN ORDER TO BE SAVED.  This is the strait gate that one must enter and the narrow way one must walk in order to be awarded eternal life at the return of Jesus Christ to earth (Mat. 7:13,14).  Jesus proclaimed that only a few would find God’s strait gate and walk His narrow way that leads to His earthly kingdom.  Why?  Because Satan has convinced God seekers that He (God) is a liar.  Satan convinced Adam to ignore God’s Word in Eden and continues to convince his descendants today.  By deceiving the whole world (Rev. 12:9), the devil has lured multiplied billions of salvation seekers through his wide gate and along his broad way leading to death (Mat. 7:13,14).

It is impossible to live the life commanded by the Lord without knowing Him intimately.  There is knowing, then there is “KNOWING.”  Spiritually, the difference between the two is the difference between eternal life and eternal death.  We know our neighbors, but from a distance.  We “KNOW” our family members on a close, intimate level.  In the same way, God knows every person ever born.  However, He “KNOWS” only those who obey Him, who are “in Him,” who are members of His family (church).  Jesus tells us through the Apostle John how to “KNOW” the Father in that special way.  The key is obedience unto Him.  In verse one John tells us that he is writing to the church “so that you SIN NOT.”  Note the word “NOT.”  Jesus told the prostitute and the man at the Bethesda pool to “sin NO more.”  Period.  He made no allowance for occasional sins.  In order to keep sin out of our life we must obey God’s Word–we must “KNOW” Him.  Question: how do we know that we “KNOW” Him? He tells us: “Now WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW HIM IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.  He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep (obey) His commandments is a liar and the Truth (Word-Jn. 17:17) is not in him. But whosoever KEEPS HIS WORD, truly the love of God is perfected in him.  BY THIS (by keeping His commandments/Word) WE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN HIM” (1 Jn. 2:3-5).  Note that God uses “commandments” and “Word” interchangeably.  THEY ARE THE SAME.

Scoffers, who claim that God has given them a license to sin, reject everything I have written above, including the Scriptural quotes.  The question is: WHY?  Why do scoffers scoff?  Why do they reject the Word of the God they claim has saved them?  Why do they claim that it is impossible to obey God?  The answer can be summarized in two words: human experience.  Human experience, they say, proves that man cannot obey God. Their unspoken mantra is: “If I can’t do it, it can’t be done.”  Jesus said that God’s Word was Truth (Jn. 17:17).  Church people reject both Christ’s and God’s words, and in so doing reject Their Truth.  Man proclaim that his experience constitutes spiritual truth.  Simply put, man’s experience has replaced God’s Words.  Only God can determine spiritual Truth.  Man claims to determine spiritual truth.  Man has replaced God. L.J.