In Thought - Word & Deed

1 John 1:8 - 2:6

The Reformer's Fire
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Exposition by Max A Forsythe

Question 82:
Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
Answer 82:
No mere man, since the fall, is able, in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God; but doth daily break them, in thought, word and deed.

This fall, the general electorate may well wonder why is it that so few politicians ever grow up to be statesmen? Yes, there are indeed a few of the caliber of Senators Byrd & Moynihan and Representatives Hyde &Traficant who can rise above politics and speak with some authority. But they and a handful of others are still only a precious few who are able to maintain any integrity of statesmanship down through the years.

I can remember my dad talking about a Governor Lausche in Ohio who served several terms in the late forties and early fifties. The admiration and affection in his voice for the governor explained how he could cross over the traditional party lines of many generations in our family. Yet, no matter how much we may admire and even love our leaders, there is always the fact that they are human. And because of their continuing public exposure we are able to learn more about them than we might really want to know. I can remember how profoundly disappointed I was when I learned that the Reagans had invited an astrologer into the White House to advise the first lady.

You can imagine my feelings of revulsions for the national disgrace portrayed in every media outlet these many months of 1998. "If this keeps up through the next year, it may be another decade until we have to finally worry about that millennial bug!"

A theological student once took a job as an aid to a distinguished professor and Doctor of Christ's Church. Awe and wonder quickly subsided as he gained a first hand day to day view of his mentor and employer! Only in time was he able to realize the magnificent witness that God allowed through such a flawed vessel! Yes, even the best of statesmen are really only human after all. The only real candidate for Man of this Century is Winston Churchill and his biographers make it clear that his flaws were common and like Rush Limbaugh, Winston's ego was inflated a few sizes too large.

This is knowledge that is generally unfathomable to the baby boomers whose heroes, Nitsche like have risen amorally above and behavioral standards once used as the measure of us all. It is really hard for a large number of people to comprehend that not telling the whole truth is actually a lie! Even more so to a generation of free lovers, it is difficult to appreciate that some affectionate fondling may even be labeled adultery. Or that the giving of favors, technological information and insider advantages for financial gifts may actually constitute graft, corruption and bribery!

The present American spiritual crisis, which is not comprehended in the Old or Oriental worlds, comes at a providential moment. Finally, at long last the amorality of the sixties may be exposed for what it really is - sin! And that fact, well discussed in our letter from John is knowledge that is long over due for the present generation. We all, like the Christians addressed by John need to measure our thoughts words and deeds against the perfections of scripture to realize the necessity of salvation.

In our text for today, there are three areas where the essence of the Gospel has been forgotten or not grasped wholly by John's audience. These three errors can be fatal in one's relationship to Christ our Lord, so this is the reason for the urgency for the letter.

"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; and in him there is no darkness at all."

Unlike the ancient pagan deities of Graeco-Roman times, God is not anthropomorphic in His behavior. God is wholly consistent with His righteous and holy revelation. If such is the case, than John would argue that those who would be called by His Name ought to be consistent as well. This is the argument of the letter that the Great Lakes Presbytery sent to the White House.

"If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth."

A few years ago, some students that I thought highly of told me they were in trouble with their teacher because they got caught with some Chippendale cards. I asked them what was so obscene about Chip and Dale the Disney chipmunks that their teacher would get upset? The young ladies blushed and admitted that the characters of their cards were monks of no sort at all. After I finally caught on to the exotic nature of their collection, I suggested that like their vocational teacher I was disappointed in their character as well! How often may our Lord be disappointed with us as well. Do we really realize that sin breaks our fellowship with God?

Some of the early Gnostics believed that the body was a mere envelope covering the human spirit. They maintained that man's spirit could not be contaminated by the deeds of the body. Like many today they wanted their free gift of salvation, but also demanded the right to continue enjoying their favorite sins.

John's second observation concerns the most popular denial of the twentieth century. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." How many there are who believe that the Church should put off the antiquated notion that humans are sinful by nature. We once had some visitors who demanded that we stop teaching that man is sinful if we wanted them to continue in attendance. They were tired, they said of visiting churches where they were continually reminded about the archaic notion of Adam's fall and our necessary need for redemption. They saw no need for the solution to the fact of sin argued by John in verse nine. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness". Certainly once we have accepted the free offer of Grace given to us in Christ, all of our sins: past, present and future are covered by the blood of Christ.

However, we must continually remember the cost that our redemption needed and if we are to grow in grace we are to reflect that grace in our worldly and Christian fellowship. Regularly we must confess our sin and as Calvin suggests we must also "strive, according to the capacity of human infirmity, to form [our lives] in obedience to God." In other words, we must in humility admit that it is impossible to keep from sinning because of our basic human nature, but we should still try to live better than we are able.

John's third observation concerns the denial that sin shows itself in our conduct. "If we claim that we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." The heretics maintained that their superior knowledge and enlightenment rendered them incapable of sinning. This superior attitude is actually the worst of these three denials. By saying that we have not sinned is to accuse God of being a liar. This is blasphemy, a sin against the Holy Spirit. This is the ultimate rejection of God the Father. But, we are not to be numbered among such spiritual degenerates.

Instead, John writes to encourage believers not to sin, but also to remind us if and when we sin, there is a way out. The gospel provision for the sinning Christian is in Jesus Christ. In Him are three provisions to cover the fact of our sin. These three include His righteous character, His propitiatory death and His heavenly advocacy. He is in fact in heaven at the right hand of the Father speaking on our behalf. His death on the cross was providentially planned and accomplished to cover over or atone for our sin. And of course, if He were not God incarnate and totally free from sin, His death would have accomplished nothing at all.

This is the God of heaven who has so graciously provided for our redemption. This is the message that we have heard from Him. This is the free offer of the Gospel that would cover our sins if we would only admit the fact that we have indeed sinned.

May we unlike the common pagan crowd accept and remember the free offer of the Gospel and make Jesus Christ our Lord by humbly admitting our need for His righteousness to cover over our sin. May we also regularly confess our sin and thankfully praise the God of heaven for providing the Lamb of God to be sacrificed for our sake. And lastly may we understand that in our lives we must work to better reflect the presence of God in Christ in all we think, say and do.

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Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)
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