If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
As i read in 1 John, This passage astounds me, it is very clear about what God opines about sin and us. We would have sinned. We may not recognize it but we would have sinned. It a powerful statement that is always true. That no matter what happens we are helpless about our sin. This is an interesting fact that no one (or almost) can be sin-less. Because it is impossible for the claim to be true.
This fact is so fundamental, no one can claim we have not sinned. God's standards are so high that for a mere human to say that, it would be the impossible. How is it true that people have not sinned? If you do not recognize God you have sinned. If you recognize God and say that you have not sinned, then it would also be false because there would be a time that one did not believe in God. This result is a suprizing and yet important truth.
2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
I also thought the verses above us is interesting too. Especially in the times that we are in. Sometimes I have trouble telling apart who is with us or against us in the spiritual world. Especially since the lines are so blurred now a days. And this verse gave us a good litmus test to test if anything is with God or against. The simple test is if the spirit would recognize that Jesus Christ is from God. I think that is actually a very good way to discern what is the good and the bad. Any spirit or person that acknowledge that Jesus Christ is from God would also believe in Jesus Christ. And that believe would cause the person to believe in every of His word. That would also consequently say that Jesus is the only Lord! This is actually a sufficient condition!
